Ideal Solar Roof Angle

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.

Ideal solar roof angle.

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. Across all materials this threshold is around 45 50 degrees away from perpendicular. These angles will give you the best overall output over the course of the year if you re going for a fixed installation. To optimize overall production year round tilt your panels at your latitude.

The optimum angle varies throughout the year depending on the seasons and your location and this calculator shows the difference in sun height on a month by month basis. On the contrary in the countries of the southern hemisphere such as south africa and australia the best orientation is true north. Property owners the ideal angle for a solar panel installation is close or equal to the latitude of your home on a south facing roof. Overall the angle of your rooftop has less impact on solar panel performance than the direction your roof faces.

The ideal roof angle for power generation is about 30 degrees but roofs that are too steep make installation difficult while flat roofs mean that you can set the panels at just the right angle but you ll be paying extra for the required racking. However pitch angles between 30 and 45 degrees will work well in most situations. Significant here means less than an 8 change. For los angeles a solar panel tilt of 19 degrees works the best.

At this level the solar panel can lie flat on the roof and get enough sunlight to produce enough electricity. To lean toward more production in the summer tilt your panels at your latitude minus 10 15. For instance in the san francisco bay area the best solar panel tilt angle is between 22 23 degrees. To lean toward more production in the winter tilt your panels at your latitude plus 10 15.

In summary here are the roof factors that affect your home solar panel performance. For the vast majority of u s. Most roofs have an inclination of 30 to 40 degrees.