Connecticut is a great location to setup a solar electric system for many reasons, one of the main reasons has to do with the high cost of electricity in this state. But, what you really need to consider as well are how many hours of sunlight occur on average throughout the year in CT.

Here are some statistics for solar sunlight hours per day in Connecticut:

Bridgeport CT Average Sunlight Hours is 4.4 hours per day with a fixed plate solar panel that is facing South

* with a one axis tracking flate plate solar collector, you can bring the average sunlight hours up to 5.5 hours per day

Hartford CT Average Sunlight Hours is also 4.4 hours per day with a fixed plate solar panel

* with a one axis tracking flate plate solar collector, you can increase the average sun hours per day to to 5.4 hours

Axis Tracking solar systems are going to have higher performance numbers always in terms of kilowatts of energy produced. The main reason is they have more direct sunlight hours hitting the axis tracking solar panels. Solar systems that pivot and follow the sun are great, but at the same time the prices for them are higher. You want to talk to a solar professional prior to purchasing any type of solar system, and make sure to get a clear estimate on how many hours of sunlight the systems should be expected to receive on average each day. Every solar electric system installer should be able to provide you with this information. Don’t get discouraged if you live in Connecticut and were hoping that the average number of sun hours per day would be something like 10. That is not the case in any state in the United States. Nor is that the case anywhere in the world for that matter. But since energy costs in CT are so high, solar is a great idea. And with the incentive programs that exists in CT, you should definitely be thinking about an alternative power source for your future.

Solar Electricity is here for the longterm.   But one of the more difficult aspects of understanding solar, is determining the costs of a solar system vs. the benefits a homeowner gains when purchasing a system.

In this article, we will explain how you can produce $100 worth of electricity from your own home solar system.  And we will give details on how much the solar electric system would cost to produce that same amount of electricity.

To start, we need to choose a location in the United States to be working with.  This is important, because nearly every location has a unique amount of sunlight hours per year, and different locations also have different prices for electricity.  Another varialbe that should be taken into consideration are the current solar rebates that may or may not exist as this will affect the systems costs.(For this example, we will not take into consideration any rebates or tax incentives for solar)

Solar Example:

• Location:  San Francisco, California
• Average sunlight hours per day per year = 5.2
• Average cost per kilo watt hour of electricity = $.23

So, first we need to determine how many kilo watt hours equal $100

• $100/.23= 435 kwh equals $100

Next, we need to figure out what size solar electric system is necessary

• 435 kwh would equal 435/30= 14.5 kwh per day
• 14.5 kwh/day  divided by the average sun hours per day of 5.2 (14.5/5.2)=2.79kwh

So, 2.79 kwh AC need to be produced during each of the 5.2 average sunlight hours

Next, all we need to do is bring the 2.79 which is an Alternating Current number to DC and then we are finished. Since there is an energy loss going from DC to AC, the actual DC number will be about 18% larger than the AC number.

• 2.79DC(1.18)= 3.29 kW solar system

So, in review, it looks like a 3.29 kW DC solar electric system would be able to produce about $100 of electricity per month for someone in San Francisco, CA.

That would be about a 20 panel solar system and would be roughly 300 sq. feet of solar panels.

Understanding how many hours of sun your solar panels are going to receive each day is a very important part of a solar systems performance.  Texas is a great location to setup a solar electric system for many reasons, but one of the main reasons is based on the excellent amount of sunlight the state receives.

Here are some statistics for solar sunlight hours per day in Texas:

Houston Texas Average Sunlight Hours is 4.7 hours per day with a fixed plate solar panel

• with a one axis tracking flate plate solar collector, you can bring the average sunlight hours up to 5.9 hours per day

Austin Texas Average Sunlight Hours is 5.2 hours per day with a fixed plate solar panel

• with a one axis tracking flate plate solar collector, you can increase the average sun hours per day in Austin to 6.7 hours

Lubbock Texas Average Sunlight Hours is 5.7 hour per day with fixed angle solar panels

• if you used an axis tracking solar panel you would increase that number to 7.5 hours of sunlight per day in Lubbock

Corpus Christi TX average sunlight hours per day is 4.8 with a standard solar panel

• if you installed an axis tracking solar system you would get 6.2 average sunlight hours per day

Dallas Ft. Worth Texas average sunlight hours per day is 5.2 hours/day

• with an axis tracking solar panel you increase your sunlight hours to 6.9 per day

Midland Texas has an average sunlight hours per day of 5.8 hours

• if you use a tracking solar system you will get 7.7 hours of sunlight per day in Midland Texas

Axis Tracking solar systems are going to have higher performance numbers always in terms of kilowatts of energy produced.  The main reason is they have more direct sunlight hours hitting the axis tracking solar panels.  Solar systems that pivot and follow the sun are great, but at the same time the prices for them are higher.  You want to talk to a solar professional prior to purchasing any type of solar system, and make sure to get a clear estimate on how many hours of sunlight the systems should be expected to receive on average each day.  Every solar electric system installer should be able to provide you with this information.

