Should PV panels be moved to the west?

But a recent report says that shifting more PV panels to the west would produce electricity at a time when the electricity is much more useful to utilities, reducing the need for utilities to buy costly power to meet peak loads.

Does a south-facing PV system produce more power than a west-facing system?

On weekends, when many offices are closed, the overall load was lower. While south-facing PV systems produce more power overall than west-facing PV systems, from a utility standpoint, the impact of the losses in overall PV production of west-facing systems are likely to be more than offset by the value of the reduction in the peak load.

Should solar panels be oriented west?

Within the solar industry, it’s common knowledge that the optimal orientation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in the Northern Hemisphere is typically south, to maximize electricity production over the life of the system. Recently, however, there has been much discussion, and even incentives being offered, for orienting PV systems west.

How does PV system orientation affect energy production?

Figure 1 allows us to observe how south and west PV system orientation energy production can affect the grid. South-facing systems produce the most energy earlier in the day, while west-facing peak production is focused later in the day, coinciding more closely with peak electricity load during this period.

What is the peak output of a west-facing solar panel?

Peak output for west-facing arrays is 2:00 p.m., the blog notes, two hours later than for south-facing panels. And that helps explain why some utilities are offering financial incentives to homeowners to make the switch.

Are south-facing solar panels better than west-facing?

While south-facing is ideal, panels can still perform well when oriented east or west, especially if peak energy usage aligns with morning or late afternoon hours. – East-facing panels are beneficial for homes with high energy use in the morning. – West-facing panels are better suited for late afternoon energy demands.