East-west-facing roofs can offer unique advantages in the UK, where the sun’s path varies considerably throughout the year. With panels facing both directions, your solar system can capture sunlight at different times of the day. East-facing panels will catch the early morning sun, providing a boost of energy as the day begins.
But if you live in the Southern Hemisphere then the best orientation is north-facing. Let’s look at the different solar orientations in the UK. A south-facing roof is considered the best orientation for solar panels in the UK due to the maximum exposure to sunlight throughout the day.
But here in the UK, which gets less than half the annual sunshine of South Africa (1,387 hours versus SA’s 3,103), you need to put in a little more planning, and position your solar panels to capture maximum sunlight. The best direction for solar panels is the same wherever you are in the UK: facing south, and pitched at 40 degrees.
Your solar panels will ideally face true south, at an angle of 35-40 degrees. All is not lost if you don’t have a south-facing roof, however. In this article, we’ll explain how to ensure that your solar panels are positioned to work to their best potential, whatever angle, direction or type of roof you have, or even if you have no roof at all.
'Solar panel direction' refers to the orientation of solar panels specifically the cardinal direction at which they are positioned to face the sun. In the Northern Hemisphere, the optimal direction is typically true south allowing panels to capture the maximum amount of sunlight throughout the day. What Is The Best Angle For Solar Panels?
If you were in South Africa or Chile, they’d have to face north (towards the equator), but let’s assume you’re more likely to be reading this from Cleethorpes than Cape Town. Your solar panels will ideally face true south, at an angle of 35-40 degrees. All is not lost if you don’t have a south-facing roof, however.