What is solar panel direction?

'Solar panel direction' refers to the orientation of solar panels specifically the cardinal direction at which they are positioned to face the sun. In the Northern Hemisphere, the optimal direction is typically true south allowing panels to capture the maximum amount of sunlight throughout the day. What Is The Best Angle For Solar Panels?

Which direction should solar panels face in the UK?

In the UK, solar panels should ideally face south in order to capture the most daylight throughout the day. It's best to avoid installing solar panels that face north, since there's never much daylight from that direction in the northern hemisphere. Panels can still perform well facing east or west.

What is the Best Direction and angle for solar panels?

To find out, we used the MCS PV Output Calculator, which lets MCS-certified solar panel installers calculate the best direction and angle for panels anywhere in the UK. It reveals how much more, and less, energy a panel produces when facing north, south, east and west, and when tilted at various angles from the horizontal. Here’s a quick summary:

Do solar panels need to face south?

So whilst UK solar panels (located in the Northern Hemisphere) need to face south, panels in Australia (located in the Southern Hemisphere) need to face north. Having your solar panels facing south is even more important when you’re placing them on a wall, since wall-mounted panels receive less sunlight on average.

Where should solar panels be positioned in the UK?

But here in the UK, which gets less than half the annual sunshine of South Africa (1,387 hours versus SA’s 3,103), you need to put in a little more planning, and position your solar panels to capture maximum sunlight. The best direction for solar panels is the same wherever you are in the UK: facing south, and pitched at 40 degrees.

Should solar panels be facing south or west?

Naturally, solar panels in the UK will work best when facing south, as it means they’re facing the sun. But if your roof doesn't allow for a southern exposure, east-west orientations can also work. Panels facing east will make more electricity in the morning, while those facing the west will generate more power in the afternoon and evening.