How To Face Solar Panels

Five or six years ago the question of which direction solar panels should face was easy.

How to face solar panels.

Solar panels however need to face solar or geographic south which is the direction towards the south pole. You also can mount solar panels on roofs that face east or west on the roof of another building like a barn or garage or on the ground. In locations that are not far to the north such as florida or texas solar panels do not need a drastic tilt. The most optimum direction to face your solar panels is somewhere between south and west.

As you move farther to the north the sun has a lower position in the sky and solar panels must be tilted more. It is at this location that your panels will receive the maximum sunlight throughout the day. As you might have guessed the direction your panels face can be a major factor in how much energy your rooftop solar system produces. Apart from how much power each panel can produce how many panels you ll need what size and how well they ll work with your rooftop you ll also want to consider the best direction for solar panels to face.

The steeper it is the more it is an issue. Because high feed in tariffs were available they simply had to have an orientation facing north in order to maximise the amount of electricity they produced and so earn the most feed in tariff money possible. According to the concord consortium makers of energy3d solar energy modeling software a home in boston ma with panels that face west would get 80 of the electricity that a house with south facing. If your roof does not face the right direction then surface mounted panels or pole mounted panels may be your best bet.

West facing solar panels get less sun than those that face south but it s not as little as you may think. Over the last few years we have created the first online solar production calculator that works out the exact solar production that you will get for your home based on the direction and steepness of your roof. Net energy metering and time of use. To correct the compass reading your solar installer will calculate the magnetic declination of your site.

Which way should my solar panels be facing. Since the majority of solar panel owners keep their system on the grid we can split this grouping into simply those who pay for energy based on a tou payment. Even if your solar panels don t face directly south they can still produce plenty of electricity regardless of whether you live in minnesota or california. By the same reasoning if the solar panel is located in the southern hemisphere the panel should instead face in the direction of true north.

Solar south or geographic south. The direction solar panels should face is true south a k a.