Should you install solar panels on a south oriented roof?

Panels on roofs that face 20% east will generate 85% of those on a roof that’s oriented south. You may need to install more solar panels to account for the loss in energy production if your roof doesn’t face true south, but solar is still a good option even if your roof orientation is less than ideal.

Which side of a roof is best for solar panels?

So, if your home or roof does not have any north-facing roof space available, but does have two sides that face east and west, you may be asking yourself which side would be a better location for the most power generation. Making the right decision will impact on how much money you can save with your solar panels.

Should PV panels be moved to the west?

But a recent report says that shifting more PV panels to the west would produce electricity at a time when the electricity is much more useful to utilities, reducing the need for utilities to buy costly power to meet peak loads.

Are solar panels facing the right direction?

Are they facing the right direction? Most solar panels are oriented so they face south, but they'd be more useful to nation's utilities if more of them faced west and helped with peak power needs in the late afternoon. Most rooftop photovoltaic (PV) panels face south because the owners of the panels want to generate the most electricity possible.

Which direction should roof panels be oriented?

As we have mentioned before, in the southern hemisphere, due north is usually the best orientation for panels. But not everyone has a perfectly oriented roof. When your two best options are east or west, which should you choose?

Should you choose a west-facing solar array?

If you are on a time-of-use (TOU) electricity tariff, you are probably thinking strategically about power consumption and pricing. Because most households use more electricity during the afternoon – when it is more expensive on TOU billing, a west-facing solar array is probably the better way to save money.