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Solar Basics: Azimuth and Tilt

The direction your roof (the one with solar panels) face is called its azimuth. You get the best performance when panels face south, but they are very effective facing east or west as well (or anywhere in between).

The tilt is the the angle of you roof off horizontal. The California Solar Initiative Rebate system is set up to favor a tilt of about 17°. This angle provides the greatest production in the summer months and helps meet the regions peak demand during hot days with a lot of air conditioners running. Coincidentally, most houses have a tilt of near 17° so panels matching this slope work very well and provide for a ore pleasing aesthetic. If you have a flat roof, the solar panels will be placed on a frame that will hold the panels at about 17°. You could place them flat on your roof and they would still work pretty well. However, you want some tilt to dust doesn’t build up and reduce their performance.

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