Worth, Illinois experiences moderate solar energy potential throughout the year, with significant seasonal variations that make it a reasonably viable location for solar PV installations in the Northern Temperate Zone.

Seasonal Solar Performance

The location shows strong seasonal contrasts in solar energy generation. Summer provides the peak performance at 6.25 kWh per day per kW of installed capacity, making it the most productive season for solar energy harvesting. Spring follows as the second-best season with 5.26 kWh per day per kW, offering excellent solar generation potential. Autumn sees a notable decline to 3.32 kWh per day per kW, while winter presents the greatest challenge with only 2.01 kWh per day per kW of production. This winter minimum is less than one-third of the summer peak, highlighting the importance of seasonal energy planning for solar installations in Worth.

Optimal Installation Configuration

For maximum year-round energy production at this Worth, Illinois location, solar panels should be installed at a fixed tilt angle of 36 degrees facing south. This angle has been calculated to optimize total annual solar output by accounting for the sun's varying elevation throughout the year and weighting these angles according to the actual solar irradiance potential at different times.

Local Factors Affecting Solar Production

Several environmental and weather factors in Worth, Illinois can significantly impact solar energy generation:

• Snow accumulation: Winter snow can completely block solar panels, eliminating energy production during covered periods
• Midwest weather patterns: Frequent cloud cover, storms, and overcast conditions typical of the Great Lakes region
• Industrial air quality: Being located in the greater Chicago metropolitan area, airborne particles and pollution can reduce panel efficiency
• Temperature extremes: Both hot summers and cold winters can affect panel performance and system components

Preventative Measures for Enhanced Production

To maximize solar energy production despite these challenges, several installation strategies should be considered: Installing panels at the optimal 36-degree tilt helps snow slide off more easily compared to flat installations. Additionally, ensuring adequate spacing between panel rows prevents snow from one panel casting shadows on panels below. Regular cleaning schedules become essential in this location due to dust, pollen, and urban pollutants that can accumulate on panel surfaces. Automated cleaning systems or accessible mounting designs can facilitate maintenance. Selecting panels and inverters rated for the local temperature range ensures reliable operation during Illinois' temperature extremes. Cold-weather performance ratings become particularly important given the significant winter energy production potential that still exists even during the lowest-output season. Proper system design should account for the dramatic seasonal variation, potentially incorporating battery storage or grid-tie arrangements that can capitalize on the strong summer and spring production periods while managing the reduced winter output effectively.

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 Worth

Seasonal solar PV output for Latitude: 41.689, Longitude: -87.7803 (Worth, 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 36° South in Worth, United States

To maximize your solar PV system's energy output in Worth, United States (Lat/Long 41.689, -87.7803) throughout the year, you should tilt your panels at an angle of 36° 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 Worth, 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 Worth, United States. As mentioned earlier, for fixed-panel solar PV installations, it is optimal to maintain a 36° South tilt angle throughout the year.

Overall Best Summer Angle	Overall Best Autumn Angle	Overall Best Winter Angle	Overall Best Spring Angle
26° South in Summer	45° South in Autumn	56° South in Winter	34° 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 Worth, 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 Worth, 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 Worth, United States

Topography Around Worth, Illinois

Worth is located in Cook County, Illinois, positioned in the southwestern suburbs of Chicago. The topography in this region is characterized by relatively flat terrain that is typical of the greater Chicago metropolitan area. The landscape consists primarily of gently rolling plains with minimal elevation changes, making it part of the broader Great Lakes Plain physiographic region.

The area sits at a modest elevation, with the surrounding terrain featuring subtle undulations rather than dramatic hills or valleys. This flat to gently rolling topography is a remnant of ancient glacial activity, where retreating ice sheets left behind a relatively smooth landscape dotted with occasional moraines and low ridges. The local geography includes numerous small creeks and drainage channels that flow toward Lake Michigan, creating minor depressions in an otherwise level terrain.

Urban and suburban development dominates much of the immediate area around Worth, with residential neighborhoods, commercial districts, and transportation infrastructure covering significant portions of the landscape. The region features a mix of developed land and scattered open spaces, including parks, golf courses, and remnant prairie areas.

Optimal Areas for Large-Scale Solar Development

The flat topography surrounding Worth presents excellent opportunities for large-scale solar photovoltaic installations. Areas to the south and southwest of Worth offer particularly favorable conditions, where the terrain becomes more rural and less densely developed. These locations provide the expansive, relatively unobstructed land parcels necessary for utility-scale solar farms.

Agricultural areas in nearby Will County, extending south from Worth, represent prime candidates for solar development. These regions feature large, flat fields with minimal shading from trees or structures, along with existing agricultural access roads that could facilitate construction and maintenance activities. The consistent, level terrain eliminates the need for extensive grading or site preparation that would be required in more topographically complex areas.

Industrial zones and former agricultural lands along major transportation corridors also present strong potential for solar installations. Areas near Interstate 57 and Interstate 80, which run through the region, offer good access for equipment transportation while maintaining the flat terrain characteristics ideal for solar arrays. These locations often have existing electrical infrastructure nearby, reducing the costs and complexity of connecting solar installations to the power grid.

Former industrial sites and brownfields in the broader region could serve as excellent locations for solar development, particularly where remediation has already occurred or where solar installations could be part of site restoration efforts. The flat, cleared nature of these areas, combined with existing infrastructure connections, makes them highly suitable for large-scale photovoltaic projects.

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.