NABCEP PV Installation Professional Practice Exam

Peak Sun Hours (PSH) refers to the daily average solar energy received on a surface, expressed in hours. This measurement quantifies the number of hours that solar insolation (sunlight) is strong enough to be considered equivalent to one peak hour of sunlight at a certain intensity, specifically 1,000 watts per square meter. In practical terms, PSH helps solar professionals estimate how much solar energy can be harnessed over the course of a day, allowing for better system sizing, energy production calculations, and performance expectations for photovoltaic installations.

Understanding PSH is crucial for solar system design because it directly influences how much energy a solar panel array can generate. Calculating energy production accurately involves considering the location's specific sunlight exposure patterns, which are encapsulated in the PSH metric. This information is vital for both feasibility studies and for predicting the return on investment for solar projects.