Solar PV Analysis of San Pedro, United States
San Pedro, California, located in the Northern Sub Tropics, offers a favorable environment for solar energy production throughout the year. This coastal city benefits from its geographical position, which allows for consistent solar exposure across different seasons.
Seasonal Solar Performance
Solar panel efficiency in San Pedro varies across seasons, with peak performance during summer months. The average daily electricity output per kilowatt of installed solar capacity is as follows:
- Summer: 7.11 kWh/day
- Spring: 6.84 kWh/day
- Autumn: 4.85 kWh/day
- Winter: 3.72 kWh/day
These figures indicate that San Pedro experiences strong solar potential year-round, with summer and spring being particularly productive seasons. Even during winter, the region maintains a respectable output, making it a suitable location for consistent solar energy generation.
Optimal Panel Installation
For fixed panel installations in San Pedro, the ideal tilt angle to maximize year-round solar production is 30 degrees facing South. This angle optimizes the panels' exposure to sunlight throughout the year, accounting for the Earth's elliptical orbit and the location's specific latitude.
Environmental Considerations
While San Pedro generally offers excellent conditions for solar energy production, there are a few environmental factors to consider:
Coastal fog: Being a coastal city, San Pedro can experience marine layer fog, especially during early morning hours. This may temporarily reduce solar efficiency, but it typically dissipates as the day progresses. To mitigate this, installers can consider slightly adjusting panel angles or using anti-reflective coatings on panels.
Urban pollution: As part of the greater Los Angeles area, San Pedro may occasionally experience air pollution, which can slightly reduce solar panel efficiency. Regular cleaning and maintenance of panels can help counteract this issue.
Overall, San Pedro's climate and geographical location make it an ideal spot for solar energy production, with minimal significant impediments to solar panel efficiency.
Note: The Northern Sub Tropics extend from 23.5° latitude North up to 35° latitude.
So far, we have conducted calculations to evaluate the solar photovoltaic (PV) potential in 4253 locations across the United States. This analysis provides insights into each city/location's potential for harnessing solar energy through PV installations.
Link: Solar PV potential in the United States by location
Solar output per kW of installed solar PV by season in San Pedro
Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 33.7421, Longitude: -118.3102 (San Pedro, United States), based on our analysis of 8760 hourly intervals of solar and meteorological data (one whole year) retrieved for that set of coordinates/location from NASA POWER (The Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources) API:
Ideally tilt fixed solar panels 30° South in San Pedro, United States
To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in San Pedro, United States (Lat/Long 33.7421, -118.3102) throughout the year, you should tilt your panels at an angle of 30° South for fixed panel installations.
As the Earth revolves around the Sun each year, the maximum angle of elevation of the Sun varies by +/- 23.45 degrees from its equinox elevation angle for a particular latitude. Finding the exact optimal angle to maximise solar PV production throughout the year can be challenging, but with careful consideration of historical solar energy and meteorological data for a certain location, it can be done precisely.
We use our own calculation, which incorporates NASA solar and meteorological data for the exact Lat/Long coordinates, to determine the ideal tilt angle of a solar panel that will yield maximum annual solar output. We calculate the optimal angle for each day of the year, taking into account its contribution to the yearly total PV potential at that specific location.
Seasonally adjusted solar panel tilt angles for San Pedro, United States
If you can adjust the tilt angle of your solar PV panels, please refer to the seasonal tilt angles below for optimal solar energy production in San Pedro, United States. As mentioned earlier, for fixed-panel solar PV installations, it is optimal to maintain a 30° South tilt angle throughout the year.
| Overall Best Summer Angle | Overall Best Autumn Angle | Overall Best Winter Angle | Overall Best Spring Angle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18° South in Summer | 38° South in Autumn | 48° South in Winter | 27° South in Spring |
Our recommendations take into account more than just latitude and Earth's position in its elliptical orbit around the Sun. We also incorporate historical solar and meteorological data from NASA's Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources (POWER) API to assign a weight to each ideal angle for each day based on its historical contribution to overall solar PV potential during a specific season.
This approach allows us to provide much more accurate recommendations than relying solely on latitude, as it considers unique weather conditions in different locations sharing the same latitude worldwide.
