What factors cause differing amounts of energy to strike the surface of the earth, in turn causing differences

Answer 1

I presume you are referring to the solar radiation.On reaching the earth's surface,part of the solar radiation is absorbed by the earth's surface and part is reflected into space,the proportion depending upon the nature of the surface( nature of soil) and the inclination of the incident solar beam.Solar radiation that is absorbed at the earth's surface is transformed into heat.Part of this heat energy is radiated back to space as long-wave radiation,part carried upward as sensible heat by convection and turbulent eddies(local factor) and part absorbed in evaporation processes from water surfaces.The remaining part only penetrates downward and serves to raise the temperature of the surfaces.
So the heat which penetrate the earth varies from place to place depending upon the latitude(inclination of the sun beam),land and sea distribution(particularly coastal stations),altitude,nature of soil ,presence of snow and ice covering(snow is a good reflector of heat and a fairly good radiator of long wave radiations as in the case of the poles) and prevailing winds also.

Answer 2

You are talking about solar radiation aren't you?

This is dimmed by clouds, haze and pollution so you get a cooler day but it insulates at night so you get warmer nights when the sky is not clear.