Best Roof Angle For Solar Panels

At this level the solar panel can lie flat on the roof and get enough sunlight to produce enough electricity.

Best roof angle for solar panels.

Ideally a fixed roof mounted solar energy system should be at an angle that is equal to the latitude of the location where it is installed. These angles will give you the best overall output over the course of the year if you re going for a fixed installation. Most roofs have an inclination of 30 to 40 degrees. Overall the angle of your rooftop has less impact on solar panel performance than the direction your roof faces.

However pitch angles between 30 and 45 degrees will work well in most situations. On the contrary in the countries of the southern hemisphere such as south africa and australia the best orientation is true north. 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. For instance in the san francisco bay area the best solar panel tilt angle is between 22 23 degrees.

Many roofs are going to have slopes between 30 and 40 degrees which means that solar panels can lie flush against the roof and produce enough electricity for attractive returns. If you are trying to install solar panels on a steep roof it may not be possible to place panels at the optimal tilt with traditional racking systems. While the general consensus in the solar power industry is that either west or south is the best direction for solar panels to face these two options don t necessarily address the needs of every individual solar user.