Calculate solar panel row spacing in San Pedro, United States
We've added a feature to calculate minimum solar panel row spacing by location. Enter your panel size and orientation below to get the minimum spacing in San Pedro, United States.
Our calculation method
- Solar Position:
We determine the Sun's position on the Winter solstice using the location's latitude and solar declination. - Shadow Projection:
We calculate the shadow length cast by panels using trigonometry, considering panel tilt and the Sun's elevation angle. - Minimum Spacing:
We add the shadow length to the horizontal space occupied by tilted panels.
This approach ensures maximum space efficiency while avoiding shading during critical times, as the Winter solstice represents the worst-case scenario for shadow length.
Topography for solar PV around San Pedro, United States
The topography around San Pedro, United States, is quite diverse and interesting. San Pedro is located on the southern end of the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Los Angeles County, California. The area is characterized by a mix of coastal and hilly terrain.
Along the western edge of San Pedro, you'll find steep coastal bluffs that overlook the Pacific Ocean. These bluffs can reach heights of up to 100-150 feet in some areas, providing dramatic views of the coastline and the nearby Catalina Island. The shoreline itself features a mix of rocky outcrops and sandy beaches.
Moving inland, the terrain becomes more varied. The northern part of San Pedro is dominated by the Palos Verdes Hills, which are part of a larger coastal mountain range. These hills are characterized by rolling slopes and ridges, with elevations ranging from about 200 to 1,000 feet above sea level. The hills are covered with a mix of native coastal sage scrub vegetation and non-native grasses.
To the east and southeast of San Pedro, the land flattens out into the Los Angeles Basin. This area is predominantly urban, with a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial development. The terrain here is generally flat to gently sloping, with elevations typically less than 100 feet above sea level.
Regarding areas nearby that would be most suited for large-scale solar PV (photovoltaic) installations, the best locations would likely be found in the inland areas to the east and northeast of San Pedro. The Los Angeles Basin and the inland valleys of Southern California offer vast stretches of flat or gently sloping land that receive abundant sunshine throughout the year. These areas are ideal for solar farms because they have fewer topographical obstacles and less shading from hills or mountains.
Specific regions that might be suitable for large-scale solar PV projects include parts of the Antelope Valley, located about 60 miles northeast of San Pedro, and areas of the Mojave Desert further to the east. These locations offer large expanses of undeveloped land with minimal cloud cover and high solar irradiance, making them prime candidates for solar energy production. However, it's important to note that any large-scale solar development would need to consider factors such as environmental impact, grid connectivity, and local zoning regulations in addition to topographical suitability.
United States solar PV Stats as a country
United States ranks 2nd in the world for cumulative solar PV capacity, with 95,209 total MW's of solar PV installed. This means that 3.40% of United States's total energy as a country comes from solar PV (that's 26th in the world). Each year United States is generating 289 Watts from solar PV per capita (United States ranks 15th in the world for solar PV Watts generated per capita). [source]
Are there incentives for businesses to install solar in United States?
Yes, there are several incentives for businesses wanting to install solar energy in the United States. These include federal tax credits, state and local rebates, net metering policies, and renewable energy certificates (RECs). Additionally, many states have enacted legislation that requires utilities to purchase a certain amount of electricity from renewable sources such as solar.
Do you have more up to date information than this on incentives towards solar PV projects in United States? Please reach out to us and help us keep this information current. Thanks!
Citation Guide
Article Details for Citation
Author: Aaron Robinson
Publisher: profileSOLAR.com
First Published: Friday 11th of October 2024
Last Updated: Monday 21st of July 2025
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Compare this location to others worldwide for solar PV potential
The solar PV analyses available on our website, including this one, are offered as a free service to the global community. Our aim is to provide education and aid informed decision-making regarding solar PV installations.
However, please note that these analyses are general guidance and may not meet specific project requirements. For in-depth, tailored forecasts and analysis crucial for feasibility studies or when pursuing maximum ROI from your solar projects, feel free to contact us; we offer comprehensive consulting services expressly for this purpose.
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Calculate Your Optimal Solar Panel Tilt Angle: A Comprehensive Guide
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