over 2,000,000
questions and growing

 Will solar work in my location?

Vote for this question:





more questions from: mygen-solar.com

 1 Answers

Solar is universal and will work virtually anywhere, however some locations are better than others. Irradiance is a measure of the sun's power available at the surface of the earth and it averages about 1000 watts per square meter. With typical crystalline solar cell efficiencies around 14-16%, that means we can expect to generate about 140-160W per square meter of solar cells placed in full sun. Insolation is a measure of the available energy from the sun and is expressed in terms of "full sun hours" (i.e. 4 full sun hours = 4 hours of sunlight at an irradiance level of 1000 watts per square meter). Obviously different parts of the world receive more sunlight from others, so they will have more "full sun hours" per day. The solar insolation zone map on the right will give you a general idea of the "full sun hours per day" for your location.

add comment  | flag
+ 1



Your answer

Answer: A: Solar water-heating systems can be used in any climate, and the fuel they use-sunshine-is free. These systems include storage tanks and solar collectors. There are two types of solar water-heating systems: active, which have circulating pumps and ...
Answer: cloudy day provides sufficient diffuse light by which the panel will produce electricity. Optimum electrical production occurs with bright and sunny weather conditions. Under a mild overcast, the modules might produce about half as much as under full...
Answer: Solar panels work on light not heat. Although with the shorter daylight hours in winter, solar panels will produce proportionately less power. If the modules become covered with snow, they stop producing power, but snow generally melts quickly when t...
Answer: Most hot water systems are designed to preheat water before it enters a conventional hot water heating system. The five parts of the system include a collector, a pump, a heat storage tank and a differential thermostat.
Answer: Hydronic solar heating systems work the same way as solar hot water systems except that the stored hot water is used for house heating rather than domestic hot water systems. Hydronic solar heating systems are typically ten or more times larger than ...
Answer: Canadian Solars' panels are durable and built to resist the elements. Although some weather conditions will affect the production from your panels, such as on cloudy days when less solar radiation reaches your panels, they still generate power. To il...
Answer: The sun's rays produce electricity when they are absorbed by solar panels. This electricity is fed to your inverter, which turns it from direct current (DC) electricity to alternating current (AC) electricity and then feeds it into the electricity gr...
Answer: Yes. Canadian Solar Solutions sells solar trackers though a partnership. For more information please call 519-954-2057 or 1-888-277-8006 to speak with a representative who will direct you to one of our best-in-class distributors.
Answer: Yes, solar modules produce electricity on cloudy days, it is just less electricity. As a rule of thumb, if there is enough sunlight to cast a shadow, then solar panels can produce electricity. Of course, in areas where there is abundant sunshine "lik...
Answer: Anywhere electricity is used can use solar electricity.
Related Topics:
Questions on related sites


AET - Applied Energy Technologies Solar Mounting Solutions


Professional Solar Panel Installations - NJ


Ingenero - Solar Hot Water Pays You to Be Green


Lone Star Solar Screens™ Home


DE, NJ, PA, and MD Residential and Commercial Solar Energy Systems: Eclipse...


Solar power - grid connect, off grid and hot water systems, solar panels, b...


Solar Energy Systems & Solar Power Electricity | Sun Connect


SolaRover Mobile Solar Power Systems: Sustainable Energy for Remote Commerc...


New Generation Power - Solar developers bringing Energy Innovation with Imp...


Potentia Solar Inc.