Sun Direction For Solar Panels

Therefore directions like southwest or southeast are fine.

Sun direction for solar panels.

This is so that you can expose your solar panels to as much light as possible to optimize their energy production. Solar panels should face south for any home in america to obtain maximum power generation. For the best results solar panels should be oriented towards the south. Or elsewhere in the northern hemisphere the best direction for solar panels to face is true south though there is an exception.

Solar panel orientation direction. 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. 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. The traditional advice is to position solar panels to be south facing.

It is at this location that your panels will receive the maximum sunlight throughout the day. 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. The relative position of the sun is a major factor in the heat gain of buildings and in the performance of solar energy systems. 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.

If your roof does not face the right direction then surface mounted panels or pole mounted panels may be your best bet. It just depends on where you live. As a general rule of thumb keep in mind that the panels need to be more vertical during winter to face the lower sun directly and more tilted towards the ground during summer to face the higher sun. The most optimum direction to face your solar panels is somewhere between south and west.

Calculating the ideal angle for your solar panels is not that difficult. Fixed tilt solar. If you re in the u s. Now a compass tells you magnetic north and south but it does not show you true north and south.

This is because the sun is always in the southern half of the sky in the northern hemisphere. In general there s one big rule. The angle that a solar panel should be set. 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.

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. There is a difference.