The South-Facing Myth
South isn't always best. Under Time-of-Use billing, West-facing solar panels can save you more money by targeting peak evening rates.
You look at your house on Google Maps. Your big roof faces West. You read a forum online that says, "Solar must face South. Anything else is a waste."
You sigh and give up on the idea.
The Trap That advice is ten years old. In the old days, we only cared about Volume—getting the maximum total number of kilowatt-hours. South faces the sun all day, so it wins on volume.
But today, we care about Value.
Volume vs. Value Most utilities have switched to Time-of-Use (TOU) billing. * Power at Noon: Cheap ($0.10). This is when South panels peak. * Power at 5 PM: Expensive ($0.35). This is when everyone comes home and turns on the AC.
A South-facing system makes a lot of cheap power that you sell for pennies. A West-facing system makes power late in the afternoon—right when the utility rates skyrocket.
The Fix: The Western Sunset West-facing panels might produce 10% less electricity total, but the electricity they do produce is worth 30% more money. They kill the "Peak Pricing" hours.
Pro Tip From the Field "I am starting to design systems with an 'East-West Split.'
We put half the panels on the East to catch the morning sun. This recharges your home battery after a long night. We put the other half on the West. This fights the afternoon heat and the high rates.
This creates a broad 'Table Top' production curve that lasts all day, instead of a sharp 'Pyramid' spike at noon that you can't even use. If you have a West roof, don't let anyone tell you it's bad real estate. In California, a West roof is a gold mine."
FAQ: Orientation Issues
- Q: What about North facing?
- A: In the US, North is the only 'bad' direction. It never gets direct sun. However, if you have a very flat roof (low pitch), even North panels can work okay, but expect 30% less output.
- Q: Can I put panels on a flat roof?
- A: Yes. We use 'Ballasted Racking.' We weigh the panels down with concrete blocks and tilt them slightly South or West. No holes in the roof required.
- Q: My roof is complicated with lots of angles. Is that okay?
- A: Yes, but you must use Microinverters (Enphase). String inverters hate complex roofs because the different angles fight each other. Micros let every panel do its own thing."