Whats The Best Direction For Solar Panels To Face
While the best direction for solar panels to face is south, take the guesswork off the table. The best way to know for sure what works for your home is to consult a Solar Energy Specialist. Our trained technicians offer an extensive knowledge of all things solar and were with you at every step of your process. Get in touch today, and see how solar panels can benefit your home.
How Is Solar Energy Collected
As we burn more fossil fuels each passing day, the idea of using the nearly infinite amount of energy produced by the sun was just a pipe dream for the unwashed masses.
However, that dream is now a reality that almost anyone can enjoy around the world.
Scientists and engineers have long tinkered to the point of perfection.
But like all good things, there will always be naysayers who think the devil of harnessing the suns natural energy.
I agree that this all seems like wizardry to me, but NW Wind & Solar aptly explains that:
Solar panels, also known as modules, contain photovoltaic cells made from silicon that transform incoming sunlight into electricity rather than heat.
Its a simple concept that modern technology has made into a reality.
As demonstrated above, scientists and engineers arent stopping this technological wonder in an attempt to advance humankind, and that isnt always a bad thing.
Recent Study Reveals Some Interesting Facts
The conventional understanding is that the solar panel facing south will receive the most sunlight. This is correct to a certain extent however recent studies have proven differently: According to a new study from Pecan Street Research Institute, West-facing rooftop solar panels produced 49 percent more electricity during peak demand compared to south-facing panels . This research was conducted and data was collected from fifty homes in Austin, Texas, which had solar panels installed in different directions. Some homes had only south facing panels, some only west facing panels while some had both. Solar panel direction – Northern and Southern Hemisphere
Don’t Miss: How To Buy Solid Gold
Basics Of Solar Panel Orientation
So, what is the best direction for solar panels? For homeowners who live in the Northern Hemisphere, the rule of thumb is that solar panels should be oriented toward true south. This is the best orientation because it ensures that solar panels receive direct sunlight throughout the day.
Its also worth noting that solar panels are most efficient when the suns rays strike them perpendicularly. Again, this true south/true north orientation can be helpful, but angle also plays a large part in this parameter.
Solar Panel Direction: Best Direction For My Panels
The most optimum direction to face your solar panels is somewhere between south and west. It is at this location that your panels will receive the maximum sunlight throughout the day. If your roof does not face the right direction, then surface mounted panels or pole mounted panels may be your best bet. Alternatively you could adjust the angle of inclination of the panels to a certain degree to offset the effect of direction. For example if your roof is facing 10 degrees west towards north, you could reduce the tilt angle of your panels by 3 degrees. This would produce the same electricity as with a panel which is facing true west. Article by Katherine Tweed, November 14, 2013 from Green Tech Media http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/are-solar-panels-facing-the-wrong-direction.
Recommended Reading: How Much Is Solar Power To Install
Are Certain Types Of Panels More Effective
While you might not be aware of it, there are many different types of solar panel from a range of providers. The two most common are the cheaper but less efficient polycrystalline solar panels and the more expensive but more efficient monocrystalline solar panels.
While these panels work to achieve different levels of output, this is not down to their positioning, so you can choose the panel that is right for you separately from deciding its placement.
South Is Best Direction To Maximize Solar Panel Output
In the Northern Hemisphere, where the United States is located, solar panels will achieve maximum possible electricity production when they are facing south.
Thats because, on average, the sun shines directly over the Equator over the year. If youre north of the Equator, facing south towards it will maximize exposure to sunlight. In fact, in all regions north of the Tropic of Cancer – which includes the entire mainland U.S. – the Sun moves across the southern half of the sky all year round.
In other words, solar panels oriented south in the United States will face the sun all year long.
Pictured: The furthest north the suns path travels is directly over the Tropic of Cancer, roughly 23.5° north of the Equator, during the summer solstice . As all of the mainland U.S. is located north of the Tropic of Cancer, the sun shines to the south for us all year-round.
How much power will panels produce on your roof given its direction?
You May Like: Southern California Edison Solar Program
The Best Direction For Solar Panels In Texas
Solar panels are swiftly becoming the preferred means of energy generation, as they are clean and functional on both a small scale or large.
When deciding to install solar panels in your home, you must consider many factors before making the final decision.
For example, where is your house located? Are there any obstacles that may hinder sunlight from reaching the solar panel?
These questions must be answered if you want to make an informed decision about your future use of solar power.
In Texas, solar power is a popular way to save money and protect the environment. If youre considering going solar in the Lone Star State, here are some things you should keep in mind.
