How To Position Solar Panels To The Sun

Variations in the tilt can make a big difference to efficiency though not as marked as with orientation so strive for somewhere between 20 40º.

How to position solar panels to the sun.

In order to collect energy more efficiently solar panels should be angled to face as close to the sun as possible. However solar trackers can be used on a ground installation or on a flat roof. Photovoltaics produce power when the angle at which the sun s rays hit the panel surface the angle of incidence is small or when light strikes the panel as close to perpendicular as possible. In the northern hemisphere the general rule for solar panel placement is solar panels should face true south and in the southern true north.

This is the simplest and fastest way to position a solar panel for the best output. There s a simple rule of thumb for calculating the best tilt angle for fixed mount solar panels. Trackers are structures which hold the solar panels in order to move and or tilt them according to the position of the sun. 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 traditional advice is to position solar panels to be south facing. Subtract 15 degrees from the latitude at your location during summer and add 15 degrees to your latitude during winter. Updated may 18 2020. Solar panels work best when the light hitting them comes in at a 90º angle so the ideal tilt for australian sun is at 32º.

Build a simple solar pointer and at solar noon you can point your panel t. However there is a difference between magnetic south and true south that must be considered. Therefore directions like southwest or southeast are fine. 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.

For a precise method use the second formula on this page to calculate tilt angle. They cannot be mounted on a slanted roof. Solar panels should face south for any home in america to obtain maximum power generation. A sun tracking mechanism can be used to maximize the energy collected from solar collectors.

Usually this is the best direction because solar panels will receive direct light throughout the day.