8/26/22, 12:10 PM Peak Sun Hours: Explanation and Numbers By State

Home > Blog > What is a peak sun hour? What are peak sun hour numbers for your state?

What is a peak sun hour? What are peak sun

hour numbers for your state?
Updated 02/03/2022

The amount of peak sun hours your location gets is a major factor in determining whether or not solar
panels will be worth it for you.

If you're thinking about getting solar panels for your home, you are probably wondering
whether or not you receive enough sunlight where you live. You may have also heard that
it's not just the total hours of sunlight, but the 'peak sunlight hours' where you live that
really matters. 

You heard correctly: peak sunlight hours (or just peak sun hours for short) are in fact an
important number, one that determines if solar panels will be worth it for you. Peak sun
hours are an easy way to measure and compare the amount of sunlight between
locations. 

But what exactly does the term mean? What are peak sun hour numbers like in your state?
Learn about solar
And most importantly, what are the peak sun hours for the roof of your specific home?
We’ll answer all these questions in this blog
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8/26/22, 12:10 PM Peak Sun Hours: Explanation and Numbers By State
We’ll answer all these questions in this blog.

On this page
What are peak sun hours?
Average peak sun hours by state
How many peak sun hours do you need?
... Show more

What is a peak sun hour?

A peak sun hour is defined as one hour in which the intensity of solar irradiance (sunlight)
reaches an average of 1,000 watts (W) of energy per square meter (roughly 10.5 feet).

Another way to put it: A peak sun hour is the equivalent of 1000 W/m² of sunlight for an
hour.

A peak sun hour represents a lot of sunlight. Solar panels are only likely to receive around
that much sunlight when facing directly towards the sun when the sun is at its strongest,
at midday. 

That amount of sunlight – 1000 W/m² over an hour – also happens to be the exact amount
of sunlight used to test and rate solar panels in the lab. That means that over the course of
a peak sun hour, a solar panel should be producing – before system losses due to
temperature and other factors – at close to its specified output rating. 

In other words, before system losses, during a peak sun hour you can expect a 300-watt
solar panel to produce roughly 300 watt–hours of electricity, and a 6 kilowatt system to
produce roughly 6 kilowatt–hours of electricity. 

Unclear about the difference between watts, kilowatts, watt–hours and kilowatt–hours?
Check out this explainer. 

How peak sun hours are used to measure sunlight 

Now that we know what a peak sun hour represents, let’s look at how it’s used to measure
sunlight for a particular location. 
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8/26/22, 12:10 PM Peak Sun Hours: Explanation and Numbers By State

The sun, as we know, doesn’t shine at peak sun hour-intensity all day long. Instead, the
intensity of sunlight hitting the panels constantly fluctuates depending on the time of day,
as well as the weather. 

During the early mornings and late afternoon, sunlight is likely to be less than 500 W/m².
Conversely, during ideal conditions - midday during a clear, sunny day - you might actually
receive more than 1000 W/m², say 1,100 W/m². 

No worries, we can simply express these amounts in terms of peak sun hours. For
example: 

An hour in the morning that receives an average of 500 W/m² of sunlight is equal to
0.5 peak sun hours.
An hour at midday that receives an average of 1,100 W/m² of sunlight is equal to 1.1
peak sun hours. 

It may sound complicated, but the concept is actually relatively simple to apply. For
example, if a given location receives a total of 6,650 Wh/m² of solar radiation over the
course of a day, then that location gets 6.65 peak sun hours.

Total solar irradiation over the day = Total area under the solar irradiation curve = Total area of the
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8/26/22, 12:10 PM Peak Sun Hours: Explanation and Numbers By State

As the image shows, adding up the total solar irradiance for a given location gives you the
total peak sun hours value.  

That is why the concept of 'peak sun hours' has been developed. It allows you to precisely
measure the amount of irradiance (sunlight) that will hit solar panels installed in a given
location. This, in turn, allows you to calculate the expected energy production for a given
solar system size installed at that location.  

In other words, peak sun hours tell you how much power a solar installation on your
roof will generate. They also allow you to compare sunlight availability between
locations.

Average peak sun hours by state

As the U.S. covers a large geographic area as well as many different climate zones, we see
large variations in peak sun hour numbers between states. 

The table below details the average peak sun hours for each of the 50 states. 
Average peak sun hours by state
Location Peak Sun Hours (PSH)
Alabama  3.5 – 4

Alaska  2–3

Arizona 7–8

Arkansas  3.5 – 4

California 5 - 7.5

Colorado  5 – 6.5

Connecticut  3

Florida  4 Learn about solar

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8/26/22, 12:10 PM Peak Sun Hours: Explanation and Numbers By State

Location Peak Sun Hours (PSH)

Georgia  4 – 4.5

Idaho  4 – 4.5

Illinois 3–4

Indiana  2.5 – 4

Iowa  4

Kansas 4 – 5.5

Kentucky  3–4

Louisiana  4 – 4.5

Maine  3 – 3.5

Maryland  3–4

Massachusetts  3

Michigan  2.5 – 3.5

Minnesota 4

Mississippi  4 – 4.5

Missouri  4 – 4.5

Montana  4–5

Nebraska  4.5 – 5
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8/26/22, 12:10 PM Peak Sun Hours: Explanation and Numbers By State

Location Peak Sun Hours (PSH)

Nevada  6 – 7.5

New Hampshire  3 – 3.5

New Jersey  3.5 – 4

New Mexico 6–7

New York  3 – 3.5

North Carolina  4 – 4.5

North Dakota  4 – 4.5

Ohio  2.5 – 3.5

Oklahoma  4.5 – 5.5

Oregon  3–5

Pennsylvania  3

Rhode Island  3.5

South Carolina 4 – 4.5

South Dakota  4.5 – 5

Tennessee  4

Texas  4.5 – 6

Utah  6–7
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8/26/22, 12:10 PM Peak Sun Hours: Explanation and Numbers By State

Location Peak Sun Hours (PSH)

Vermont  3 – 3.5

Virginia 3.5 – 4

Washington  2.5 – 5

West Virginia 3

Wisconsin  3.5

Wyoming  5.5 – 6

As you can see, there are states with impressive peak sun numbers and those with scant
peak sun hours. The states with the highest average peak sun hours are Arizona, Nevada,
New Mexico, and California. 