The best direction for solar panels in Texas is the south. The sun shines brightest during the middle of the day, so it makes sense to have your panels face due south or southeast for maximum efficiency.
Nevertheless, most people make the mistake of assuming that they should always put their panels facing directly west or east because those are also good directions to get sunlight throughout the day.
But if you dont possess a southern-facing roof, then going in any other direction can be great as well!
What Does This Mean For Solar Systems Already Installed
If you were one of the early movers who now enjoys the benefit of a fixed feed in tariff, then north facing at 30 degrees tilt is ideal to maximise your savings.
Changing the orientation of an existing solar panel is possible, however when the cost of having the array shifted is considered, it usually makes more financial sense to buy additional panels or battery storage.
Panels do not have to be pointed in just one static direction. A homeowner can buy a device called a tracker that will pivot the panels over the course of the day, like a sunflower, so they always face the sun.
A tracker can raise the output of a panel by 45 per cent. But installing trackers will cost thousands of dollars, require detailed structural engineering, and council approval. For residential houses, trackers rarely make financial sense.
A cheaper way to get the same number of kilowatt hours may be simply to buy a few extra panels and point them in different directions.
If you have solar panels pointing in different directions, it is important that each group of panels is connected to its own Maximum Power Point Tracker within the inverter, otherwise you will get poor performance from your solar system.
Alternatively you can use micro-inverters, which optimise every panel, however these are significantly more expensive than the standard wall mounted inverters.
Recommended Reading: Solar Powered Generator For Rv
Too Shallow Or Too Steep A Roof
A roof with a 50°+ angle is considered too steep for a solar panel. The panel would likely be in deep shade for large portions of the day, which means that it will be unable to harness the power required.
A roof with a pitch of less than 15° would be considered too shallow. The panels would not be able to self clean, which means that they would quickly become dirty and this negatively impacts the panels efficiency.
If your roof is too flat, it is possible to have an angled frame installed which would increase the pitch of the panel and provide a viable option.
The ideal pitch for a solar panel is between 30° and 45° although anywhere between 15° and 50° is considered suitable.
What Is The Best Direction For Solar Panels
It is undeniable that it is becoming more and more profitable to use solar energy as a renewable energy source. As a homeowner, you are likely always looking for ways to improve the value of your property and reduce your expenses. If you are looking for a way to do exactly that and save money every month, installing a residential solar panel system may be the answer you are looking for.
In doing so, keep in mind theres a lot to consider if you are thinking about installing solar panels to power your home. Apart from how many panels youll need, how much power each panel can produce, how well theyll work with your rooftop, and what size system youll need to offset your utility usage, youll also want to consider the best direction to face your solar panels.
Whether the system is mounted on the roof, carport, or ground, the direction your solar panels face will play a major factor in how much energy your solar panels actually produce. And in this blog, well discuss the best direction to position your solar panels for maximum production and maximum savings.
You May Like: Solar Lights For Patio Umbrellas
What Direction Should Solar Panels Face
Your investment in solar panels is only as good as the sun they capture. The direction in which you face your array makes all the difference in how much sunlight they catch. The question, is what direction should solar panels face to generate the most energy? If you face North, you receive the least sun through the day. The sun rises in the East and follows a South-bound trajectory into the West skies. For the Northern Hemisphere, morning sunlight is the weakest, so the question lies between facing your panels South or West. This article teaches you everything you need to know about positioning your solar panels for maximum power.
But What About The Reduced Power Output
True, South-facing solar panels still produce about 16% more power than East-West panel systems. However, boosting the power of East-West solar panels to match South-facing solar panels can cost very little. The benefit of a better generation profile is often well worth this small added cost. On top of this, you can increase DC over-sizing with East-West solar panels compared to South-facing solar panels. DC over-sizing means using more than 3kW of solar panels with a 3kW inverter. You can do this with an East-West system because the panels will never all be at maximum output at any one time. This way, DC over-sizing helps you get the maximum return for your investment by controlling inverter costs.
Recommended Reading: Small Solar Panels For Home
What Angle Should Solar Panels Be At
There is virtually no debate regarding the most effective direction of solar panels but in terms of the correct angle for the effectiveness of panels, there is far less in the way of a one-size-fits-all solution.
If you were living directly on the equator this would be simple, as a horizontal panel at 90 degrees would have the sun directly above at all times. However, with your solar panel in the UK, the sun is at a different angle relative to the Earth and this changes throughout the year. Ultimately, this means choosing an angle that is going to give you the best possible benefit.
