Ideal Orientation For Solar Panels

The angle that a solar panel should be set.

Ideal orientation for solar panels. True south can also be calculated at noon when shadows from vertical objects run north south. Solar panels that face north west will produce around 5 less electricity overall than north facing 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. An additional 3 5 though can be gained by evaluating this more carefully.

On the contrary in the countries of the southern hemisphere such as south africa and australia the best orientation is true north. Orientation of the panels. The direction solar panels should face is true south a k a. Solar south or geographic south.

Optimal orientation for solar panels in australian capitals. However solar panels can be orientated on any roof that faces south of either east or west. Their electricity production through the day will be between that of north and facing panels and that of west facing panels. Solar panels should always face true south in the northern hemisphere north in the southern hemisphere tilted from the hoizontal at a degree equal to your latitude plus 15 degrees in winter or minus 15 degrees in summer.

In the northern hemisphere the general rule for solar panel placement is solar panels should face true. Directly north isn t always best it is generally accepted the best direction to face solar panels to get the maximum possible output is directly north. Fixed tilt solar. Panels mounted on a standard pitch roof facing east or west will produce approximately 15 less output than panels mounted on a south facing roof of a standard pitch.

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. There is a difference. For the best results solar panels should be oriented towards the south. The rule is that if you live in the southern hemisphere you should point your panels true north and if you live in the northern hemisphere you should point them true south.

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. However the electricity system is not as simple as it sometimes seems and the best direction to face solar panels may actually be west. The angle or tilt of a solar panel is also an important consideration. This is because the sun is always in the southern half of the sky in the northern hemisphere.

To correct the compass reading your solar installer will calculate the magnetic declination of your site. Therefore directions like southwest or southeast are fine. Now a compass tells you magnetic north and south but it does not show you true north and south.