The Best Locations for Photovoltaic (PV) Systems

I. Best Regions for Global Solar Resources (Large Ground-Mounted Plants)

1. Middle East & North Africa (MENA)

• Key areas: Sahara Desert (Egypt, Algeria, Libya), Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan)
• Advantages: World’s strongest solar irradiance (2400–2800 kWh/m²), over 90% sunny days, vast deserts, extremely low land costs

2. Atacama Desert, Chile

• Advantages: World’s highest solar irradiance zone, high altitude, extreme aridity, excellent atmospheric transparency
• Performance: Generates about 80–100% more electricity per panel than in Europe

3. Inland Australia

• Advantages: Western Australia & Northern Territory deserts, irradiance 2300–2500 kWh/m², wide open land, low population density

4. Northwest China (Grade A resource area)

• Areas: Qinghai, Gansu, Xinjiang, western Inner Mongolia
• Advantages: Irradiance 1800–2100 kWh/m², high altitude, many sunny days, flat terrain, strong policy support

5. Southwestern United States

• Areas: Arizona, Nevada, southeastern California
• Advantages: Irradiance 1900–2200 kWh/m², dry climate, developed power grid, stable policies

II. Best Regions for Distributed PV (Rooftop Systems)

1. Australia (global leader in residential rooftop PV)

• Advantages: Household installation rate over 40%, high electricity prices, long-term incentives, good solar resources

2. Southern Europe (Italy, Spain, Greece, Cyprus)

• Advantages: Irradiance 1700–1900 kWh/m², high electricity prices, good savings from self-consumption, suitable building structures

3. Eastern China, Japan, South Korea

• Advantages: Dense population, abundant rooftop space, stable grids, high electricity prices driving self-consumption

4. California & Texas, USA

• Advantages: Strong sunlight, large roof spaces, 30% ITC tax credit, favorable net metering policies

III. Best Locations in China (By Scenario)

1. Best for ground plants: Northwest China

• Qinghai, Gansu, Xinjiang, Ningxia, western Inner Mongolia
• Irradiance: 1800–2100 kWh/m², annual effective utilization hours 1600+
• Ideal for large-scale PV bases

2. Best for distributed rooftop PV: North, East & South China

• Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangdong
• Advantages: many rooftops, high electricity demand, high power prices, strong ROI

3. Special high-value area: Xizang (Tibet) Plateau

• Advantages: Solar irradiance nearly twice that of plains, but construction and O&M are difficult

IV. Most Economical Locations in 2024 (Lowest LCOE)

1. China (Northwest & North): Complete industrial chain, low costs, stable policies
2. Rajasthan, India: Large-scale solar parks, low land costs, strong economies of scale
3. Spain & Portugal: High irradiance + EU subsidies + strong grid
4. Vietnam & Thailand: High irradiance + low land costs + fast-growing power demand

V. Key Site Selection Criteria

• Solar resource: Annual GHI ≥ 1800 kWh/m² = good; ≥2200 = excellent
• Terrain: Flat, slope <5°, no shading, low dust/salt fog
• Structure: For roofs, preferably flat commercial roofs, load capacity ≥ 20 kg/m²
• Grid: Near substations, low connection costs
• Policy: Subsidies, tax incentives, green power trading, net metering

Summary

• Highest power output: Sahara, Middle East, Atacama, Northwest China
• Most profitable for home/business roofs: Australia, Southern Europe, Eastern China, California
• Best value in 2024: Northwest China, India, Spain