What direction does my roof need to face in order for solar panels to provide maximum efficiency?
For maximum efficiency, solar panels should be mounted on a south facing roof at an angle of 30° – 50° with the horizontal and away from trees, surrounding buildings and chimneys. Fortunately, the average tilt of a UK house roof is about the optimum for receiving solar energy in the UK. If your roof faces east or west solar panels can still be installed, although this will have some effect on the efficiency. The same applies to the angle of the roof which, provided it is pitched between 30º and 50ºC, should still be suitable.