In fact, this will depend on the specific of your home and the angle of your roof. It is best to have your panel pointing directly at the sun in the middle of the day during the summer, so your panel should be set up to achieve this. However, you should be aware that in doing so you will make your panels slightly less effective during winter.
Solar Panel Placement: East
In the northern hemisphere, since the suns path is always in the southern sky, static, south-facing panels are able to soak up the most sunshine during the year. Panels angled to the southwest or southeast produce around 8% less than their due-south counterparts. If the solar panels face directly east or west, the production is closer to 20% less than directly south-facing panels.
The orientation of your roof does influence solar panel production, but it is not the most significant influence on a solar power systems cost-effectiveness. The cost of your electricity and the available state and local solar incentives have a bigger impact on solars Return on Investment than how much power the system is able to produce. This is why less sunny states, like Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey, still rank in the top ten states for solar capacity. They have expensive electricity and solid solar incentives. to see how your state stacks up in supporting solar.
Your electric utilitys rate structure can also influence the importance of roof orientation. If your utility uses a time-of-use pricing structure, then your electricity costs more at the highest usage times . These high demand periods are generally in the afternoon and evening, as people return home, turn up the AC, cook dinner, etc.
Don’t Miss: What Battery Is Best For Solar System
Net Metering Vs Net Billing
Net metering is a policy that gives you full credit for solar electricity that you send into the grid. Those credits are banked and later spent when you use power from the grid.
For example, if youâre at work on a sunny day, your house may use little or no electricity, but your solar panels will be generating lots of electricity. That unused electricity will get sent into the grid, which is recorded by your utility meter. If you have net metering, youâll get full credit for that electricity. This means that if you pay $0.18 for one kWh of electricity taken from the grid, youâll get $0.18 back when you send one kWh of electricity into the gird.
If you have net billing, you donât get full credit for excess electricity you send into the grid. Instead, you are paid at a lower rate, often called the avoided cost rate. That rate is typically the wholesale cost of electricity that your utility would pay to a power generator.
For example, letâs say you pay $0.18 per kWh of electricity, which is about the average in the US.
Under net billing, you would get paid less than that. Letâs pretend that your avoided cost rate is $0.10 per kWh. That means if your house sends 20 kWh of power into the grid while youâre at work, under net billing you would get only a $2.00 credit for your electricity instead of the $3.60 you would get if you had full net metering. Over a course of a year, that can make a big difference in the economics of your photovoltaic system.
What’s The Best Direction For Solar Panels
Its a factthe orientation of your roof affects how much energy solar panels can potentially produce. Still, its not as straightforward as assigning a one-size fits all hard and fast rule for solar panel placement. For homes in the northern hemisphere, south-facing solar panels do receive the most direct sunlight throughout the year. However, a south-facing roof is by no means a necessity for a productive and economically viable solar power system.
A rooftop solar power system facing east or west can still generate enough energy to meet your energy demandsparticularly if its paired with a home battery backup system. Solar panel direction is one of several factors that determine the viability of rooftop solar. Here is a breakdown of the role roof orientation plays in producing clean, renewable energy for your home.
Recommended Reading: How Does Pool Solar Work
What Direction Should Solar Panels Face What You Need To Know
There are many factors that determine the efficiency and productivity of a solar panel, but one that you can directly influence and that can have a major difference is the direction that the solar panels face when they are installed. The ideal direction does depend on where in the world you are. Those in the Southern Hemisphere should face their panels to the North while those in the Northern Hemisphere, including people in the US and the UK, should face panels to the South. This ensures that they get the most daylight hours especially during peak daylight times.
However, not all properties have the benefit of a south facing roof. Properties with south-west or south-east facing panels are still highly efficient, while an east or west facing roof will lose as much as 15% of the potential power generated. Estimates suggest that north-facing solar panels will lose between 25% and 50% of the potential production, but if that is your only choice, you can have them installed at a shallower pitch than the roof itself and take other actions to help improve efficiency so that the installation still works for you.
Which Matters More: Solar Panel Orientation Or Angle
While the angle of your solar panels is important, the most important factor in your energy production is the direction your panels face. As previously explained, for the best results, solar panels should be oriented towards the south because the sun is always in the southern half of the sky in the northern hemisphere.
Its not a good idea to install your panels to face a suboptimal direction even if it means the best tilt possible. For example, in Boston, a solar array at 30 degrees south is still going to produce more electricity than an array tilted at 42 degrees and facing north.
You May Like: How Does Solar Feed Back Into The Grid
