Best Fixed Solar Panel Angle

To get the best out of your photovoltaic panels you need to angle them towards the sun.

Best fixed solar panel angle.

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. This table gives some examples. For los angeles a solar panel tilt of 19 degrees works the best. The summer optimum tilt angle on the other hand will be 34 15 19.

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. For instance in the san francisco bay area the best solar panel tilt angle is between 22 23 degrees. Pole mounts are the best solar panel mounts to use in heavy snow areas because the steep tilt angle helps shed snow. Therefore the best angle for your solar panels is the one that allows the panels to get the most direct perpendicular light.

The steep angle of pole mounts naturally aids snow removal as the weight of the snow causes it to naturally slide off the face of the panels. Most pole mounts are also adjustable. For starters there is no single ideal angle for solar panels. While the sun is in a higher position in the sky during the summer and lower position during the winter it has an average position right in between the two seasons.

On the contrary in the countries of the southern hemisphere such as south africa and australia the best orientation is true north. If your latitude is between 25 and 50 then the best tilt angle for summer is the latitude times 0 93 minus 21 degrees. Overall the angle of your rooftop has less impact on solar panel performance than the direction your roof faces. The best solar panel angle for you depends on where you live but it also is a matter on what time of year you will be using your solar panels the most.

For instance if your latitude is 34 the optimum tilt angle for your solar panels during winter will be 34 15 49. However if you live in an urban area in the united states you might just be able to find the best angle for the photovoltaic panels with your zip code. At different times of the year the optimal angle may be slightly or even significantly different. If your latitude is outside this range see other situationsbelow.

These angles will give you the best overall output over the course of the year if you re going for a fixed installation. 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.