Why Albuquerque's High-Desert Sun and Cool Mornings Are Good for Solar
Anyone who's been out on a crisp October morning in Albuquerque knows the feeling: cool air, deep blue sky, sun so bright you squint. Those are some of the best working conditions a solar panel can get. Here's why.
The short version
- More sun. Albuquerque averages about 6.4 peak sun hours a day. The U.S. average is about 5.
- Panels like sun, not heat. Heat costs a panel a little output: about 2.4% for every 10°C (18°F) above its rating temperature.
- Fall and spring are sweet spots. Strong sun, cooler panels, and often lower home energy use.
More sun than most of the country
Solar resource is measured in peak sun hours, the number of hours a day equal to full, direct sunlight. Using the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's PVWatts model, Albuquerque averages about 6.4 peak sun hours a day over the year. The U.S. average is about 5. That puts New Mexico about 29% above the national average and near the top of the country.
In practical terms, the same panel on an Albuquerque roof makes noticeably more power in a year than it would in most other places.
Panels like sun, not heat
Here's a part that surprises people: solar panels don't love hot weather. They make power from light, and heat actually costs them a little output.
Every panel is rated at a cell temperature of 25°C (77°F), and its spec sheet lists a temperature coefficient: how much output it gives up for each degree hotter. Take the REC Alpha Pure-RX, one of the panels we install. Its rating is −0.24% per °C. That means for every 10°C (18°F) a panel runs above its rating temperature, it gives up about 2.4% of its rated output.
Rooftop panels run hotter than the air around them, so a 100-degree June afternoon costs a few percent. A cool, clear fall or spring day keeps the panels closer to their rated temperature while the sun is still strong.
Strong sun
6.4
peak sun hours a day in Albuquerque
Peak sun hours a day, averaged over the year. Albuquerque figure from NREL's PVWatts model.
Cool panels
2.4%
of rated output given up for every 18°F (10°C) a panel runs above 77°F (25°C)
Rated output at each panel (cell) temperature, REC Alpha Pure-RX (−0.24% per °C).
What that means for your system
Fall and spring are sweet spots
Strong sun, cooler panels, and often lower home energy use. With PNM net metering, the extra power those months make becomes kWh credits that never expire, ready for summer cooling bills.
Panel choice matters a little more here
In a hot, sunny climate, a lower temperature coefficient means more of your rated output shows up on the hottest days. It's one of the specs we compare when we pick panels for a home.
Airflow helps
Leaving space for air to move under the panels helps keep them cooler, which is part of how we design rooftop mounts.
See what your roof can do
We'll estimate your system's production from your roof's direction and tilt, any shade, and your last 12 months of PNM bills.
