Wellman Solar Power Information & Peak Sun Hours
Solar Green Energy Summary for Wellman, Iowa
Lattitude: 41.4693
Sunlight
Fixed Tilt Sunlight Hours: 4.8 hours per day
1-Axis Tilt Sunlight Hours: 6.2 hours per day
2-Axis Tilt Sunlight Hours: 6.4 hours per day
Peak sun hours are a vital measurement to understand when considering the installation of solar panels. Peak sun hours are not the same as total sunlight hours because not every hour of sunlight during the day has enough strength and solar insolation to qualify as a peak sun hour. The rule of thumb is that a peak sun hour is when the intensity of the sun that is hitting your solar panel is providing at least 1,000 watts per square meter. This is an arbitrary number, but it is a number where most solar panels will be producing an efficient output and not underperforming due to sunshine that is not strong enough or direct enough.
If you’re using a fixed axis and fixed tilt solar panel, the ideal angle of the panel mount should be set at an angle equal to or close to the latitude of the location of the panel. Latitude is a valuable measurement to use when figuring how many daylight hours and the angle of the sun in the sky for your location. Since at locations with a higher latitude the sun will find itself at more variable angles in the sky throughout the year it is important to set the angle of the panel correctly and efficiently capture more peak sun hours. In the Northern Hemisphere the sun will be at lower angles in the Southern sky in the winter, and higher angles during the summer months, so the angle of the panel is crucial when trying to maximize output.
A tracking mount will increase the average peak sun hours for a solar power system. Think about a panel that is tracking the sun in the sky vs a panel that is fixed and not moving: you will see a higher efficiency ratio of productions. A 1-axis mount will track the sun from East to West from sunrise to sunset and move on a single axis of rotation. A 2-axis mount will track the Sun from East to West the same as a 1-axis mount would, but it will also track the angle of the sun in the sky as it slowly varies season to season. A 2-axis mount is more necessary in high latitude regions where the angle of the sun in the sky changes dramatically between each equinox.
Looking at latitude, average peak sun hours and various data can obviously help when planning for your solar power needs. The one thing you can never fully account for is changing weather. Storms, rain, cloud coverage all have an impact on solar panel capabilities.
By taking the latitude of Wellman one can get a close estimate of the amount of average peak sun hours per day for the geographical area. It varies with technology and the type of solar panel mount you use, but for a fixed mount solar panel in Wellman one can expect close to 4.8 average peak sun hours per day. With a 1-axis tracking mount you would get 6.2 hours per day, and 6.4 hours per day with a 2-axis tracking mount that tracks the sun everywhere in the sky.
Helpful & Interesting
What are disadvantages of hydroelectricity?
Energy consumption makes up a big part of our daily lives. We use energy for numerous functions including heating, traveling, working, and even flirting. The question is; where does this energy come from? Today, most of our energy needs are met by fossil fuels including oil, coal and natural gas. We also get part of our energy from nuclear, biomass and renewables. While fossil fuels are the main source of our energy, they cost more at the pump and affect the environment in numerous ways. These effects include global warming, degradation of air quality, acid rain and oil spills. It’s also projected that these fossil fuel resources will be depleted in the next 50 to 100 years. Nuclear energy also comes with a host of problems including dangerous radioactive waste and nuclear radiation hazards. The solution squarely lies in renewable energy resources such as solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower. Of all the renewable sources of energy, hydropower is the largest and oldest power source in the world.