Optimal Direction For Solar Panels

The traditional advice is to position solar panels to be south facing.

Optimal direction for solar panels.

The conventional wisdom in the northern hemisphere is that the best direction to face solar panels is south since that is generally where they d receive the most sunlight. In the northern hemisphere the general rule for solar panel placement is solar panels should face true south and in the southern true north. There are two methods for calculating the tilt angle for solar panels. Pick the right location and solar panel direction.

However solar panels can be orientated on any roof that faces south of either east or west. This is because for those of us living in the northern hemisphere the sun is always along the southern part of the sky as we complete our yearly orbit around it. True south can also be calculated at noon when shadows from vertical objects run north south. However the electricity system is not as simple as it sometimes seems and the best direction to face solar panels may actually be west.

Whatever your latitude is you can subtract 15 from it to calculate the angle for summer. For the best results solar panels should be oriented towards the south. Latitude 2 5 degrees. While the angle of your solar panels is important a more important factor in your energy production is going to be the direction your panels face.

Similarly you can calculate the angle for winter by adding 15. The direction solar panels should face is true south a k a. Latitude x 0 9 29 degrees. What is the best direction for my solar panels.

Both of these angles require latitude degrees. Solar panels should face south for any home in america to obtain maximum power generation. Usually this is the best direction because solar panels will receive direct light throughout the day. Therefore directions like southwest or southeast are fine.

To correct the compass reading your solar installer will calculate the magnetic declination of your site. The conventional understanding is that the ideal solar panel direction is facing south. However it has been proven that west facing solar panels can produce more power. This is because the sun is always in the southern half of the sky in the northern hemisphere.

Once you have figured this out you can use one of the formulas below to calculate the best angle for your solar panels for each season.