Average Angle For Solar Panel

For los angeles a solar panel tilt of 19 degrees works the best.

Average angle for solar panel. For instance if your latitude is 34 the optimum tilt angle for your solar panels during winter will be 34 15 49. For instance in the san francisco bay area the best solar panel tilt angle is between 22 23 degrees. These angles will give you the best overall output over the course of the year if you re going for a fixed installation. Most roofs have an inclination of 30 to 40 degrees.

The summer optimum tilt angle on the other hand will be 34 15 19. 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. 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. However pitch angles between 30 and 45 degrees will work well in most situations.

The vertical tilt of your panels. The calculator shows the degrees from vertical. Welcome to another entry in our ongoing solar 101 series. On the contrary in the countries of the southern hemisphere such as south africa and australia the best orientation is true north.

Books and articles on solar energy often give the advice that the tilt should be equal to your latitude plus 15 degrees in winter or minus 15 degrees in summer. In case the roof is very steep you may not be able to get the most optimal tilt angle for the panel especially if it is lower than the angle of the roof. The next question is at what angle from horizontal should the panels be tilted. Let s start with two key terms.

Solar panels produce electricity when sunlight hits their surface and they produce the most energy when that sunlight is exactly perpendicular to the panel face. At this level the solar panel can lie flat on the roof and get enough sunlight to produce enough electricity. If you cannot change the angle of your panel throughout the year angle your panel according to the time of year that you need to get the best performance out of your system. The calculator will then show the optimum angle for the solar panel.

Elevation angle and azimuth angle commonly shortened to angle and azimuth for brevity. Overall the angle of your rooftop has less impact on solar panel performance than the direction your roof faces.