Sun Direction For Solar Panels

If you re in the u s.

Sun direction for solar panels.

Or elsewhere in the northern hemisphere the best direction for solar panels to face is true south though there is an exception. Fixed tilt solar. In general there s one big rule. The relative position of the sun is a major factor in the heat gain of buildings and in the performance of solar energy systems.

This is because the sun is always in the southern half of the sky in the northern hemisphere. However solar panels can be orientated on any roof that faces south of either east or west. Now a compass tells you magnetic north and south but it does not show you true north and south. 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.

Therefore directions like southwest or southeast are fine. The more sunlight reaches your solar panels the more electricity you can generate and the more money you ll be able to save on your electric bill. Calculating the ideal angle for your solar panels is not that difficult. Solar panels should face south for any home in america to obtain maximum power generation.

The most optimum direction to face your solar panels is somewhere between south and west. The traditional advice is to position solar panels to be south facing. Solar panel orientation direction. 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.

It is at this location that your panels will receive the maximum sunlight throughout the day. This is so that you can expose your solar panels to as much light as possible to optimize their energy production. 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. It just depends on where you live.

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. If your roof does not face the right direction then surface mounted panels or pole mounted panels may be your best bet. For those who are not part of a tou model with their utility company the direction that you want to face your solar panels is south. In the northern hemisphere the general rule for solar panel placement is solar panels should face true.

The angle or tilt of a solar panel is also an important consideration. The angle that a solar panel should be set.