What s the best angle for solar panels.
Solar panel angles at polar regions.
The correct angle is found by using the homes latitude and correction for true azimuth true north as opposed to magnetic north.
True south or the geographic south will yield the best results overall.
In the northern hemisphere the sun is due south at solar noon.
If your latitude is below 25 use the latitude times 0 87.
The angle is based on your latitude minus 15 degrees.
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.
One last point to consider is that each person s conditions are different and you may have to make minor adjustments to your setup.
It only takes a few minutes.
A fixed tilt panel is angled to receive the maximum benefit from the sunlight year round according to the department of energy.
The optimum tilt angle is calculated by adding 15 degrees to your latitude during winter and subtracting 15 degrees from your latitude during summer.
For instance if your latitude is 34 the optimum tilt angle for your solar panels during winter will be 34 15 49.
However if the panels are turned at an angle greater than 45 compared to true south production begins to decrease significantly.
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.
A solar panel tilt of 19 degrees will work best in los angeles.
At the polar regions where temperatures might dip more than 50 degrees below freezing but sunlight shines 24 hours per day for half the year solar technology could also be effective.
As you can see configuring the direction and angle for solar panels is not too complicated.
That s because you ll get way more sunlight hitting the roof thereby converting into way more energy.
Here two simple methods for calculating approximate solar panel angle according to your latitude.
If your latitude is between 25 and 50 use the latitude times 0 76 plus 3 1 degrees.
If your latitude is above 50 see other situationsbelow.
Use one of these formulas to find the best angle from the horizontal at which the panel should be tilted.
The answers you end up with are the best angles for each particular season.
For the best results solar panels should be oriented towards the south.
This is because the sun is always in the southern half of the sky in the northern hemisphere.
For example with this logic in the bay area near san francisco you would want to tilt solar panels at 22 or 23 degrees.
