Best Orientation For Solar Panels Uk

Orientation of the panels.

Best orientation for solar panels uk.

That means that panels placed on the south roof of a house will generate much more electricity than one on the north side. This is because they will be facing the sun all day long. For example a solar panel placed flat onto a west facing wall will produce about half the amount of electricity compared to being placed at a 30 degree angle on a south facing roof. You also need to consider both the age of your roof and how strong it is as pv panels are heavy.

Your solar panel orientation is very important when it comes to maximising the amount of electricity that your solar panels will produce. This is because the sun is always in the southern half of the sky in the northern hemisphere. Usually this is the best direction because solar panels will receive direct light throughout the day. Due south is always going to be the best orientation to point your panels at but sometimes that isn t always possible.

Since solar panels are more productive when the sun s rays are perpendicular to their surfaces the certainly best orientation is the one directly true south azimuth angle 180. Solar panel orientation in the uk. On the contrary in the countries of the southern hemisphere such as south africa and australia the best orientation is true north. Which direction should my solar panels face.

What happens if your roof isn t facing south. In the northern hemisphere the general rule for solar panel placement is solar panels should face true south and in the southern true north. Most uk roofs are angled at between 30 degrees and 45 degrees. The best angle and orientation for solar panels in the uk the angle and orientation of your roof is a significant factor when considering installing solar panels.

You can still have an effective solar installation with arrays facing east or west but may need to install a larger system to meet the same amount of. As we in the uk are in the northern hemisphere therefore and the sun is above the equator your solar panels will work best if they are south facing. Therefore directions like southwest or southeast are fine. However solar panels can be orientated on any roof that faces south of either east or west.

East and west facing panels will have the problem that for either the morning orthe evening the panels are going to be. Being in the northern hemisphere the sun is always slightly to the south even in the height of summer when it is high in the sky. It is generally accepted the best direction to face solar panels to get the maximum possible output is directly north. Solar pv systems are most efficient if you use the electricity they produce during the day.

As we re in the northern hemisphere the best solar panel orientation is obviously south but. While this is not a bad direction it is often possible to get a very small boost by having them face slightly away from due north. Usually facing them a little to the east will improve output but in some locations a small nudge to the west is best. 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.

Regardless of where you are on the planet and regardless of the time of year the sun will of course always rise in the east and set in the west. For the best results solar panels should be oriented towards the south.