Today I would like to address the myth about solar energy and its effectiveness in states outside of California, Arizona, New Mexico, etc…
I constantly run into individuals who believe that Solar Energy is only available in usable quantities in the Southwestern United States. How did this myth or misnomer come about? Does sunlight change in different parts of the world? Is the Southwest part of the United States the only good location for Solar?
Of course the answer to these questions seems pretty obvious so I will expand upon each of them.
First and foremost is the question about good sunlight in other parts of North America. Yes the sunlight that is received in the Southwestern part of the the US is very good, but so is the sunlight in most of North America. The amount of sunlight that we receive is very sufficient for the use and application of Solar. The reason that the southwest is considered to be the best location for Solar is due to the amount of sunlight they recieve in comparison to other parts of North America. The map shows us the amount of Solar radiation per month across the United States. This is a measurement that is used to gather how much power a Solar Array can produce during a giving month due to your individual location. As the map shows us, the United States receives significant sunlight when compared to the world leader in Solar production Germany, which has the same amount of sunlight as Alaska. So the answer here is that there are better parts of the country for solar, but anywhere in the US is a good place for Solar.
Next is does sunlight change throughout the world, no. The amount of sunlight changes, but the type of sunlight does not. As we are all aware, you go to the beach and get burnt. However, if you go to a Caribbean beach you get fried! That is because the sun light is more direct in places closer to the equator. This allows for a stronger ray of light and typically more sunlight during the day time hours. The path of the sun is also a factor that is to be considered when talking about location. When considering Solar power you will need to consider the angle at which you will place them at. For each location in the world there is a peak angle that you should have your solar panels so that they receive the most light and most direct sun possible. This way you get what you pay for. And as you can imagine the angle that you place the panels doesn’t have to be as steep the closer you get to the equator.
Lastly is how did this misnomer come about? I have no idea how this came about, but I can understand how it would have spread given the limited knowledge on Solar that has been accessable in the past. However, we do have many great venues for Solar information now via ASES and other organizations like it, that provide the latest in Solar News.
I hope this helps to clear up one of the most widely talked about myths, is my sunlight good enough for solar.
