A question that always comes up during an evaluation is where will the solar panels go. The first thing we look for is the roof’s orientation. The more southern-facing your roof is, the more time in a day your solar panels
will generate electricity. Why? Because Texas is located in the northern hemisphere , so having your panels face south helps adjust for the earth’s curvature.
The Other Sides
The second best direction for your panels is west. Western-facing panels take advantage of the setting sunlight, which happens to be the time of day that most people are using electricity. This means when you are likely consuming the most electricity, you’ll be producing a greater amount. This would be especially useful for those those that use utility companies that charge extra during peak hours (Learn more about utility companies here).
Having your panels face east would benefit those that work evening shifts or simply prefer to be home early in the day.
As you can probably tell, going solar allows for customization based on your daily life, which is why it’s important to meet a solar consultant who can best advise you on residential or commercial installation.
If south is the most efficient in Texas, one can probably take a wild guess on the least efficient direction. Yup, northern orientation. North-facing systems receive the least amount of sunlight of the four directions. If your roof is primarily north-facing, don’t worry! We still have ways of generating a buzz. Reversing them and adding a slight tilt can aid in getting a bit more sunlight throughout the day.
Alternative Options
Another way to circumvent the limitations of a north-facing or a flat roof would be to get a ground mount, carport, or patio. When you have the structure built by Solar Edge Pros, we can orientate it so that your self-generating electricity system will at their utmost efficiency. Furthermore, any structure built in order to produce solar power can qualify for the 26% tax credit (true for residential and commercial properties, learn more about tax credits here). This means you’ll get 26% off that dream patio that every Texas resident wants!
If you don’t have the space for another structure or just much rather have the panels on your roof, getting a backup battery is worth considering. This option allows you to store energy, so you can reap the energy your panels generate at whatever time works best for you.
Additional Resources
If you’d like to learn more, schedule a time to discuss your energy goals with one of our consultants by clicking here.
Want to learn more about how you can use solar power even without sunlight? Check out our article on Net Metering here.
