West facing solar panels

[Snagglefoot]

Although it’s a no brainer that solar panels in the northern hemisphere should face south, the loss of efficiency of facing them West is only 15%. In addition, some jurisdictions will give a larger price for time of use towards the end of the day, reducing that 15% number. Here is an excerpt from Sun Run. Perhaps someone with existing west facing panels can add to this.

 

[Cujet]

It depends on location. Here in South Florida, good luck with the West facing panels. As the clouds build just about every afternoon. Mornings are generally clear.

 

[JohnnyG]

I'd say battery packs would be the best option, that way you could control your time of useage as well as have maximum output from your panels.
Most states, including Florida, have home solar so screwed up, it hardly pays to have them.
If you have PV panels here in FL, good luck buying homeowners insurance.

 

[SHOZ]

I have one spot on the roof, if I made some sort of framing, or on the ground, and more framing. Good from 10 am to 3 pm. Unfortunaly the roof is east and west.

There is a house north of me that they put the panels on the west roof and shaded by a huge White Oak.

 

[Jetronic]

It depends on location. Here in South Florida, good luck with the West facing panels. As the clouds build just about every afternoon. Mornings are generally clear.

And here it's opposite, often misty untill 11 AM, and clear until sundown (if we get sun at all)

 

[Neniod]

Although it’s a no brainer that solar panels in the northern hemisphere should face south, the loss of efficiency of facing them West is only 15%. In addition, some jurisdictions will give a larger price for time of use towards the end of the day, reducing that 15% number. Here is an excerpt from Sun Run. Perhaps someone with existing west facing panels can add to this.

View attachment 212769

It makes a lot of sense for people in states like California or New York where rates spike in the late afternoon. While south is the standard for total production, catching that evening sun helps cover the period when you're actually home and using the most power.

 

[mk378]

If you have peak rates, your goal should be to draw zero (or sell back, if allowed) during peak times. That means storage. Panels should face south to put as much into storage as possible.

 

[oil pan 4]

Although it’s a no brainer that solar panels in the northern hemisphere should face south, the loss of efficiency of facing them West is only 15%. In addition, some jurisdictions will give a larger price for time of use towards the end of the day, reducing that 15% number. Here is an excerpt from Sun Run. Perhaps someone with existing west facing panels can add to this.

View attachment 212769

Yeah I have panels facing west. I'm moving 10 of them to be south tilting.
I'm expecting those 10 panels that were making about 10 amps at 240v to make between 11 and 12 amps.