Which Direction Should Solar Panels Face Uk

Solar south or geographic south.

Which direction should solar panels face uk.

True south can also be calculated at noon when shadows from vertical objects run north south. Since the majority of solar panel owners keep their system on the grid we can split this grouping into simply those who pay for energy based on a tou payment. However if the local power company charges higher prices in the afternoon your panels should face west to maximize the dollar savings. The direction your panels face is certainly a factor in how much they will generate and closer to south is better but it is only one factor.

It is at this location that your panels will receive the maximum sunlight throughout the day. Joshua rhodes a postdoctoral research fellow in the webber energy group and the energy institute at the university. The following is a guest post by dr. The direction that your solar panels face is ultimately dependent on whether or not your system is connected through net energy metering nem and under a time of use tou payment structure.

Solar panel orientation and elevation. Net energy metering and time of use. You could even stick a stick in the ground and take note. Since most sunlight comes from the south this will make your panels more productive.

However you would want to face your solar panels in the opposite direction of where your shadows face. 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. In northern hemisphere most solar panels point south. The most optimum direction to face your solar panels is somewhere between south and west.

Most solar panels are facing the wrong direction say scientists. The direction solar panels should face is true south a k a. This is because the sun is always in the southern half of the sky in the northern hemisphere. So what direction should solar panels face.

But west facing panels are able to generate more even flow of electricity. If your roof faces slightly off south or even straight east west it is still very likely that solar pv could generate savings and income for you. If your roof does not face the right direction then surface mounted panels or pole mounted panels may be your best bet. If even one panel is shaded it will reduce the output of all your panels unless you invest in micro inverters or other optimizing devices.

So we ve established that there s a sweet spot for your solar panel orientation which is directly south and a sweet spot for elevation which is between 30º and 40º. On the other hand if you live in the southern hemisphere you can use this same technique. This is a simple tried and true way to. For the best results solar panels should be oriented towards the south.