Pv Panels On West Facing Roof

Around the world solar developers are turning array designs on their head and choosing to go east west instead.

Pv panels on west facing roof.

Why orientation matters with rooftop solar 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. It should also be relatively new. This is one of the main drivers for the incentive the california energy commission is offering in california to users who install west facing rather than south facing systems. According to the concord consortium makers of energy3d solar energy modeling software a home in boston ma with panels that face west would get 80 of the electricity that a house with south facing panels would.

If your property faces east or west panels can still generate good yields. If your panels are west facing you will be producing more power right during the expensive peak times than you would if the panels were east facing. Solar panels last for 30 years so you want to install them on a roof that won t have to be replaced soon. If an east west split of solar panels is desired where some panels are facing east and some facing west then normally those panels would be placed on separate strings and a two input inverter would be used.

Of course you cannot install east west facing solar panels on your roof if it does not already slant in those directions. Following on from a recent feature in pv tech power volume 14 here are the five key. They would then be in the shade during the first half of the day. One such solution is orienting solar pv panels to the west so that they produce more power in the afternoon during peak load times.

If you look back to systems that were built a few years ago you would typically find them facing south says david wedepohl director of communications and markets at the german solar industry association bsw. The optimal roof for a solar installation is south facing west is next best with minimal shading from trees or other buildings. Afternoon peak prices are higher than shoulder or off peak prices at other times. Put your panels on the west roof and take as much sun as you can in the evenings.

You also can mount solar panels on roofs that face east or west on the roof of another building like a barn or garage or on the ground. West facing solar panels get less sun than those that face south but it s not as little as you may think.