Best Direction For Solar Panels In Southern California

On the other hand if you live in the southern hemisphere you can use this same technique.

Best direction for solar panels in southern california. An additional 3 5 though can be gained by evaluating this more carefully. Latitude in los angeles. Consequently the direction that a solar panel faces determines how much energy it can produce. Usually this is the best direction because solar panels will receive direct light throughout the day.

This is a simple tried and true way to find the perfect direction and like i said you can do it with no tools. Solar south or geographic south. In the northern hemisphere the general rule for solar panel placement is solar panels should face true south and in the southern true north. This is because the sun is always in the southern half of the sky in the northern hemisphere.

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. To correct the compass reading your solar installer will calculate the magnetic declination of your site. Solar panels should always face true south in the northern hemisphere north in the southern hemisphere tilted from the hoizontal at a degree equal to your latitude plus 15 degrees in winter or minus 15 degrees in summer. True south can also be calculated at noon when shadows from vertical objects run north south.

However you would want to face your solar panels in the opposite direction of where your shadows face. The direction solar panels should face is true south a k a. Thanks to a combination of good average sun exposure expensive electricity rates and favorable state solar policies the solar industry in california is booming and the state is one of the best places in the u s. If you live in the southern hemisphere face them north.

Latitude in san jose. For the last few decades conventional wisdom among solar experts has held that south is the best direction to face solar panels for installations in the northern hemisphere. Latitude in san diego. Since we re an american company the following example assumes you ll point your system to the south.

The conventional wisdom in the northern hemisphere is that the best direction to face solar panels is south since that is generally where they d receive the most sunlight. To understand this rationale consider the alternatives. However there is a difference between magnetic south and true south that must be considered. For best results your solar panels should face toward the equator.

However the electricity system is not as simple as it sometimes seems and the best direction to face solar panels may actually be west. For the best results solar panels should be oriented towards the south. Calculating the best solar angle for california.