Cedar Fort Solar Power Information & Peak Sun Hours
Solar Green Energy Summary for Cedar Fort, Utah
Lattitude: 40.3413
Sunlight
Fixed Tilt Sunlight Hours: 6.3 hours per day
1-Axis Tilt Sunlight Hours: 8.2 hours per day
2-Axis Tilt Sunlight Hours: 8.6 hours per day
Peak sun hours is arguably the most important number to consider before installing your solar panels. Unlike total sun hours, peak sun hours are calculated by looking at the amount of sunlight hours in a 24 hour period that is strong enough to be absorb by a solar panel. One way to imagine peak sun hours is to think about a solar powered calculator you owned in school. If you covered the solar panel with your finger, or tried to use the calculator in the dark, the calculator would not work. As you slowly exposed the calculator to light the calculator would eventually turn on and be usable. The same is true with peak sun hours; these are the hours that your solar panels receive enough sunlight to work. Looking at the average peak sunlight hours of 6.3 per day can help you determine the amount of solar panels you need to install to power your home or business in Cedar Fort, Utah.
The equator has a latitude of zero while Cedar Fort has a latitude of 40.3. Any city located on the equator will receive the most sunlight throughout the year because the sunlight arrives at a perpendicular 90 degree angle to the earth at the equator. The further you are from the equator the more your daily sunlight hours can vary.
They type of solar panel you use has an affect on the average peak sunlight hours. Some panels allow for movement, so they can track the sun as it rises in the east and sets in the west, or as the seasons change and the sun's path changes. A fixed panel remains fixed and does not have the ability to rotate, whereas a 1-axis and 2-axis panel can adjust with the sun.
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.
We can use previous years of data to estimate the amount of peak sun hours in Cedar Fort. A fixed tilt mount for example will receive 6.3 average hours per day. For more efficiency for your system in Cedar Fort you could use a 1-axis tracking mount and increase your daily peak sun average to 8.2 hours, or even further with a 2-axis panel to get an average of 8.6 hours.