Optimal Sun Angle For Solar Panels

The ideal angle for your solar panels can vary depending on your solar objectives.

Optimal sun angle for solar panels.

To get the best out of your photovoltaic panels you need to angle them towards the sun. As a rule of thumb solar panels should be more vertical during winter to gain most of the low winter sun and more tilted during summer to maximize the output. This solar angle calculator tells you the optimum angle to get the best out of your system. Calculating the ideal angle for your solar panels is not that difficult.

Depending on where you live the best angle at which you should install solar panels will change. Calculating the optimal solar panel 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. This is because it s based on the average position of the sun over your property.

On the contrary in the countries of the southern hemisphere such as south africa and australia the best orientation is true north. As a general rule of thumb keep in mind that the panels need to be more vertical during winter to face the lower sun directly and more tilted towards the ground during summer to face the higher sun. Optimum angle differs during winter months. Most solar arrays are installed at a tilt.

Solar panel angle by zip code. 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.