Solar Panel Inclination Angle

Here two simple methods for calculating approximate solar panel angle according to your latitude.

Solar panel inclination angle.

Tilt the panels to your latitude plus 15. The optimum angle varies throughout the year depending on the seasons and your location and this calculator shows the difference in sun height on a month by month basis. For the best results solar panels should be oriented towards the south. On the contrary in the countries of the southern hemisphere such as south africa and australia the best orientation is true north.

For instance in the san francisco bay area the best solar panel tilt angle is between 22 23 degrees. Tilt the panels to your latitude. 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. Tilt the panels to your latitude minus 15.

These angles will give you the best overall output over the course of the year if you re going for a fixed installation. Orientation of the panels 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. Tilt the panels to your latitude. This is because the sun is always in the southern half of the sky in the northern hemisphere.

This solar angle calculator tells you the optimum angle to get the best out of your system. If you are able to adjust the angle of your solar panels a few times per year here is the adjustment schedule we recommend. The optimum tilt angle is calculated by adding 15 degrees to your latitude during winter and subtracting 15 degrees from your latitude during summer.