Here is the data for the number of sunlight hours for the cities in Colorado.  This is used to calculate how many kilowatt hours your will produce from a solar PV system.

Colorado Cities Sunlight Hours:

Agate has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Aguilar 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Akronhas 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Alamosa has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Allenspark has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Alma has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Almont has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Amherst has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Anton has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Antonito has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Arapahoe has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Arboles has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Arlington has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Arriba has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Arvada has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Aspen has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Atwood has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Ault 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Aurora has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Austin has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Avon has 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Avondale has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Bailey has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Basalt has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Battlement has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Mesa has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Bayfield has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Beaver Creek has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Bedrock has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Bellvue has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Bennett has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Berthoud has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Bethune has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Beulah 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Black Forest has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Black Hawk has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Blanca has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Boncarbo has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Bond has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Boone has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Boulder has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Boyero has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Branson has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Breckenridge has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Briggsdale has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Brighton has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Broomfield has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Broomfield has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Brush has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Buena Vista has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Buffalo Creek 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Burlington has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Burns has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Byers has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Cahone has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Calhan has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Campo has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Canon City has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Capulin has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Carbondale has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Carr has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Cascade has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Castle Rock has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Cedaredge has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Centennial has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Center has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Central City has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Chama has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Cherawhas 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Cheyenne Wells has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Chimney Rock has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Chipita Park has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Chromo has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Cimarron has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Cimarron Hills has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Clark has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Clifton has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Climax has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Coal Creek has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Coaldale has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Collbran has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Colorado City has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Colorado Springs has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Colorado Springs USAFA has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Commerce City has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Como has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Conejos has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Conifer has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Cope has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Copper Mountain has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Cortez has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Cory has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Cotopaxi has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Cowdrey 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Craig has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Crawford has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Creede has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Crested Butte has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Crestone has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Cripple Creek has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Crook has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Crowley has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Cuchara has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Dacono has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
De Beque has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Deer Trail has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Del Norte has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Delta has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Denver 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Dillon has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Dinosaur has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Divide has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Dolores has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Dove Creek has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Drake has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Dumont has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Duponthas 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Durango has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Eads has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Eagle 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Eastlake has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Eaton has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Eckert has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Eckley has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Edgewater has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Edwards has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Egnar has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
El Jebel has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Elbert has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Eldorado Springs has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Elizabeth has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Empire has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Englewood 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Erie has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Estes Park has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Evans 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Evergreen has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Fairplay has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Firestone has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Flagler Fleming has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Florence Florissant has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Forest Lakes has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Fort Carson has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Fort Collins has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Fort Garland has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Fort Lupton has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Fort Lyon has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Fort Morgan has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Fountain Fowler has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Foxfield has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Franktown has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Fraser has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Frederick has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Frisco has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Fruita has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Fruitvale has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Galeton has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Garcia has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Gardner has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Gateway has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Genoa 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Georgetown has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Gilcrest has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Gill has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Glade Park has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Glen Haven has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Glendale has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Glenwood Springs has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Golden has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Granada 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Granby has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Grand Junction has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Grand Lake has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Granite has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Grant has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Greeley has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Green Mountain Falls has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Greenwood Village has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Grover 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Guffey has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Gulnarehas 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Gunnison has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Gypsum 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Hamilton has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Hartman has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Hartsel has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Hasty has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Haswell 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Haxtun has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Hayden has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Henderson has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Hereford has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Hesperus has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Highlands Ranch has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Hillrose has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Hillside has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Hoehne has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Holly has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Holyoke has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Homelake has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Hooper has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Hot Sulphur Springs has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Hotchkiss has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Howard has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Hudson has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Hugo has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Hygiene has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Idaho Springs has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Idalia has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Idledale has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Ignacio has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Iliff has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Indian Hills has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Jamestown has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Jaroso has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Jefferson has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Joes has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Johnson Village has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Johnstown has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Julesburg has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Karval has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Keenesburg has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Ken-Caryl Ranch has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Kersey has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Keystone 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Kim has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Kiowa 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Kirk 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Kit Carson has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Kittredge has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Kremmling has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
La Jara has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
La Junta has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
La Salle has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
La Veta has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Lafayette has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Lake City has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Lake George has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Lakewood has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Lamar has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Laporte has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Larkspur has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Las Animas has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Lazear has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Leadville has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Lewis has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Limon has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Lindon has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Littleton has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Livermore has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Loma has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Lone Tree has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Longmont has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Louisville has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Louviers has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Loveland has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Lucerne has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Lyons has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Mack has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Maher has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Manassa has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Mancos has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Manitou Springs has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Manzanola has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Marble has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Marvel has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Masonville has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Matheson has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Maybell has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Mc Clave has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Mc Coy has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Mead has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Meeker has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Meredith has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Merino has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Mesa has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Milliken has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Minturn 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Model has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Moffat has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Molina has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Monarch has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Monte Vista has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Montrose has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Monument has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Morrison has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Mosca has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Mountain Village has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Nathrop has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Naturita has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Nederland has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
New Castle has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
New Raymer has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Niwot has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Northglennhas 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Norwood has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Nucla has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Nunn has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Oak Creek has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Ohio City has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Olathe has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Olney Springs 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Ophir has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Orchard has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Orchard City has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Ordway has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Otis has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Ouray has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Ovid has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Padroni has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Pagosa Springs has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Palisade has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Palmer Lake has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Paoli has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Paoniahas 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Parachute has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Paradox has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Parker has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Parlin has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Parshall has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Peetz has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Penrose has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Peyton has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Phippsburg has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Pierce has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Pikes Peakhas 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Pine has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Pinecliffe has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Pitkin has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Placerville has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Platteville 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Pleasant View has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Poncha Springs has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Powderhorn has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Pritchett has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Pueblo 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Pueblo West has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Purgatory has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Ramah has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Rand has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Rangely has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Red Cliff has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Red Feather Lakes has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Red Wing has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Redstone has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Redvale has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Rico Ridgway has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Rifle has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Rockvale has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Rocky Ford has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Roggen 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Rollinsville has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Romeo has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Rush has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Rye has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Saguache has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Salida has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
San Luis has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
San Pablo has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Sanford has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Sargents 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Schriever AFB has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Sedalia 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Sedgwick has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Segundo has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Seibert has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Severance has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Shawnee has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Sheridan has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Sheridan Lake has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Silt has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Silver Plume has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Silverthorne has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Silverton has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Simla has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Slater has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Slick Rock has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Snowmass has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Snowmass Village has 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Snyder has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Somerset has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
South Fork has 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Springfield has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Starkvillehas 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Steamboat Springs has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Sterling has 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Stoneham has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Stonington has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Strasburg has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Stratton has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Sugar City has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Superior has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Swink has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Tabernash has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Telluride has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Telluride has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Thornton has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Timnath has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Toponas has 5.2 average sunlight hours per day per year
Towaochas 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Trinchera has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Trinidad has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Twin Lakes has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Two Buttes has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Vail has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Vernon has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Victor has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Vilas has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Villa Grove has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Virginia Dale has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Vona has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Walden has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Walsenburg has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Walsh has 6.3 average sunlight hours per day per year
Ward has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Watkins has 5.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Weldona has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year
Wellington has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Westcliffe has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Westminster has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Westminster has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Weston has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Wetmore has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Wheat Ridge has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Whitewater has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Widefield has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Wiggins has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Wild Horse has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Wiley has 6.7 average sunlight hours per day per year
Windsor has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Winter Park has 6.0 average sunlight hours per day per year
Wolcott has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Woodland Park has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Woodrow has 5.6 average sunlight hours per day per year
Woody Creek has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Wray has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Yampa has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Yellow Jacket has 5.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Yoder has 4.5 average sunlight hours per day per year
Yuma has 5.1 average sunlight hours per day per year

