Where is the worst location on Earth for solar energy? (2024)

FAQs

What areas of the world are not best suited for solar energy? ›

While it is not a big surprise that the worst location for solar energy on Earth is near one of the poles, this site is more than 1,000 kilometers away from the North Pole itself.

At latitudes near the equator ( ‍ ), the Earth's surface is almost directly perpendicular to the angle of the sun's rays. In these regions, solar radiation is intense because the sun's energy is concentrated over a small surface area.

What areas on Earth are worst suited for using solar energy to gene rate electricity? Regions toward the poles that receive inconsistent and indirect sunlight, regions that are frequently covered in clouds, and regions that have wetter climates.

The region that receives the least amount of solar radiation is the Arctic Circle, specifically the North Pole. This is because the Earth is tilted on its axis, and the North Pole is always tilted away from the Sun.

Why doesn't the state of Arizona invest more in solar power? Nasty public battles between the solar industry, utilities and the state's government over net metering have been ongoing for years, which is what some experts cite as the cause for the drop in solar installations in the state.

North Dakota ranks worst for solar energy. Although North Dakota's climate is relatively conducive to solar energy, there are only two megawatts of total solar installation in the state.

Flat solar panels work best near the equator, where the sun's position is high in the sky. Angled solar panels are more productive in locations farther to the north or south, where the sun has a lower altitude.

Coal is by far the worst emitter, followed by natural gas, with solar, wind and nuclear all low-carbon.

Using solar energy can have a positive, indirect effect on the environment when solar energy replaces or reduces the use of other energy sources that have larger effects on the environment. However, producing and using solar energy technologies may have some environmental affects.

Ecological Impacts

The clearing and use of large areas of land for solar power facilities can adversely affect native vegetation and wildlife in many ways, including loss of habitat; interference with rainfall and drainage; or direct contact causing injury or death.

Where is solar radiation the lowest? ›

The more slanted the sun's rays are, the longer they travel through the atmosphere, becoming more scattered and diffuse. Because the Earth is round, the frigid polar regions never get a high sun, and because of the tilted axis of rotation, these areas receive no sun at all during part of the year.

The angle of sunlight hitting the equator is more direct than it is at the poles, so the poles receive less direct sunlight.

On an average those would be the poles. As you correctly pointed out, due to the tilt of the Earth's axis, there are large areas that receive very little and sometimes no sunlight at all and those change throughout the year. But on an average, poles are the ones that get the least amount of solar radiation.

Presently, many developing nations simply cannot afford to fund the extension of existing power grids to reach those without power. Even the cost to maintain the struggling infrastructure already in place is out of the question for most.

—it's because the solar panels we have can only generate electricity when it's a clear sunny day. In order for a home or business to rely entirely on solar power, the owners would need to live in a sunny area and use batteries to store excess energy for cloudy and rainy days.

The Nature authors say that global electricity supply cannot rely on a single source of generation. So no, rooftop solar isn't about to power the world. The equipment required to store solar power is still expensive, while solar panels can't deliver power for heavy industry, which requires very large currents.

Worldwide solar energy potential

Solar panels can generate electricity just about anywhere on Earth, but some areas receive more sunlight than others and, as such, have a higher solar energy potential.