Solar Panel Mounting Direction

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.

Solar panel mounting direction.

Ground mounts allow you to pick the optimal tilt angle in a south facing direction. The vertical tilt of your panels. If you are looking to achieve cost savings by installing your own solar power system it is highly recommended that you put some time aside and carefully analyze and determine the the right location for your solar. However it has been proven that west facing solar panels can produce more power.

This is because the sun is always in the southern half of the sky in the northern hemisphere. The table below features a solar panel angle by zip code for at least one city from every state. Solar panel angle by zip code. Pole mounts allow you to adjust the tilt angle to maximize your power output throughout the seasons.

A solar panel will harness the most power when the sun s rays hit its surface perpendicularly. Your life would be much easier if you could just find out what angle is the optimal solar panel angle in your city or county. Elevation angle and azimuth angle commonly shortened to angle and azimuth for brevity. A standard ground mount is built on a structure of steel pipe and concrete at a fixed tilt angle.

Ground mounted solar panels can even be placed on trackers which adjust the position of the panels throughout the year in order to maximize the amount of sunlight reaching them. Choosing the best angle and direction for your solar panels will optimize the amount of sunlight they receive and allow you to get the most out of your solar power system. Some who install them on their roofs are somewhat limited but if you have the luxury of choosing exactly how you want your system. For the best results solar panels should be oriented towards the south.

The placement and orientation of solar panels is just as important as which type of solar panel is used in a given situation. Let s start with two key terms. If ground or wall mounted panels don t work for you solar panels can also be mounted on a building near your house like your garage or a storage shed. Welcome to another entry in our ongoing solar 101 series.

Ground mount solar racking system.