Solar Panel Angle By Location

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 angle by location. Therefore to get the very best out of your photovoltaic panels you would typically face them due south at the optimum angle so that the panel is receiving as much sunlight as possible at this time. For instance in the san francisco bay area the best solar panel tilt angle is between 22 23 degrees. Azimuth is measured in degrees clockwise from north. For los angeles a solar panel tilt of 19 degrees works the best.

In the northern hemisphere the sun is due south at solar noon. 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. Tilt the panels to your latitude plus 15. If you are able to adjust the angle of your solar panels a few times per year here is the adjustment schedule we recommend.

For instance if your latitude is 34 the optimum tilt angle for your solar panels during winter will be 34 15 49. Tilt the panels to your latitude. Tilt the panels to your latitude. For the best results solar panels should be oriented towards the south.

This corresponds to the latitude of the place where you are housing the panels. The summer optimum tilt angle on the other hand will be 34 15 19. The solar panel tilt also depends on when you want the panels to produce the most energy. On the contrary in the countries of the southern hemisphere such as south africa and australia the best orientation is true north.

The optimum tilt angle is calculated by adding 15 degrees to your latitude during winter and subtracting 15 degrees from your latitude during summer. Select a location from the city pulldown menu or select enter lat long from the pulldown menu and manually enter the latitude longitude and time zone information in the appropriate text boxes. This is because the sun is always in the southern half of the sky in the northern hemisphere. Tilt the panels to your latitude minus 15.

For this calculator latitude is positive to the north and. Therefore the optimal solar panel tilt may change with the seasons.