As we all know, solar panels trap solar energy to convert it into electricity for various purposes. People mount solar panels over the roof of their houses to generate power for their day-to-day use.
The output of solar panels depends upon solar panel direction and angle. Even the best solar panels won’t work efficiently if they don’t get proper sunlight.
The more exposure to sunlight more will be the power output.
If you are wondering, the best direction my solar panels can face. Keep reading. You’ll eventually get your answer.
Let’s explore more about Best Direction Solar Panels Should Face…
In which Direction You Should Install Solar Panels?
As the sun rays fall at different angles in different portions of the earth. The ideal solar panel direction is different for all different parts of the earth.
For Northern Hemisphere
For the countries in the northern hemisphere, the sun rides across the sky to their south.
- They should place their solar panels on their south-facing roofs to maximize their sunlight exposure.
- However, the position of the sun in the sky keeps changing over seasons. But a solar panel orientation in the south direction will capture the maximum amount of sunlight all year round.
- We have to fix our solar panel direction towards the geographical south, not the magnetic south.
So it’s established that in the northern hemisphere solar panels facing toward the south will collect the maximum amount of sunlight. But this is for the ideal situation.
If the solar panels will face south directly then they’d collect the maximum amount of sunlight in the middle of the day when the sun is high in the sky. In the mornings and late afternoons, when the sun is towards the horizon, the captured amount of sunlight will be lower.
Now after the direction, we should consider the best angle for solar panel orientation in the northern hemisphere.
Angle Of Tilt
The angle of tilt is also an important aspect to consider along with solar panel direction.
Best angle for winter = latitude + 15°
The best angle for summer = latitude – 15°
Environmental factors in your location may have a sway on the optimum angle of tilt for your solar panels. The lower the angle of the inclination, the lot of seemingly it’s that your solar array can collect leaves, dirt, and snow, all of which can have an effect on the panel’s potency.
Now we have covered which direction should solar panels face in the northern hemisphere. It’s time to move on to the other part of the world.
For The Southern Hemisphere
For the countries in the southern hemisphere, such as Australia, the best solar panel orientation is the north orientation.
- Panels that face north can turn out the foremost electricity overall.
- North-facing solar panels are typically the simplest selection for those who are reception throughout the day.
- Not solely as a result of they’re there to use electricity once it’s made, however conjointly as a result of it’s simple for them to shift demand by victimization laundry machines, garments dryers, pool filters, and alternative devices within the middle of the day.
- As a result of north-facing solar panels turn out the foremost electricity overall, they’ll have the best environmental profit.
We can place the panels in multiple directions other than just an east/west split. We can make an array where some solar panels are facing north and some are facing west.
We covered your question, which is the Best Direction Solar Panels Should Face? And we did it quite comprehensively.
Now, it’s time to summarise our findings.
Summary
To get the best output from a solar energy setup, solar panel orientation is very important along with having the best solar panels.
However, we already have quite a dig upon Best Direction Solar Panels Should Face. We came to know that different locations on earth have a different orientation for solar panels to give maximum output.
The ideal orientation may change according to seasons. In the future, we can switch to smart solar panels that can shift their direction following the sun. That’d counter the seasonal drift problem.