The states with some of the least peak sun hours are Alaska, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and
Washington. California has the largest intra-state variations, a function of it being spread
over a large latitude and having a wide spectrum of climates.

How many peak sun hours do you need to go solar?

In the United States, any place that gets 4 peak sun hours or more is considered a good
location to produce useful amounts of solar energy. 

However, even if you get fewer peak sun hours, solar might still be worth it for you. There
are several other key factors that affect the viability of home solar, such as electricity rates
and the availability of incentives on the federal level (like the 26% solar tax credit) and
state level.

Find out which local, state, and utility solar incentives are available in your area here.

For instance, people living in locations with below-average peak sun hours but expensive
utility rates and net metering stand to save a lot of money by going solar. Learn about solar

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8/26/22, 12:10 PM Peak Sun Hours: Explanation and Numbers By State

New York is an excellent example. The state only receives an average of 3.0-3.5 peak sun
hours per day. However, the availability of terrific solar incentives means that even with
less energy production, the average solar payback period for homeowners there is just
2.8-3.4 years - a level of return that’s hard to beat. 

You can easily check how the economics of solar stack up for your home by entering your
zip code into the SolarReviews calculator below. 

Check estimate solar costs and savings for your home

93305

CALCULATE NOW

Why do peak sun hours vary by state and location?

Summer months and locations farther south will generally see more peak sun hours than
wintry times and areas farther north. That's because regions closer to the equator receive
more direct sunlight.

On the other hand, in latitudes farther north, when the sun is closer to the horizon, the
sunlight is filtered through more layers of the atmosphere. In those places, the sunlight
isn’t as strong by the time it reaches your solar panels, which results in lower peak sun
hours.

Let’s see how seasonal and latitudinal variations play out in two different cities - one
southern one (Albuquerque, NM) and one northern one (Chicago, IL).

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8/26/22, 12:10 PM Peak Sun Hours: Explanation and Numbers By State

Located in the southwest, Albuquerque gets plenty of sunshine! There are only three months - November
through January - where it receives less than four peak sun hours per day on average. Data source:
PVEducation.org

Chicago, located at a more northerly latitude, receives less sunlight, especially during winter. It receives less than
four peak sun hours per day for half the year. Data source: PVEducation.org
Of course, it’s not just about latitude; weather patterns play a key role in determining peak
Learn about solar
sun hours, as well. States in the southwest - where climate conditions create many cloud-
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8/26/22, 12:10 PM Peak Sun Hours: Explanation and Numbers By State

free days - experience more peak sun hours than locations further south, such as Florida. 

This map shows annual average daily peak sun hours (i.e. kWh/m²/day) based on data from 1998-2016 compiled
by the National Solar Radiation Database. Image adapted from National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

Peak sun hours and your roof 

Peak sun hours also vary depending on where your solar panels are placed. 

The peak sun hours' value for one part of your roof may be substantially different from the
peak sun hours on another section of your roof. These factors can affect the number of
peak sun hours your panels get.

Direction: The direction your solar panels are facing affects the intensity of the
sunlight, as well as the total amount of sunlight received.
Shading: Even if all the solar panels face the same direction, they might experience
sun hours at different times based on when a tree (or other obstruction) casts
shade on them.  Learn about solar

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8/26/22, 12:10 PM Peak Sun Hours: Explanation and Numbers By State

How can I calculate the peak sun hours for my roof?

If you want to calculate the peak sun hours of your roof on your own, then use the PVWatts
calculator. You will need to enter your roof measurements, including the azimuth and tilt,
based on which it will give you figures for average solar radiation by month.

If you’re just trying to figure out solar system size and annual solar power generation -
after all, that’s what the peak sun hours number is used for - then you can simply use the
SolarReviews calculator instead. It will recommend a solar system size and tell you how
much power it will generate annually, in addition to solar costs, savings, and other useful
information.  

Calculate system size and power generation based on your location's peak sun
hours
93305

CALCULATE NOW

Key takeaways
A peak sun hour is 1000 W/m² of sunlight over an hour. It’s a way to measure total
sunlight available to a panel to convert to electricity.
You can use the peak sun hours figure for a location to calculate total solar system
output over a year.
Average peak sun hours vary by state. They can be as high as 8.0 per day in Arizona,
to as little as 2.0 per day in Washington.
On a macro level, latitude and climate can affect peak sun hours. On a more micro
level - for instance your roof - orientation (direction), tilt (azimuth), and shading all
have an impact.
Locations with peak sun hours of four or more are generally considered suitable for
going solar. Learn about solar

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8/26/22, 12:10 PM Peak Sun Hours: Explanation and Numbers By State

To calculate your peak sun hours for your location, use the PV Watts calculator. For
an estimate that shows you system size, annual generation, and cost, use the
SolarReviews calculator.

Zeeshan Hyder
SolarReviews Blog Author
Zeeshan is passionate about promoting renewable energy and tackling climate change.
He developed these interests while studying at beautiful Middlebury College, Vermont,
which has a strong focus on sustainability. He has previously worked in the humanitarian
sector — for Doctors Without Borders — and in communications and journalism.

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