As we re in the northern hemisphere the best solar panel orientation is obviously south but.
Solar panels south west facing roof.
Your solar panel orientation is very important when it comes to maximising the amount of electricity that your solar panels will produce.
The diagram shows how the sun passes over a house with solar panels on the south and west facing roof surfaces.
In general solar panels that are oriented directly east or directly west will produce about 20 percent less electricity than if they were facing south.
For years homeowners who bought solar panels were advised to mount them on the roof facing south.
Why orientation matters with rooftop solar.
At lower pitches say 30 the east west facing panels perform slightly closer to south.
We assumed a 40 elevation for the roof.
That captures the most solar energy over the course of the day which benefits the homeowner but.
The sun rises at 5 52 am and begins directly shining on the south facing panels at 8 15.
Solar panel orientation in the uk.
At higher pitches the difference increases.
Let s walk you through an average day august 6th to be exact.
An example of a south west facing roof.
Even with this decrease in performance solar panels will produce enough electricity to save you hundreds of dollars a year.
What happens if your roof isn t facing south.