The Best Angle and Direction for Solar Panels to Maximize Savings
According to the Department of Energy, the best direction for solar panels to face in the United States is south, as the sun spends most of its time traveling across the southern part of the sky.
Solar panels save you money on your electricity bills by producing electricity for your home to use. How much electricity those solar panels can produce depends heavily on the direction the solar panels face and the angle they’re at. That’s why it’s important to understand the best direction for solar panels.
But does that mean you can’t install solar panels if your roof faces another direction? Let’s take a look at solar panel direction and angle to determine if solar panels are the right fit for your home.
Key takeaways
- In the United States, the best direction for solar panels to face is south as it exposes them to the most sun and allows them to produce the most electricity possible.
- Solar panels that face east or west will produce about 15% less energy than those installed on a south-facing roof.
- A north-facing roof is the worst direction for solar, as panels will produce around 30% less energy than if they face south.
- The best angle for solar panels to be installed around 30 degrees, but it ultimately depends on your exact location.
The best direction for solar panels is true south in the northern hemisphere, including the U.S. These orientations will allow for the most direct sunlight to hit your panels, which helps improve electricity generation and maximizes your electricity bill savings with solar.
Solar panels can be installed on roofs that face other directions, but they will produce less energy than if they were pointing south, and it may require you to install more solar panels to meet your household energy needs.
Why solar panel orientation and angle matter
Together, solar panel orientation and angle determine how much sunlight hits your panels throughout the day and throughout the year, which directly affects how much money they can save on your electricity bills.
If your roof doesn’t face true south or doesn’t allow for the ideal solar panel angle based on your location, you’ll see decreased energy output and savings that could reduce the overall value you get from your solar panel system.
What should you do if you can’t get the ideal panel orientation and angle?
It’s great to have optimized panel direction and angle, but in some cases, it’s just not possible for a rooftop solar system to provide the means of achieving that. Luckily, you have some options.
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Install rooftop solar anyway: In many cases, you’ll still get excellent production and efficiency, even if the conditions aren’t exactly perfect.
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Install a ground-mounted system: If you have the space for ground-mounted solar, it can be a great alternative if your roof direction isn’t ideal. Ground-mounted solar panels eliminate the issue roof leaks and curb appeal, but they do cost significantly more money.
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Invest in a special racking system: Angled racking systems and solar tracking mounts help with your solar panel production, but they’re both uncommon and expensive. According to the EIA, a dual-axis tracking system will provide 132% of the electricity that a static system will, even if the static system is optimized for orientation.
How to choose the best direction and angle for solar panels
You can use online resources to determine what direction solar panels should face and what angle will give you the best rate of production. However, there are other factors at play, like the pitch of your roof, the orientation of your roof, shading on your property, roofs that require installation on multiple faces facing different directions or at varying angles, and more.
Since there are so many moving parts, it’s best to consult with a local solar installer to figure out what’s best for your unique situation. An expert can help you decide if specialty racking is a good option, figure out what angle is best based on your exact location, and even determine if solar is right for you in the first place. They’ll also provide some production estimates for the system they propose so you can see what your expected savings will be if you move forward with their plans.
You could produce more solar electricity during peak times by facing your solar panels south-west. Depending on your utility rate structure, maximizing your solar energy production during peak times could provide higher overall utility bill savings, even if it means producing less electricity overall
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