Shade hitting solar panels is just plain ugly.  For the record, solar panels are happy when there is unobstructed sunlight hitting them.  When there is shade on solar panels, they simply do not operate at optimum efficiency. The hours of sunlight on solar panels is super important.

So, with shading in mind, do everything you can to make sure there is no or as little shade as possible on your solar panels.  Some people who are planning on buying a solar panel system build there future home with shading in mind.  This is a GREAT idea.  If you too are planning on building a home in the future, why not take some time and contact a solar installer and ask them what their opinions are on the best places for solar panels with regards to shade.

One common mistake that homeowners make with regards to solar systems and shadding is they assume they know exactly how the shade effects their property.  This is great that everyone feels they know how sunlight hits their “land” or “house”, but in reality, most of us don’t usually sit outside all day long throughout the year and observe how the sunlight falls down every minute of the day and take notes on it.  There are scientific shadding devices that solar people use that can callculate this instantly, and they are VERY ACCURATE on predicting shadding on a specific part of your house.  All types of lasers and things like that are involved.  So ask your solar installer about conducting a shading analysis prior to installing any type of solar system.

At the end of the day, if you can eliminate just 10% more shade that would otherwise be hitting the PV solar cells, then you will be increasing your energy production by another 10% at the same time.  This will payoff in many thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the solar system.

Solar panels come in a whole bunch of sizes or you might say they come in different wattages or watts.  One really common size/wattage is a 200 watt solar panel.  The physical size for one of these panels is roughly 5  feet long by 3 feet wide, and usually about 3 inches thick.  So, think of one of these panels being about 15 square feet.

What does a 1kw (1000 watt) system take up in square feet?  Well, that’s roughly 5 solar panels that are 200 watts each.  So, the math would be 5 x 15 square feet or about 75 square feet total for a 1kw solar system.

The Energy Production of one 200 watt solar panel:

This again will depend on the sunlight hours of the location that you are going to place the solar panels.  If for example you have 5 sunlight hours per day per year in your location, you could expect each panel to produce about 1 kilo watt hour per day in direct current.  And of course if you had 5 panels, that would equal about 5kwh/day in direct current.  There is going to be a slight energy loss when the energy is converted into alternating current(AC) so after that factor, you would have about 85% of what you started with give or take a little either way.

Here are some pictures of what these solar panels might look like.  They are examples of 200 watt panels:

GE 200 Watt

Sanyo 200 watt

How many hours of sunlight where you live?

Here is some data on US Cities Sunlight Hours.  This data is the average number of sunlight radiation hours per year:

• Birmingham, AL  has average sunlight hours of  5.2  per day
• Phoenix, AZ          has average sunlight hours of 6.6  per day
• Tucson, AZ            has average sunlight hour of  6.7 per day
• Little Rock, AR    has average sunlight hours of 5.0 per day
• Los Angeles, CA  has average sunlight hours of 5.5 per day
• San Francisco, CA has average sunlight hours of 5.3 per day
• Sacramento, CA  has average sunlight hours of 5.5 per day
• Bakersfield, CA has average sunlight hours of 5.7 per day
• Denver, CO has average sunlight hours of 5.5 per day

• Grand Junction, CO has average sunlight hours of 5.7 per day
• Colorado Springs, CO has average sunlight hours of 5.5 per day
• Hartford, CT has average sunlight hours of 4.4 per day
• Bridgeport, CT has average sunlight hours of 4.4 per day
• Wilmington, DE has average sunlight hours of 4.5 per day
