Wilson, North Carolina, located at 35.7274° N, -77.9228° W in the Northern Temperate Zone, offers a moderately favorable location for solar PV energy generation throughout the year, with significant seasonal variations in output.

Seasonal Solar Production

Solar panels in Wilson demonstrate strong performance during the warmer months, with summer yielding the highest energy production at 6.56 kWh per day for each kilowatt of installed capacity. Spring follows closely behind with 6.07 kWh/day. Production decreases considerably during autumn to 4.46 kWh/day, while winter shows the lowest output at just 2.78 kWh/day per installed kilowatt.

This seasonal pattern creates a roughly 2.4:1 ratio between the best and worst producing seasons, which is typical for mid-latitude locations in the Northern Hemisphere. The substantial difference between summer and winter production means residents should expect significantly lower solar generation during the winter months.

Optimal Panel Installation

For fixed solar panel installations in Wilson, the ideal tilt angle is 31 degrees facing South. This specific angle maximizes year-round energy production by optimizing the capture of available sunlight across all seasons. While adjustable panels could potentially capture more energy by changing tilt seasonally, the 31-degree fixed angle represents the best compromise for total annual generation.

Environmental and Weather Considerations

Several factors could potentially impact solar production in Wilson:

• Hurricane exposure: Wilson's location in eastern North Carolina makes it vulnerable to Atlantic hurricane activity, which can bring extended periods of cloud cover and potential physical damage to installations.
• Humidity and atmospheric haze: The region's relatively high humidity levels, especially in summer, can reduce solar irradiance reaching panels.
• Tree coverage: Wilson has significant tree canopy in many residential areas, potentially creating shading issues.
• Occasional winter ice storms: Though infrequent, these can temporarily cover panels and halt production.

Preventative Measures

To maximize solar production in Wilson despite these challenges, several installation considerations are recommended:

• Use hurricane-rated mounting systems with appropriate wind load calculations
• Install panels with high-efficiency ratings that perform better in diffuse light conditions
• Conduct thorough shade analysis and tree trimming where necessary
• Consider slightly steeper panel angles (33-35 degrees) if winter production is prioritized
• Implement regular cleaning schedules to address pollen accumulation in spring

Overall, Wilson offers good solar potential, particularly from March through October. The significant drop in winter production should be factored into system sizing if year-round energy independence is desired.

Note: The Northern Temperate Zone extends from 35° latitude North up to 66.5° 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 Wilson

Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 35.7274, Longitude: -77.9228 (Wilson, 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 31° South in Wilson, United States

To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Wilson, United States (Lat/Long 35.7274, -77.9228) throughout the year, you should tilt your panels at an angle of 31° 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 Wilson, 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 Wilson, United States. As mentioned earlier, for fixed-panel solar PV installations, it is optimal to maintain a 31° South tilt angle throughout the year.

Overall Best Summer Angle	Overall Best Autumn Angle	Overall Best Winter Angle	Overall Best Spring Angle
20° South in Summer	40° South in Autumn	51° South in Winter	28° 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 Wilson, 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 Wilson, United States.

Our calculation method

1. Solar Position:
   We determine the Sun's position on the Winter solstice using the location's latitude and solar declination.
2. Shadow Projection:
   We calculate the shadow length cast by panels using trigonometry, considering panel tilt and the Sun's elevation angle.
3. 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 Wilson, United States

The topography around Wilson, North Carolina, is characterized by gently rolling terrain typical of the eastern North Carolina coastal plain. This region sits in what geographers call the inner coastal plain, positioned between the Piedmont to the west and the outer coastal plain to the east. The landscape features subtle elevation changes with an average elevation of approximately 100-150 feet above sea level. Wilson's terrain is predominantly flat to slightly undulating, with minimal dramatic topographical features. The area was shaped by ancient marine deposits when this region was once covered by shallow seas millions of years ago. Over time, rivers and streams have carved shallow valleys throughout the landscape, creating the modest relief visible today.

Waterways and Drainage

The Contentnea Creek, a tributary of the Neuse River, flows near Wilson and has influenced the local topography by creating shallow floodplains. Numerous smaller streams and drainage ways crisscross the landscape, generally flowing in a southeasterly direction toward the Atlantic Ocean. These waterways have created subtle valleys and low-lying areas throughout the region. The soil composition in this area typically consists of sandy loams and sandy clay loams, which developed from marine and fluvial sediments. These soils generally provide good drainage, an important consideration for large-scale development projects.

Land Use Patterns

The Wilson area features a mixture of agricultural land, forest patches, residential developments, and commercial zones. Agricultural fields dominate much of the rural landscape surrounding the city proper, with tobacco historically being an important crop for the region, along with cotton, sweet potatoes, and various other agricultural products. Pine forests and mixed hardwood stands occupy areas less suitable for agriculture, particularly along stream corridors and in poorly drained locations. These forested areas create slight variations in the visual landscape but do not significantly alter the overall flat to gently rolling topography.

Optimal Areas for Solar PV Development

For large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) development, the most suitable areas around Wilson would be the expansive agricultural lands that feature minimal slope, good drainage, and limited tree cover. Specifically, areas to the east and south of Wilson offer particularly favorable conditions for solar development. The flat terrain of former tobacco and cotton fields provides ideal conditions for solar array installation, requiring minimal grading or site preparation. These agricultural parcels typically range from dozens to hundreds of acres in size, offering the scale necessary for commercial solar operations. Areas with southern exposure and minimal shading from trees or structures would be most advantageous. Given the generally flat nature of the region, finding sites with unobstructed solar access is relatively straightforward compared to more topographically diverse regions. Land parcels near existing electrical transmission infrastructure would offer additional advantages for solar development, reducing interconnection costs. The region is served by several major transmission corridors that could potentially accommodate the addition of large-scale renewable energy projects. Areas to potentially avoid would include the floodplains along Contentnea Creek and other waterways, wetland areas that dot the landscape, and the more developed corridors along Interstate 95 and major state highways where land values may be prohibitively expensive for solar development. The combination of favorable topography, abundant open space, and relatively low land costs makes the rural areas surrounding Wilson potentially attractive for solar PV development, particularly on lands that are currently used for agricultural purposes or are fallow.

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!

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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.

Helping you assess viability of solar PV for your site

Calculate Your Optimal Solar Panel Tilt Angle: A Comprehensive Guide

Enhance your solar panel's performance with our in-depth guide. Determine the best tilt angle using hard data, debunk common misunderstandings, and gain insight into how your specific location affects solar energy production.