Best Tilt Angle For Solar Panels

There are two methods for calculating the tilt angle for solar panels.

Best tilt angle for solar panels. It s not a good idea to install your panels to face a suboptimal direction even if it means the best tilt possible. To lean toward more production in the winter tilt your panels at your latitude plus 10 15. The tilt is 0 if solar panel parallel to horizon to design the tilt is 90 if the solar panel is vertical to design. On the contrary in the countries of the southern hemisphere such as south africa and australia the best orientation is true north.

Both of these angles require latitude degrees. Movable and adjustable solar panels. Whatever your latitude is you can subtract 15 from it to calculate the angle for summer. For los angeles a solar panel tilt of 19 degrees works the best.

The summer optimum tilt angle on the other hand will be 34 15 19. The tilt is included angle of horizon and solar panel. If your latitude is between 25 and 50 then the best tilt angle for summer is the latitude times 0 93 minus 21 degrees. In boston a solar array at 30 degrees south is still going to produce more electricity than tilted at 42 degrees and facing north.

Similarly you can calculate the angle for winter by adding 15. To lean toward more production in the summer tilt your panels at your latitude minus 10 15. To optimize overall production year round tilt your panels at your latitude. For instance in the san francisco bay area the best solar panel tilt angle is between 22 23 degrees.

The decision of azimuth. If you would like to get the absolute best performance from your solar panels you should put them up on movable scaffolding on the yard or on special movable panel holders or frames on your roof. For a precise method use the second formula on this page to calculate tilt angle. For instance if your latitude is 34 the optimum tilt angle for your solar panels during winter will be 34 15 49.

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. The following table gives the best dates on which to adjust. This way you could adjust the tilt angle and direction of the solar panels to an optimal level.