Best Angle For Solar Panels In Winter

Calculating the optimal solar panel angle.

Best angle for solar panels in winter.

If you have the opportunity to adjust your photovoltaic panels throughout the year you will benefit from having the optimum performance from your solar system all of the time. The violet line is the solar energy per day if the panel is fixed at the winter angle discussed below these figures are calculated for 40 latitude. During winter the sun is lower and to catch more of its light the best solar panel angle would be more tilted. In this way at noon the panels will be perfectly perpendicular to the sun s rays.

For example if you are seeking to maximise solar generation during winter months be it for an off grid system or higher energy consumption levels you would ideally want to angle your panels at a greater tilt for maximum exposure to the low winter sun. While you can use solar panel trackers to keep them at the optimum angle at all times the costs and complications involved aren t worth it in most cases. At some places as much as a vertical tilt of the panels is needed to get the maximum output during wintertime. Solar panels with a fixed tilt angle.

Solar panels on a shallow roof capture more sunlight during the summer season whereas solar panels on a steep roof will produce more power during the winter. During the winter in the northern hemisphere for example the sun is low in relation to the horizon. As a general rule of thumb keep in mind that the panels need to be more vertical during winter to face the lower sun directly and more tilted towards the ground during summer to face the higher sun. If your solar panels will have a fixed tilt angle and you want to get the most energy over the whole year then this section is for you.

Here two simple methods for calculating approximate solar panel angle according to your latitude. While the sun is in a higher position in the sky during the summer and lower position during the winter it has an average position right in between the two seasons. The ideal angle for your solar panels can vary depending on your solar objectives. During the spring the best angle is 45 and during the summer when the sun is high in the sky it s best to have a low tilt at 20.

If you want to improve your winter performance you would angle your photovoltaic panels towards the winter months in order to get the best performance at that time of year. Calculating the ideal angle for your solar panels is not that difficult. In this case for the solar panels to get their best performance a steep angle of 60 is best. Optimum angle differs during winter months.