Solar & battery
Solar Panel Angle Calculator
The tilt that captures the most energy at your latitude, and what a different angle costs.
Result
The loss figures here are an approximation of a cosine relationship, good enough to judge whether a roof is workable. Real modelling uses hourly irradiance data. Solar is also forgiving: most roofs within 30 degrees of south and 15 degrees of optimal tilt lose only a few percent.
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About this calculator
Does my roof have to face due south?
No. Anything from southeast to southwest loses only a few percent, and east or west facing arrays still work, particularly where time-of-use rates make afternoon production more valuable.
Are tracking mounts worth it?
Rarely on a roof, and increasingly hard to justify on the ground. Panels have become cheap enough that adding more fixed ones usually beats adding moving parts that need maintenance.
The formula
optimal tilt is roughly the latitude, less 15 degrees for summer or plus 15 for winter
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