There are many considerations for buying, setting up, and maintaining off-grid power energy generation.
NOTE: Content here are my personal opinions, and not intended to represent any employer (past or present). “PROTIP:” here highlight information I haven’t seen elsewhere on the internet because it is hard-won, little-know but significant facts based on my personal research and experience.
Fossil-fuels (gas, gasoline) are noisy to operate. Gasoline is danergous to store. Bottled gas requires replenishment.
On the other hand, solar panels run silently.
How much sunshine?
Standard panels only yield power during the day (not at night).
The Pacific Northwest on gets 3.5 Peak Sun Hours of sunlight per 24-hour day.
The Southwest gets 6 hours per day.
Additionally, trees and mountains may block solar panels.
To calculate the solar system size you need, in kW (kiloWatts), use the peak kWh from your electric bill or web site (such as 17 kWh):
(17 kWh ÷ 4.5 sun hours) x 1.15 efficiency factor = 4.3 kW DC x 1000 = 4300 Watts
https://pvwatts.nrel.gov, NREL PVWatts Calculator by the US Dept of Energy
Single & Bifacial Solar Panels
The orange line reflect the power generated by standard single-sided panels positioned at the traditional fixed 30 degree angle.
The dark-blue line reflects Bifacial panels positioned at a fixed 30 degrees slant, which captures sunlight reflected from the ground. After snowfall, the panels would capture more power. VIDEO: Static reflectors on the groud reflecting sunlight to the solar panels increase yield about 8%.
Traditional placement of panels angled toward the sun would generate the most power at mid-day.
The green line and light-blue line shows the output from bifacial panels vertically like a fence.
Such placement enable the land to be used for agriculture. And they don’t need to be cleaned as often.
However, there is greater risk of theft when plated on the ground.
Because the panels do not face the sun, they do not yield as much as panels that do face the sun.
However, the power they generate produce power to the pattern of power needed – in a “duck” pattern where highest need early morning when people get ready for the day and at the end of the day.
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Does it make financial sense?
Solar Radiation irradiance is measured by Pyranometers in kWh/m
2 - kilowatt-hours per square meter: the total solar energy received on a surface.The per day metric is from collections every minute or hour over a 24-hour period.
- Tropical regions: 4-7 kWh/m²/day
- Temperate regions: 2-6 kWh/m²/day
- Northern/southern latitudes: 1-4 kWh/m²/day
Before Trump, satellites provided NASA’s Surface meteorology and Solar Energy (SSE) database at http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/ historical and real-time solar radiation estimates for locations worldwide.
Solar irradiance maps and databases (like NREL’s National Solar Radiation Database) provide long-term average values for different geographic locations. Calculation Considerations The measurement depends on several factors:
Surface orientation (horizontal, tilted, or tracking) Geographic location (latitude affects solar angles) Time of year (seasonal variations) Weather conditions (cloud cover, atmospheric conditions) Altitude (higher elevations receive more radiation)
VIDEO by Nick
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Measurement of power
https://www.renogy.com/solar-power-calculator
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What difference does it make to tilt the solar panel?
Near the equator, the angle of the sun does not change as much during the year as if you’re nearer the North or South Pole.
This video from Everyday Solar says, over 3 hours, a horizontally placed panel yielding 313.1 Wh, when tilted to 29 degrees yielded 388.4 Wh. That 75.3 Wh difference is a 29% improvement, which shortens charge time.
VIDEO: Compared with ground mounting, the single axis kits from eco-worthy.com in Canada yielded about 6% more. The dual axis kit yielded 8%-14% more.
VIDEO: Tracking provides higher yield especially in early mornings and late afternoons when the sun is not as directly overhead
VIDEO: Full-scale solar panel tilt.
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Due to potential high winds, brackets need to be made out of sturdy.
They are built on a concrete block.
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What is the range of tilt angles?
PROTIP: It depends on where you live. For example, at the 48.8 parallel near the top of United States below the Canadian border, the tilt angle ranges from 18.8 degrees to 48.8 degrees:
From Excel file -
Calculate the Solar Panel angle for your city/state/zip code at:
https://shopsolarkits.com/pages/solar-panel-tilt-angle-calculator
VIDEO: Solar Panel Tilt Calculator: Exactly How To Angle Your Solar Panels By Zip Code by the ShopSolar channel
VIDEO: Get the BEST Solar Panel Angle Every time EcoFlow Solar Angle Guide
References
Nick Seghers Cleversolarpower.com VIDEO by Nick YouTube channel BOOK: “Off Grid Solar Power Simplified: For Rvs, Vans, Cabins, Boats and Tiny Homes” Paperback – January 30, 2023
v005 + excel to angle :2025-07-02-solar-panels.md