What you are doing is optimizing your energy production for maximum savings with your utility company.
Do my solar panels have to face south.
Well when it comes to solar panels west is second best.
It seems that west facing solar panels would help you to do that to a much greater degree than generally recommend south facing solar panels.
Do you have to have a south facing roof to have solar panels.
For the best results solar panels should be oriented towards the south.
Go west young one.
By putting some panels on the south and others on the east and west the difference in production can be minimized even further.
This is because the sun is always in the southern half of the sky in the northern hemisphere.
But what if you don t have a suitable south facing roof.
When you point your solar panels west you are not maximizing the total amount of energy that is produced.
The steeper it is the more it is an issue.
This could be the simplest way it takes far less time than method 1.
For example 1 in california you would point the compass at 194 degrees but orient your panels at the s that is still fixed on the compass.
You can still have an effective.
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.
With the 30 federal tax credit utility.
Over the last few years we have created the first online solar production calculator that works out the exact solar production that you will get for your home based on the direction and.
According to the concord consortium makers of energy3d solar energy modeling software a home in.
The answers are a bit misleading.
Or you could point the needle north south and face the panels at 166 degrees on the compass.
Reveal the true solar south now that we have marked that special line we concluded in the third step the direction of the solar south has been revealed.
On a flat roof if the orientation of the building is not strictly n s then you have the option of making panels face south.
Therefore if your tilted roof on any side is facing north by more than 20 degrees then you should ignore that section.
This is a good action if you have enough space on the rooftop.
On many homes they ll have some east west and south facing roof where panels can be placed.
West facing solar panels get less sun than those that face south but it s not as little as you may think.
Solar panels perform at their best when the sun is shining straight on to the panels.
Using a shadow at solar noon.
So in such places if you can cut your grid electricity usage dramatically at times of peak demand and peak pricing by using rooftop solar power at that time instead you can save some serious cash.
Face panels south for non tou ratepayers.
The flatter the roof the less solar energy production falls when panels face east or west rather than south.
To do this you should point your solar panel west.
When the sun shines onto the surface at an angle the panel will still generate electricity but it will be less effective.