☀️ Orientation of photovoltaic panels: How to get the most energy from your roof?

When designing a photovoltaic system, one of the most important factors is the correct placement of the panels. The goal is to achieve electricity production that matches your consumption and the technical capabilities of the building.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution – the ideal orientation depends on the type of roof, the way you use energy, and whether you have battery storage or operate exclusively in on-grid mode.

Let's look at the most common options.

🔆 South orientation – maximum performance during the day

The most commonly used solution if the goal is to achieve maximum daily energy production .

South-facing panels produce the most energy around noon. This solution is ideal especially if:

• you have battery storage,
• or you can use energy efficiently during the lunch rush (e.g. production, air conditioning, water heating).

✅ Benefits:

• maximum daily energy production

⚠️ Disadvantages:

• the need for larger spacing between panels (due to shielding),
• lower total installed capacity on the same area,
• higher roof load on flat roofs (more windward edges → need for greater structural load).

With flat roofs, statics can be a limiting factor.

🌅 East-west orientation: More even production throughout the day

This solution is very convenient especially for on-grid systems (without battery).

The panels start producing energy early in the morning and continue producing until late afternoon. While they don't reach as high a peak around lunchtime as a south-facing panel, production is spread more evenly throughout the day.

✅ Benefits:

• earlier start of production,
• longer duration of production during the day,
• more installed power on the same area (panels shade each other less),
• less roof load (minimum windward edges).

⚠️ Disadvantages:

• slightly lower total daily production compared to the south orientation.

However, in many cases it better replicates real household consumption.

🏠 Pitched roofs of family houses

For family houses with a sloping roof, we try to place the panels on an area that is oriented as much as possible to the south.

If the roof does not face exactly south, this is not a major problem. It will only cause a shift in peak power in time , not a dramatic drop in production.

If the house is oriented with its gable facing south, we often recommend an east-west combination, which ensures effective use of both sides of the roof.

📐 Each roof is individual

During the inspection, we will take pictures of the roof from above and, using specialized software, we will design the placement of the panels so that two basic conditions are met:

• maximum system performance ,
• preserving the aesthetics of the building .

The right design is not just about the number of panels, but about the balance between technology, safety and appearance.

🔎 Conclusion: It's not just about the south

Although it is often said that the ideal orientation is south, in practice an east-west combination may also be more advantageous. Your consumption, roof type and installation options are decisive.

A properly designed system can significantly increase production efficiency and shorten the return on investment.