Because your solar power system depends on absorbing sunlight, the placement of your panels is of utmost importance. Ideally, in the northern hemisphere, panels should be affixed to the south face of your house, the direction from which the sun will shine most of the day. If they are slightly to the east or west of true south, they will retain about 90% of their absorptive capability, but if the configuration of your house prevents you from orienting them more or less to the south, you should consider remodeling or choosing another energy source.It is also crucial that your panels receive full sunlight as often as possible, so you must ensure that nothing shades the panels or blocks sunlight from reaching them. Even something as thin as an electrical or telephone wire can interfere with optimum exposure. Keeping trees trimmed so they don’t shade your panels is important.

Some panels, known as tracking panels, come with a device that allows them to sense the angle at which the sun is shining and to adjust to that angle. Others can be manually adjusted from one tilt to another, while still others are fixed at a certain tilt. Tracking panels are the best because the sun shines at different angles both throughout a given day and throughout the year, as the seasons change. The optimal tilt will also vary based on your latitude. If your panels are adjustable, it is worth knowing the best angle from which to absorb the sun’s rays.

For more information on calculating panel tilt, please visit:

Personal page of Charles Landau

Or

National Centre for Climate-Energy Solutions