• Jacksonville, FL has average sunlight hours of 4.9 per day
• Miami, FL has average sunlight hours of 5.1 per day
• Tampla, FL has average sunlight hours of 5.2 per day
• Atlanta, GA has average sunlight hours of 5.0 per day
• Savannah, GA has average sunlight hours of 5.0 per day
• Augusta, GA has average sunlight hours of 5.0 per day
• Honolulu, HI has average sunlight hour of 5.5 per day
• Boise, ID has average sunlight hours of 5.0 per day
• Chicago, IL has average sunlight hours of 4.4 per day
• Rockford, IL has average sunlight hours of 4.5 per day
• Indianapolis, IN has average sunlight hours of 4.6 per day
• South Bend, IN has average sunlight hours of 4.4 per day
• Des Moines, IA has average sunlight hours of 4.8 per day
• Waterloo, IA has average sunlight hours of 4.6 per day
• Topeka, KS has average sunlight hours of 4.9 per day
• Wichita, KS has average sunlight hours of 5.2 per day
• Lexington, KY has average sunlight hours of 4.8 per day
• New Orleans, LA has average sunlight hours of 4.9 per day
• Baton Rouge, LA has average sunlight hours of 4.8 per day
• Portland, ME has average sunlight hours of 4.6 per day
• Baltimore, MD has average sunlight hours of 4.6 per day
• Boston, MA has average sunlight hours of 4.5 per day
• Worcester, MA has average sunlight hours of 4.5 per day
• Detroit, MI has average sunlight hours of 4.3 per day
• Grand Rapids, MI has average sunlight hours of 4.2 per day
• Minneapolis, MN has average sunlight hours of 4.6 per day
• Deluth, MN has average sunlight hours of 4.5 per day
• Rochester, MN has average sunlight hours of 4.5 per day
• Jackson, MS has average sunlight hours of 5.0 per day
• St. Louis, MO has average sunlight hours of 4.8 per day
• Kansas City, MO has average sunlight hours of 4.9 per day
• Billings, MT has average sunlight hours of 5.0 per day
• Missoula, MT has average sunlight hours of 4.4 per day
• Helena, MT has average sunlight hours of 4.7 per day
• Omaha, NE has average sunlight hours of 4.9 per day
• Las Vegas, NV has average sunlight hours of 6.4 per day
• Reno, NV has average sunlight hours of 5.8 per day
• Concord, NH has average sunlight hours per day of 4.6
• Newark, NJ has average sunlight hours per day of 4.4
• Atlantic City, NJ has average sunlight hours per day of 4.6
• Albaquerque, NM has average sunlight hours per day of 6.3
• New York, NY has average sunlight hours per day of 4.5
• Syracuse, NY has average sunlight hours per day of 4.2
• Albany, NY has average sunlight hours per day of 4.3
• Buffalo, NY has average sunlight hours per day of 4.1
• Charlotte, NC has average sunlight hours per day of 4.9
• Fargo, ND has average sunlight hours per day of 4.6
• Oklahoma City, OK has average sunlight hours per day of 5.3
• Portland, OR has average sunlight hours per day of 4.0
• Harrisburg, PA has average sunlight hours per day of 4.6
• Pittsburgh, PA has average sunlight hours per day of 4.2
• Bradford, PA has average sunlight hours per day of 4.2
• Philadelphia, PA has average sunlight hours per day of 4.3
• Providence, RI has average sunlight hours per day of 4.5
• Charleston, SC has average sunlight hours per day of 5.0
• Rapid City, SD has average sunlight hours per day of 5.1
• Memphis, TN has average sunlight hours per day of 5.1
• Chattanooga, TN has average sunlight hours per day of 4.7
• El Paso, TX has average sunlight hours per day of 6.3
• Austin, TX has average sunlight hours per day of 5.2
• Houston, TX has average sunlight hours per day of 4.7
• San Antonio, TX has average sunlight hours per day of 5.3
• Waco, TX has average sunlight hours per day of 5.3
• Dallas, TX has average sunlight hours per day of 5.3
• Salt Lake City, UT has average sunlight hours per day of 5.2
• Burlington, VT has average sunlight hours per day of 4.3
• Richmond, VA has average sunlight hours per day of 4.7
• Lynchburg, VA has average sunlight hours per day of 4.9
• Seattle, WA has average sunlight hours per day of 3.8
• Charleston, WV has average sunlight hours per day of 4.3
• Madison, WI has average sunlight hours of 4.6 per day
• Cheyenne, WY has average sunlight hours of 5.3 per day

