Can solar panels be installed on a north-facing roof?

There’s likely to be a way for solar panels to be installed onto the vast majority of properties. And even if you have a north-facing roof, the panels will still generate renewable electricity. To find out how suitable your roof is for solar panels, we highly recommend getting the opinion of an MCS certified (or equivalent) solar installer.

Can photovoltaic panels be installed on a building roof?

The installation of photovoltaic panels on a building roof or integral with a building roof also raises other code issues (e.g., roof loading, wind loading, fire ratings, weather tightness, mounting systems, roof penetrations, etc.), which may also be relevant for systems mounted on or integral to a wall.

What is the difference between north-facing and south-facing solar panels?

As can be seen in the chart below, for our original reference project in Charlotte, the north-facing array is nearly identical to the south-facing array in the summer months, when production is greatest. While the differences are much larger in the winter months (over 20%), the energy yield during those times is much smaller.

Where should solar panels be positioned?

By Paul Grana, co-founder, Folsom Labs It’s considered common knowledge that you want to point your solar modules south, toward the equator (assuming you are in the northern hemisphere). This maximizes the energy production over the course of the year, through both summer and winter.

Should a 1/12 roof be north-facing or south-facing?

The north-facing section of 1/12 roofs are likely to be extremely profitable, while 2/12 rooftops (and select 4/12 rooftops if they are not perfectly facing south) would be worth consideration for the system design. Here are a few examples for Charlotte, Miami and Minneapolis:

How much electricity does a 2/12 pitched roof produce?

With a 2/12 pitched roof (9.5° tilt), the south-facing array will produce 1,361 kWh/kWp . A north-facing array on that same building will produce 1,145 kWh/kWp—a difference of 16% compared to the south-facing array. Not great, to be sure, but probably not as bad as you might expect! The tilt of the roof matters a great deal.