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Contrary to belief, Washington and Oregon aren't just cloudy skies. The eastern half of both states is a rain shadow with a desert climate and plenty of sunshin

Contrary to belief, Washington and Oregon aren't just cloudy skies. The eastern half of both states is a rain shadow with a desert climate and plenty of sunshine.

Tagbert 5y ago
Even Western Washington has sunny skies for much of the year. Do solar panels really require full sun to work? I see a lot of solar panels on homes in Seattle.
- chmod600 5y ago
  As with anything, it depends on the tech available and cost. What may have been a net loss before may be a net win today.
- coryrc 5y ago
  That's generous. Seattle has 71 days a year with <30% cloudy, and they're basically all in July and August. More than half the days are >70% cloudy. You lose like 50-80% generating capacity when it's cloudy. It's not economical to have solar without extensive subsidies. And since our state tax structure is highly regressive, those solar panels you see are basically installed on the backs of the poor. https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Washington/annual-days-of-sunshine.php https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Washington/annual-day...
  - 41b696ef1113 5y ago
    >Seattle has 71 days a year with <30% cloudy Woof. Remind me to never to take a Seattle job.
    - Tagbert 5y ago
      of course winter and summer weather is much milder than areas like Chicago
sremani 5y ago
I have not assumed the high desert of Oregon is cloudy, but have you checked the sun rise and sun set times in WA and OR in winters. It is brutal!
- coryrc 5y ago
  We do need the power more in late summer though, as the mountains are running low of water from ice melt.
axiolite 5y ago
> Washington and Oregon aren't just cloudy skies. The eastern half of both states is a rain shadow with a desert climate and plenty of sunshine. That's not the only reason solar panels aren't a good investment. Higher latitudes also have peak electrical demands at night, in winter, when solar is not producing anything. It's a much better fit as you approach the equator, where peak electrical demands are from air conditioning, during the afternoon, in the longest, brightest days.
- seanmcdirmid 5y ago
  Peak demand for electrify is still during the day in Washington and Oregon, even in the winters (which aren’t that cold even east of the cascades). Solar isn’t popular in those states because hydro and wind are much more appealing. I suppose for personal homes, solar might make some sense, but electricity is already pretty cheap in the PNW (due to cheap hydro and wind), so it would take longer for that investment to pay off. Also, in the main population areas, overcast skies would dissuade a lot of personal solar investments (even given our sunny summers).
- pydry 5y ago
  https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Wind-and-solar-production-complement-each-other-during-a-year-as-there-is-more-wind_fig3_330753587 https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Wind-and-solar-productio... Solar complements wind, though.

Contrary to belief, Washington and Oregon aren't just cloudy skies. The eastern half of both states is a rain shadow with a desert climate and plenty of sunshine.

Tagbert 5y ago

Even Western Washington has sunny skies for much of the year. Do solar panels really require full sun to work? I see a lot of solar panels on homes in Seattle.

chmod600 5y ago
As with anything, it depends on the tech available and cost. What may have been a net loss before may be a net win today.
coryrc 5y ago
That's generous. Seattle has 71 days a year with <30% cloudy, and they're basically all in July and August. More than half the days are >70% cloudy. You lose like 50-80% generating capacity when it's cloudy. It's not economical to have solar without extensive subsidies. And since our state tax structure is highly regressive, those solar panels you see are basically installed on the backs of the poor. https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Washington/annual-days-of-sunshine.php https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Washington/annual-day...
- 41b696ef1113 5y ago
  >Seattle has 71 days a year with <30% cloudy Woof. Remind me to never to take a Seattle job.
  - Tagbert 5y ago
    of course winter and summer weather is much milder than areas like Chicago

sremani 5y ago

I have not assumed the high desert of Oregon is cloudy, but have you checked the sun rise and sun set times in WA and OR in winters. It is brutal!

coryrc 5y ago
We do need the power more in late summer though, as the mountains are running low of water from ice melt.

axiolite 5y ago

> Washington and Oregon aren't just cloudy skies. The eastern half of both states is a rain shadow with a desert climate and plenty of sunshine. That's not the only reason solar panels aren't a good investment. Higher latitudes also have peak electrical demands at night, in winter, when solar is not producing anything. It's a much better fit as you approach the equator, where peak electrical demands are from air conditioning, during the afternoon, in the longest, brightest days.

seanmcdirmid 5y ago
Peak demand for electrify is still during the day in Washington and Oregon, even in the winters (which aren’t that cold even east of the cascades). Solar isn’t popular in those states because hydro and wind are much more appealing. I suppose for personal homes, solar might make some sense, but electricity is already pretty cheap in the PNW (due to cheap hydro and wind), so it would take longer for that investment to pay off. Also, in the main population areas, overcast skies would dissuade a lot of personal solar investments (even given our sunny summers).
pydry 5y ago
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Wind-and-solar-production-complement-each-other-during-a-year-as-there-is-more-wind_fig3_330753587 https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Wind-and-solar-productio... Solar complements wind, though.