Solar installation strategies for residential buildings with different orientations

The installation strategies for solar energy in residential buildings with different orientations are as follows

South-facing roof

Installation advantage: A south-facing roof is the golden choice for installing a household solar energy storage system. In the Northern Hemisphere, the sun mostly moves on the southern side of the sky. Roofs facing south can receive direct sunlight for a longer period of time during the day. From early morning to late evening, they can enjoy relatively sufficient sunlight. At the same time, for most of the year, the south-facing roof can receive sunlight at a relatively appropriate Angle, allowing the solar panels to fully exert their efficiency.

Installation strategy: During installation, make full use of its advantages and further optimize the installation Angle and layout of the solar panels. Generally speaking, setting the inclination Angle of solar panels to be close to the local latitude can enable the solar panels to better receive sunlight in different seasons. At the same time, rationally plan the layout of the solar panels to avoid mutual obstruction and ensure that each solar panel can fully bask in sunlight.

Roofs facing east and west

Installation disadvantages: The east-facing roof can receive better sunlight in the morning, while the west-facing roof has more abundant sunlight in the afternoon. However, due to the change in the Angle of sunlight, the solar panels are not perpendicular to the sunlight for most of the day, resulting in relatively weak light intensity and a certain impact on power generation efficiency.

Installation strategy: It can be combined with a well-performing energy storage system to store the excess electricity during the day for use at night or when there is insufficient light. When installing solar panels, the number of solar panels can be appropriately increased to make up for the insufficiency of sunlight duration and intensity. At the same time, choosing solar panels with higher conversion efficiency can also improve the power generation efficiency to a certain extent.

North-facing roof

Installation disadvantages: The north-facing roof receives direct sunlight for a very limited time. Many times, it can only receive scattered light, and the lighting conditions are poor.

Installation strategy: Before deciding to install, a comprehensive assessment of the household's electricity demand and actual power generation capacity should be conducted. If the household electricity demand is high and the sunlight from the north-facing roof cannot meet the basic power generation needs, it may be necessary to consider installing it in conjunction with other oriented roofs or choose other energy supplementation methods.

Special circumstances

Irregular roof shape or obstructions: If the roof shape is irregular or the number of panels facing one direction that can be installed is insufficient to reach the MPPT value for starting the inverter, it may not be suitable to install solar panels. If there are a large number of obstructions around the roof, such as trees and buildings, it may affect the installation and usage effect of solar panels. It is necessary to assess in advance the impact of the obstruction situation on the power generation efficiency.

Non-roof installation scenarios

Ground installation: Choose an unobstructed ground, such as a garden or terrace, and use small stones or fences to divide the area to ensure that the solar panels face optimally.

Carport utilization: Carports can not only charge electric vehicles but also provide electricity for the home.

Sunroom design: Choose a solution specifically designed for light-transmitting roofs, which not only does not affect lighting but also provides electricity.

Balcony installation: Suitable for families with low energy consumption. However, if one is a resident of a high-rise building, they need to apply to the neighborhood committee for the installation of photovoltaic panels.