A typical two storey house roof in the uk ha a roof elevation of around 30º 40º.
Best roof direction for solar panels uk.
Solar panels perform at their best when the sun is shining straight on to the panels.
This table shows you how much energy you can expect to get from almost any combination of solar panel direction and angle in the capital cities compared to the optimum orientation.
In general there s one big rule.
It s determined by the shape of their roof.
A metal standing seam roof is another great contender for best roof material for solar panels as they can be fitted with ease potentially saving you money on the installation.
Solar panels are most effective when installed on south facing roofs.
The direction in which panels will generate over 99 9 of maximum possible output.
Your solar panel orientation is very important when it comes to maximising the amount of electricity that your solar panels will produce.
In northern hemisphere most solar panels point south.
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.
Of course most people don t get to decide which direction they face their solar panels.
Or elsewhere in the northern hemisphere the best direction for solar panels to face is true south though there is an exception.
The more sunlight reaches your solar panels the more electricity you can generate and the more money you ll be able to save on your electric bill.
So to help people decide what is the best direction to face their panels for all the australian capitals i ll describe.
In the uk south facing panels will generate more than other orientations.
Do you have to have a south facing roof to have solar panels.
But west facing panels are able to generate more even flow of electricity.
Tar a tar roof tends to be flat and while it s possible for flat solar panels to generate electricity for your property your installer might recommend a bracket to tilt them at a more optimal angle of 30 40 degrees.
For example in brisbane if your panels are facing west 270 and are angled 20 from horizontal you will get 89 of the energy compared to the optimum orentation of north and 30.
When the sun shines onto the surface at an angle the panel will still generate electricity but it will be less effective.
If you re in the u s.
The direction that your roof faces also referred to as the azimuth angle is the primary factor determining how much sunshine your solar panels will see over the course of the day.
For the best results solar panels should be oriented towards the south.
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.
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.
As we re in the northern hemisphere the best solar panel orientation is.
