solar panels Location and tilt

solar panels - either for power generation, water heating or other uses - should face the sun as much as possible. The solar panels orientation and tilt is very important and can deeply determine their energy-efficiency. After all, more sunlight means more performance...

Solar panels location

Solar panels location (in the roof, ground, over parking lots and exterior corridors, close to walls) isn't important in itself. What makes it important is its interaction with aesthetics, snow, shade, or the tilt and orientation of the solar panels...

Solar Panels Orientation Rule: True North and True South

Solar panels should face true South (if you live in a northern hemisphere country) or the true North (if living in the southern hemisphere). Just pay attention to the fact that true North or South doesn't mean exactly the magnetic north or the magnetic south.

Though very important, this rule is mainly a general guideline. There are elements - landscape, aesthetics, snow, local weather conditions... - that may justify some degrees more or less than the theoretical rule or the ideal position.

In other words: solar panels orientation is determined by true north or south but also by local weather conditions – foggy mornings, cloudy afternoons... - and tge elements that may interfere with the sunlight captured by the solar panels: other buildings, trees, chimneys, etc.

Solar Panels Tilt rules

Most solar panels are mounted with the same tilt as the roof, for aesthetical or some functional reasons. But that may collide with the aim of maximizing sunlight.

The tilt of the solar panels to the sun is essential, and we shouldn't forget that sun is higher in the summer and lower in the winter, and that we can capture more energy by adjusting the solar panels tilt to that height.

Tilt rules

There is a very common set of rules used to figure out the solar panels tilt:

Winter Tilt = Latitude + 15º
Summer Tilt = Latitude – 15º
Spring and Autumn = Latitude

But these rules pose at least two questions. One is the more detailed rules that can be used to calculate the ideal tilt angle. The other is about whether the tilt should be kept fixed all year round or adjusted seasonally (four times per year?) to reflect the height of the sun.

Should we adjust the tilt of the solar panels?

Some few degrees more or less to the tilt angle of the solar panels to the sun will not have a great impact on their performance. And that may save you the bother of having to adjust the tilt seasonally, or to have someone to do it.

But the fact is that the adjustment of the tilt of the solar panels can be important. It can provide energy improvements up to 5% or more...

What to do then?

It's up to you to analyze and decide on the best strategy. You may conclude that keeping the solar panels tilt set for winter is the best in your case (because your needs are higher in the winter, and you don't want to have to change the tilt of the solar panels every season, or...).

But your needs may be higher in the summer, and in that case the summer set can be a better option.

Or you may have recurrent problems with the snow in your roof, and want to adjust the winter tilt of the solar panels in order to minimize snow accumulation...

Or you may want to adjust the tilt angle of your panels four times a year, because you are selling power to a utility and a likely 5% improvement in energy efficiency is significant and deserves the effort...

Additional elements on Solar Panels location

The roof is the more common location for solar panels. But as said before, solar panels do not have to be located on the roof, unless you haven't any other alternatives.

Solar collectors are often located near south facing walls (in northern hemisphere) or north facing walls (in southern hemisphere countries), and most of the swimming pool heating collectors are also located in mounting hardware supplied by manufacturers.

Why solar panels location is important

What makes the solar panel location important is aesthetics reasons, or the fact that it determines the solar panels orientation and tilt. Or the surrounding landscape, or the roof strength or lack of strength...

Obviously, you should avoid locations where the performance of the solar panels is diminished by the shade of trees, or nearby walls and buildings, or places where solar panels are prone to be covered by snow, or where they can cause snow to accumulate. It's this type of stuff that should be considered and determine the best location for solar panels.