Solar Panel Efficiency Vs Orientation

Why orientation matters with rooftop solar.

Solar panel efficiency vs orientation. With a background in environmental and. Small variations away from these ideals will not result in a significant difference in the power output of your solar energy system which is why the natural tilt angle of your roof is. Utilizing solar panel trackers to maximize your solar system s performance. Let s start with two key terms.

Solar panel efficiency is a measure of the amount of solar energy irradiation which falls on a panel surface and is converted into electricity due to the many recent advances in solar cell technology over the last 5 years average panel conversion efficiency has increased from 15 to 20. Elevation angle and azimuth angle commonly shortened to angle and azimuth for brevity. This large jump in efficiency resulted in the power output of a standard size. The vertical tilt of your panels.

The image below shows. Solar panel efficiency solar panel tilt solar tracking systems. Today we re going to explain how to mount your solar panels to get the most energy from them. Even with this decrease in performance solar panels will produce enough electricity to save you hundreds of dollars a year.

The direction solar panels should ideally face for optimum sun exposure varies depending on location. The ideal orientation for a solar panel array is due north and the ideal tilt angle is the angle of your latitude e g. About 30 degrees in sydney and perth. Still an exceptional orientation if the majority of your energy consumption occurs between 10 am and 2 pm daily.

A solar panel will harness the most power when the sun s rays hit its surface perpendicularly. Solar panel efficiency is a measurement of how much of the sun s energy a certain panel can convert into usable electricity. The placement and orientation of solar panels is just as important as which type of solar panel is used in a given situation. For australia solar power yields are higher when panels face north in fact all southern hemisphere locations should ideally position panels in a northerly direction.

In general solar panels that are oriented directly east or directly west will produce about 20 percent less electricity than if they were facing south. Axis trackers generate more electricity by using about the same amount of space as fixed systems. Jacob is a researcher and content writer at energysage where he focuses primarily on current issues and new technology in the solar industry. Solar panel angle by zip code.

Ensuring that solar panels face the correct direction and have an appropriate tilt will help ensure that they produce maximum energy as they are exposed to the highest. Welcome to another entry in our ongoing solar 101 series. The effect of orientation on solar output. However if your situation is working between 9 am 5 pm an east and west facing solar panel orientation may save you more money while producing slightly less energy as a whole.