True south can also be calculated at noon when shadows from vertical objects run north south.
Installing solar panels facing south.
The optimum placement to maximise generation is to face the panels south but that might not be possible for your property.
We ran a few calculations and found that se and sw facing placements can expect to generate around 94 of the electricity a south facing install would.
Solar south or geographic south.
But keep in mind every house is unique.
A study of 110 000 california houses with rooftop solar systems confirmed that a vast majority of the panels are pointed south.
In other words to get the same amount of electricity as a south facing installation a west facing one would need to be 25 bigger.
Updated may 18 2020.
25 x 80 20.
Therefore directions like southwest or southeast are fine.
Net energy metering and time of use.
In sydney south facing solar panels will typically produce around 28 less energy than north facing panels and the steeper the roof the less electricity they will produce.
The conventional wisdom says no solar should never be installed on a south facing roof.
It is at this location that your panels will receive the maximum sunlight throughout the day.
For most australians south is the worst direction modules can face and some people consider installing panels facing south almost as large a mistake as installing them upside down.
If your roof does not face the right direction then surface mounted panels or pole mounted panels may be your best bet.
If you have an unshaded west facing roof you can still install solar panels and save money.
The direction solar panels should face is true south a k a.
To correct the compass reading your solar installer will calculate the magnetic declination of your site.
Solar panels work best when they re directly facing the sun and the sun sheds the most light during the middle of the day when it s to the north of australia.
The most optimum direction to face your solar panels is somewhere between south and west.
The direction that your solar panels face is ultimately dependent on whether or not your system is connected through net energy metering nem and under a time of use tou payment structure.
Since the majority of solar panel owners keep their system on the grid we can split this grouping into simply those who pay for energy based on a tou payment.
Workers for solarcity installing solar panels in camarillo calif.
Panels mounted on a standard pitch roof facing east or west will produce approximately 15 less output than panels mounted on a south facing roof of a standard pitch.
This being the case the general best practice to date has always been to position solar panels facing south in order to capture the maximum amount of sunlight overall.
