Solar Panels Pointing To The Sun

It is simplest to mount your solar panels at a fixed tilt and just leave them there.

Solar panels pointing to the sun.

Cosine of solar zenith angle. Now i know the sun moves across the sky throughout the day so this is why in the northern hemisphere you want to point your solar panels south because that s going to have the most amount of time with the sun pointing right at the panels. Solar south or geographic south. However you would want to face your solar panels in the opposite direction of where your shadows face.

If you are in the southern hemisphere you re going to pointing it north. The direction solar panels should face is true south a k a. This is because the sun is always in the southern half of the sky in the northern hemisphere. For the best results solar panels should be oriented towards the south.

In the northern hemisphere the sun is due south at solar noon. If your roof does not face the right direction then surface mounted panels or pole mounted panels may be your best bet. The decrease in total production is balanced by the electricity available when it is needed most. The most optimum direction to face your solar panels is somewhere between south and west.

Solar power systems with double sided bifacial solar panels which collect sunlight from two sides instead of one and single axis tracking technology that tilts the panels so they can follow. Azimuth is measured in degrees clockwise from north. 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. Elevation is measured in degrees up from the horizon.

Therefore to get the very best out of your photovoltaic panels you would typically face them due south at the optimum angle so that the panel is receiving as much sunlight as possible at this time. It is at this location that your panels will receive the maximum sunlight throughout the day. On the other hand if you live in the southern hemisphere you can use this same technique. Pointing the panels slightly south west in the direction of the setting sun would allow the panels to produce more energy in the evening when people are home and using more appliances.

But because the sun is higher in the summer and lower in the winter you can capture more energy during the whole year by adjusting the tilt of the panels according to the season. This is a simple tried and true way to find the perfect direction and like i said you can do it with no tools.