Figure 41.3: Solar Energy Input Varies with Latitude The angle of incoming sunlight affects the amount of solar energy that reaches a given area of Earth’s surface. On average, sunlight strikes Earth’s surface at a steeper angle at low than at high latitudes. This results in greater input of energy at low (i.e., equatorial) latitudes because the energy is spread over a smaller area and because less sunlight is reflected back into space by the atmosphere and land surface.