Solar Resource
The UK's insolation is less than 120 W(th)/m² (2.9 kW·h/m²/day, or 1050 kW·h/m²/year) — a fraction of that in subtropical locales such as Spain and North Africa. The insolation in the south of the country however is comparable with that of much of Germany, which is by far the biggest market for photovoltaics in the world with more than a third of all installed capacity. Additionally, the higher wind speeds that can be found in the UK can cool PV modules, leading to higher efficiencies than could be expected at these levels of insolation.
A 1,000 km2 (390 sq mi), 200,000 MWp solar farm in Scotland, where the insolation is about 900 kWh/m²/yr would provide 180,000 GWhr/yr, equal to all of Scotland's energy demand. Since most of that would be in the summer, when Scotland receives 12–14 hours of sun, the excess would need to be stored or exported, and wind and imported energy would need to be used in the winter. About 47% of energy in Scotland is used for heat, and can be substantially reduced by increasing insulation of buildings.
Read more about this topic: Solar Power In The United Kingdom
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