Where should solar panels be placed?

Whether your solar panels are being installed on the roof or the ground, you want to know that you can get the best output possible. This article will explore exactly how your solar panels should be placed, looking at direction, space, and angle.

What direction should solar panels face?

Both roof and ground mounted solar panels should face South if possible. This is because the UK is in the Northern Hemisphere. Solar panels facing East or West will create less output in total, however, may well prove to be more useable energy, as more will be produced in the morning and evenings respectively if this aligns more closely with your consumption profile. Panels facing North will produce even less energy, however, it may well make good commercial sense to install on a roof with northern orientation. When you face your panels South, you’ll find benefits like:

• Getting more out of net metering (when excess energy is sent to the grid)
• Getting better solar battery utilisation

It’s ok if your roof doesn’t face the South. You can still install solar panels. They just won’t produce the same amount of energy. There are factors to consider other than just the direction, including the angle, and if there’s shade.

What angle should solar panels be placed?

Solar panels work best when angled between 30 and 40 degrees. The further you go from this, the more your output will slowly drop. This isn’t a huge worry because the output will drop very little but it won’t be optimal. If your solar panels are placed at 20 degrees, there will only be a slight difference between this and ones which are placed at 35 degrees.

If your solar panels are wall mounted, their output won’t be as good if they aren’t angled. Putting them on a South facing wall will also help to improve their output. An advantage of wall mounted panels is that their steep angle means dust is less likely to build up.

The more horizontal your solar panels are, the more difficult it may be for them to clean themselves. When it rains, water runs down your panels and cleans any dirt, like bird droppings or moss. At a more horizontal angle, this is trickier. Dirty solar panels can affect how well they work, which is why it’s important that they stay clean.

Mypower solar panel specialists

At Mypower, we have a team of solar panel experts. We design, supply, and install solar panels across a number of sectors. This includes, commercial solar panels, agricultural solar panels and industrial solar panels. Since 2010, our solar panel company have been helping a wide range of companies. We’ve done this by securing their electricity, minimising their carbon footprint, as well as reducing and futureproofing their electricity costs.

Most of the solar panels we install are made by Trina or QCells, who are award winning in their field. Their technology and designs are based on the most recent research to help deliver a high-quality performance. Find out more and contact us here.