SOLAR ELECTRIC POWER VS. ENERGY

Power (Watts or W) is generated as the Sun comes up and Energy (Watt Hours kWh) is accumulated until the Sun goes down.  A thousand Watts is a kilowatt (kW).

SUN DAY

The amount of Energy accumulated over a day depends on the system location and time of the year.  In Southern California the sun day varies between 5 and 6 hours, so solar energy is collected over 5 hours in the fall and winter months and over 6 hours in the spring and summer months.  The map illustrates the solar input hours for the worst season incident sun input. The map is drawn for an insolation of 1000 Watts per square meter, the industry standard for rating solar panel capacities.