Which Direction Do Solar Panels Need To Face

Solar south or geographic south.

Which direction do solar panels need to face.

If you re in australia or elsewhere in the southern hemisphere your solar panels should face north. 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 most optimum direction to face your solar panels is somewhere between south and west. However if the local power company charges higher prices in the afternoon your panels should face west to maximize the dollar savings.

However each of the above only considers. The short answer is no. 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.

In the northern hemisphere the general rule for solar panel placement is solar panels should face true south and in the southern true north. The direction solar panels should face is true south a k a. However solar panels can be orientated on any roof that faces south of either east or west. 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.

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. Usually this is the best direction because solar panels will receive direct light throughout the day. True south can also be calculated at noon when shadows from vertical objects run north south. Therefore directions like southwest or southeast are fine.

Since most sunlight comes from the south this will make your panels more productive. North is the only direction that we don t want to put panels on. To correct the compass reading your solar installer will calculate the magnetic declination of your site. For the best results solar panels should be oriented towards the south.

Recently the new york times and popular science even purported that solar panels should face west rather than south to avoid unintended consequences. Solar panels should face south for any home in america to obtain maximum power generation. This is because the sun is always in the southern half of the sky in the northern hemisphere. This is so that you can expose your solar panels to as much light as possible to optimize their energy production.

However there is a difference between magnetic south and true south that must be considered.