Correlation between concentration of particulate matter 2.5 and solar energy production in Brooklyn, NY

Many people have started using solar panels in recent years. Switching to renewable energy sources can greatly decrease the amount of carbon emissions that contribute to climate change. One effect of climate change is a rise in wildfires. Smoke from wildfires can be detrimental to human health by increasing the air quality index (AQI). In June 2023, the AQI drastically increased in Brooklyn, New York due to fires in British Columbia from the west to Quebec and Nova Scotia in the east. We hypothesized that particulate matter (PM) 2.5 would negatively affect solar energy production because when the sun’s rays are blocked by clouds or smoke, there is usually less solar energy production. Our hypothesis was supported given that during the month of the fires across British Columbia, Quebec, and Nova Scotia, the PM 2.5 concentration had a strong negative correlation to solar energy production (p = 0.05). Throughout the rest of the year, the PM 2.5 concentration generally did not have an effect on solar energy production. PM 2.5’s positive correlation with solar production was measured against cloud cover and wind speed as benchmarks for a strong and weak negative correlation. Our findings can help determine what factors should be considered when deciding where to install solar panels or to place solar fields. By making renewable energy more effective we hope that more individuals will choose to switch away from carbon fuel sources.