Best Alignment For Solar Panels

If you re in the u s.

Best alignment for solar panels.

As we re in the northern hemisphere the best solar panel orientation is obviously south but. Therefore the best angle for your solar panels is the one that allows the panels to get the most direct perpendicular light. Overall the angle of your rooftop has less impact on solar panel performance than the direction your roof faces. Or elsewhere in the northern hemisphere the best direction for solar panels to face is true south though there is an exception.

At different times of the year the optimal angle may be slightly or even significantly different. Ideally a fixed roof mounted solar energy system should be at an angle that is equal to the latitude of the location where it is installed. Solar panels produce electricity when sunlight hits their surface and they produce the most energy when that sunlight is exactly perpendicular to the panel face. In general there s one big rule.

Find the best angle for optimizing solar collection during winter when solar energy is most scarce by multiplying your latitude by 0 89 and then adding 24 degrees. 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. Solar panels should always face true south if you are in the northern hemisphere or true north if you are in the southern hemisphere. True north is not the same as magnetic north.

Therefore to get the very best out of your photovoltaic panels you would typically face them due south at the optimum angle so that the panel is receiving as much sunlight as possible at this time. Your solar panel orientation is very important when it comes to maximising the amount of electricity that your solar panels will produce. Now all of this is very important for utilities and legislators who are in charge of offering incentives for solar power or other measures that could reduce electricity demand at the height of the day. If you are using a compass to orient your panels you need to correct for the difference which varies from place to place.

For starters there is no single ideal angle for solar panels. South facing panels produced a 54 percent peak reduction overall while west facing solar pv panels produced a 65 percent peak reduction.