Best Position To Install Solar Panels

Solar panel angle by zip code.

Best position to install solar panels.

The angle of your solar array is an important factor in maximizing your energy production. Most roofs have an inclination of 30 to 40 degrees. At this level the solar panel can lie flat on the roof and get enough sunlight to produce enough electricity. However the economics of installing solar panels on a roof that does not face the south still usually stack up for the homeowner.

This is because it s based on the average position of the sun over your property. Depending on the conditions and setting of the property as well as the amount of energy required any of these positions may provide for maximum sunlight. Solar panels installed on a roof facing southwest or southeast will generally produce about 8 less power than the same panels in the same climate on a south facing roof. However there is a difference between magnetic south and true south that must be considered.

During times of peak demand which is defined as 3 p m. While the general consensus in the solar power industry is that either west or south is the best direction for solar panels to face these two options don t necessarily address the needs of every individual solar user. Since solar panels are more productive when the sun s rays are perpendicular to their surfaces the certainly best orientation is the one directly true south azimuth angle 180. Each situation is unique in terms of roof angle property layout and power consumption.

The traditional advice is to position solar panels to be south facing. 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. It seems that west facing solar panels would help you to do that to a much greater degree than generally recommend south facing solar panels. On the contrary in the countries of the southern hemisphere such as south africa and australia the best orientation is true north.

In texas s ercot territory 84 percent of electricity in west facing systems was used in the home. In the northern hemisphere the general rule for solar panel placement is solar panels should face true south and in the southern true north. Usually this is the best direction because solar panels will receive direct light throughout the day. We must therefore know on which side there is higher solar radiation for the whole day in order to have the maximum possible power production.

Most solar arrays are installed at a tilt. Usually solar panels are mounted on rooftops but they can also be placed on the ground over parking lots and exterior corridors or even close to walls. It is at this location that your panels will receive the maximum sunlight throughout the day. The most optimum direction to face your solar panels is somewhere between south and west.