Cottonwood Solar Power Information & Peak Sun Hours
Solar Green Energy Summary for Cottonwood, Alaska
Lattitude: 61.5133
Sunlight
Fixed Tilt Sunlight Hours: 3.1 hours per day
1-Axis Tilt Sunlight Hours: 3.5 hours per day
2-Axis Tilt Sunlight Hours: 5.1 hours per day
It goes without saying that throughout the year the amount of sunlight in any given day is going to vary. The time of year and weather will have a strong influence on daily sunshine. Looking at the average amount of peak sunshine hours in a day during an entire year stretch is a valuable exercise when trying to determine the amount and type of solar panels you need to install to power your business or your home. 3.1 peak sun hours means that in Cottonwood on average there are 3.1 hours a day where the sun is strong enough for solar panels to harness its energy. This number is less than the amount of total sunlight hours in a day because there are times during the day (ex. sunrise and sunset) where the sun is not strong enough to benefit solar panels.
Sunlight hits the earth directly at the equator. This is why the equator has a latitude of zero degrees. The latitude of Cottonwood is 61.5. Knowing the latitude of Cottonwood can help you plan for your solar panel setup, as the larger the latitude the more variance you will see throughout the year for total daily sunlight hours.
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.
Climate in your geographical region is a major factor that will influence average peak sun hours per year. If you live in a region that does not have a lot of completely sunny days, then cloud coverage will greatly influence solar insolation on any given day. Mountains and trees may also contribute to lower solar insolation if they block the sun from your panels at any given point of the day.
In Cottonwood the average yearly peak sun hours for a fixed tilt non-tracking solar panel mount is 3.1. This is for a fixed panel mounted at an angle that is equal to the latitude of the location for the entire year. The amount of peak sun hours increases to 3.5 hours if you are using a 1-axis panel, and to 5.1 hours if you upgrade to a 2-axis solar panel.
Helpful & Interesting
What is the cost of maintaining solar panels?
Who should pay for this upkeep? The average cost of an annual inspection for a household rooftop solar PV system is approximately $150.00. The average cost of having your panels cleaned by a reputable solar installation company ranges from $10.00 – $20.00 per panel.