California is known for its constant sunshine and clear skies. Does this make it the best location for solar power?
This leads to no surprises as California leads the nation with an average of 5.82 peak sunlight hours per day. Meanwhile states on the opposite coast such as Massachusetts and Pennsylvania average 4.00 hours. Does that really mean installing solar is more efficient in California? Solar power’s popularity and government incentives result in numerous factors that influence the costs, and the benefits, of installing solar power in your home far beyond the quantity and quality of sunlight.
source:https://sunworksusa.com/blog/how-does-solar-power-work-on-cloudy-days/
While the sunshine may be less plentiful on the east coast, Massachusetts and New York both provide great incentives and tax returns to residents who install solar. The installation cost of solar is one of the greatest factors in homeowners’ decision to go solar. These costs can be greatly reduced and minimized through a federal tax return or local government incentives such as SRECs.
However, the cost of energy, and therefore your electric bill, is far greater in these states. With the incentives and tax returns from solar many homeowners on the east coast are encouraged if not persuaded to transition to solar when calculating the money they will save on electricity.
Source: https://earthzine.org/2013/08/22/solar-power-remains-popular-in-germany-despite-cost/
The most famous example of cloudy success is Germany. While experiencing as few days of sun as Alaska, Germany is a leading nation in solar power. Meeting almost 20% of their energy demand, Germany has the maximized their resources to produce around 42 gigawatts of solar power. Put into perspective, Germany has worse solar potential, on average, than every region in the United States; A country with around40 gigawatts installed nationally.
Extra Energy from Clouds
Hard to believe but clouds can actually magnify the energy from solar light and heat. While energy is diverting when travelling through the clouds, the sunlight reaching the panels can be greater than that released from the sun.As light travels around through the edges of the clouds it can be magnified before reaching the solar cells. The power from the light that is reflected off of the clouds also radiates into the solar panels!
Clouds Can Mean Cheaper Solar
Sunny days or peak sunlight hours do not set a precedent for each state’s solar market. It is a combination of solar productivity, energy costs and government incentives that calculate the cost-benefit of solar power.
Just because you live in a cloudy city, do not write off solar power. Look into your local government incentives, get a quote on solar installation, and calculate your potential savings!
Author: Caroline Donahue
blogownmysolar.wordpress.com 