Which way should solar panels face? Orientation and tilt explained
In Canada, panels produce the most over a year when they face south. But south isn’t the only option.
Direction
- South: the most yearly production.
- South-east and south-west: only slightly less.
- East and west: noticeably less over a year, but production is spread into mornings or late afternoons, which can match household use better.
- North: usually much less, especially on steeper roofs; rarely worth it at these latitudes.
Tilt
For the most yearly output at Canadian latitudes, panels would be tilted fairly steeply (PVGIS gives optimal angles of roughly 40–48° across BC and Alberta’s cities). Most roofs are flatter than that, which reduces output a little, mainly in winter. Steeper panels also shed snow faster.
Check your own numbers
Production per kW for an ideally placed array near you (PVGIS, NSRDB data, 30° tilt, south): about 1,100 kWh in Vancouver, 1,240 in Calgary, 1,180 in Edmonton and 1,310 in Lethbridge, before snow losses. Our report calculates each section of your actual roof.
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