Sunlight and solar panels go hand in hand.

It’s not a big mystery.  You could probably ask any homeowner who has a solar system what the one thing is they would wish to have more of, and everyone would say more hours of sunlight.  The reason is simple: Solar panels work when the sun is shining on them, period.  This is why solar sunlight hours are key to the overall success of a PV installation.

Since sunlight is such an important part to increasing the energy output of solar panels, use this knowledge to your advantage.  Don’t make the biggest mistake others have made when you are determining where to put your solar system, make sure to put the panels in a spot either on the roof or on the ground which gets the most sunlight hours.

For many people, there might be several good positions for a solar system on the property or roof that is being considered.  And for all of these people, there is going to be one spot that is going to allow the solar system to produce the most energy, which should be the goal.

There are a few different ways that you can calculate the sunlight hours for different spots on your property, one way would be to sit outside and keep track by viewing the sun over the course of several days, and preferably over the course of different months of the year.  Sunlight hours will always vary depending on what time of year(more sun in summer, less in winter, etc…)

But I don’t know about you, this is method is just not efficient and usually ends up being less than accurate.  So here is another more scientific approach.  Use a device that is called a Solar Pathfinder, or a Sun Eye device.  This is a small remote control looking thing that will allow the person using it to take an accurate reading of a certain point on your property to determine exactly how many sunlight hours exist for each month of the year.  There are lasers and other metrics involved that are a bit complicated to explain, but the device can read the surroundings(like trees and shadows) and give you the numbers you want.

Now of course, most people don’t have one of these devices since they can cost a couple hundred dollars, but for sure a local solar professional will have one, and for a small fee, should let you use it for a few minutes.  The cost of getting this reading will pay off 1000 times, so just do it.

Some other great advice would be to make sure that future sunlight will not be obstructed from things like new buildings, new garages, growing trees, or other objects which might get in the way of the sunlight hitting the solar panels.  It is very sad to know that right this minute people are losing hundreds of dollars across the country in energy they could be producing simply because a tree has grown and is now blocking the sunlight that could be hitting the solar panels they installed a few years ago.(but its very true) Don’t fall into that trap, and make sure to clear all trees that may block the solar rays.

If you would like to get the sunlight hours for different cities in the United States, you can see the solar radiation sunlight hour data here.