Annual solar hours in Spain by province

With around 300 days of sunshine per year or 2,500 hours of sunshine per year, Spain is one of the sunniest countries in Europe, surpassed only by Turkey, Italy, Greece, France and Portugal. For this reason it is a privileged territory to obtain energy through photovoltaic installations in a profitable and sustainable way.

The number of hours of daily sunlight in each province depends on geographic area and al season where we meet There are big differences in the number of hours of sunlight received depending on our location, the northern regions of Spain do not reach the average values ​​while some southern regions exceed 3,000 hours per year. Huelva is the sunniest city in the country, with over 3,500 hours of sunshine per year, and Bilbao the least with 1,694 hours.

However, it should be noted that all Spanish municipalities, wherever they are, are suitable for the realization of a photovoltaic installation and for its profitability. For this reason, various aids are offered in Spain, bonuses and grants state, regional and municipal for the promotion of public and private installation of photovoltaic panels. In this way, governments help to cover part of the investment and thus reduces the amortization period of the installation.

How are annual solar hours measured in Spain?

As we just discussed, the number of solar hours in each province depends mainly on two factors, the geographic location and season. Spain has a territory with great geographical and climatic contrasts, for this reason the number of hours of sunlight received varies greatly from one area to another.

To measure the annual solar hours in our city we can rely on statistics that allow us to extrapolate data as well as heliographs.

And heliographs is a tool that allows knowing the number of solar hours that a surface has received during a day. It\’s a meteorological instrument It records the duration and intensity of the sun\’s rays. The result it gives is a quantity known as insolation and measures the hours of actual sunshine during the day.

As a medium term, Spain has approximately 2,500 hours of sunshine per year. This level of insolation makes our country a perfect place to generate our own energy thanks to the installation of various types solar panels.

Solar hours according to the seasons of the year

The the season of the year we are in directly affects the level of insolation. There are more daylight hours in summer than in winter. This is because the Earth\’s tilt and distance from the Sun varies with the time of year, being closer in the summer and farther from the source of light and heat in the winter.

He Summer solstice (June 21) appears when The sun reaches a maximum inclination to the equator, forming an angle of +23º 27\’ for the northern hemisphere or -23º 27\’ for the southern hemisphere. It is the day of the year with the greatest number of effective hours of sunshine. From this day, summer begins, the season in which the number of hours of sunlight begins to gradually decrease.

And vice versa, in Winter solstice (December 21) The Sun reaches its minimum distance from the Earth. It is the day of the year with the least number of effective hours of sunshine. From that date, solar hours begin to increase progressively.

For these reasons, the time of year directly influences the number of daily hours of sunshine a particular place receives and summer days have more hours of sunlight than winter days.

What is peak solar time (HSP)?

The Peak Solar Time (HSP) is a defining parameter amount of solar energy received by a surface at a radiation of 1,000 W/m² for 1 hour. The information provided to us by HSP is essential to know the generating capacity of a solar panel installation. Therefore, it is important to emphasize that it is an essential unit to be able to perform calculations that allow the determination of the size of a photovoltaic installation.

In the same way as it happens with the hours of the sun, HSP varies by location and time of year. For example, if a certain place has an HSP of 9 in August, it means that the sun will generate about 9 kWh/m² per day during that month.

To find out more about the Peak Solar Time in different locations, it is best to consult it by accessing the official tables.

Hours of sunshine in Spain by province

As we have just seen, usually the number of solar hours it is higher in the south than in the north of our country, although this is not always the case and some provinces in the northern half have more hours of sunshine than others in the central or southern half.

However, these general trends should not overshadow the particularities that each province offers. As I am multiple geographical and meteorological factors come into play to determine the hours of sunshine for each. Among these, the altitude, the proximity to the sea or the orientation of the mountain ranges stand out. In this sense, it is common to find significant contrasts, even within the same autonomous community.

Below, we break down the hours of sunshine in the different Spanish provinces during 2022, highlighting this diversity. This analysis becomes a valuable tool when planning the installation of solar panelsbecause more solar radiation leads to more energy production.

Hours of sunshine in Andalusia

Hours of sunshine in Aragon

Hours of sunshine in Asturias

Hours of sunshine in Cantabria

Hours of sunshine in Catalonia

Hours of sunshine in Castilla – La Mancha

Hours of sunshine in Castilla y León

Hours of sunshine in Madrid

Hours of sunshine in the Valencian Community

Hours of sunshine in Extremadura

Hours of sunshine in Galicia

Hours of sunshine in the Balearic Islands

Hours of sunshine in the Canary Islands

Hours of sunshine in La Rioja

Hours of sunshine in Murcia

Hours of sunshine in Navarre

Hours of sunshine in the Basque Country

Before entering the world of photovoltaic energy, it is important to know its particularities, as well as its operation, therefore in P.O.W we advise you to get maximum savings and maximum profitability by you photovoltaic installation depending on the province you are in. To do this, we prepare a personalized plan to efficiently dimension the systems according to the needs of your home and your location.