We are often told that PV is not worthwhile because our roof does not face south.
We have calculated an example using PV Sol:
We have calculated an example using PV Sol:
5000 kWh electricity consumption for a two-person household with 2 children
Selected system size: 9 kWp with a 7.4 kWh battery storage system and a roof pitch of 45°East-west orientation
East-west orientation
In both cases, we achieve over 70% energy self-sufficiency!
The south-facing roof is fully covered with panels, leaving no room for expansion.
With a roof pitch of 45 degrees, installing panels on the north-facing roof would not be economically viable either.
In winter, the north-facing roof would produce no electricity at all because the sun is too low in the sky.
However, only half of the east- and west-facing roof area is covered, leaving room to double the system size to 18 kWp.
Oliver Nacke: If I were building a new house, I would orient the roof to face east and west, with a roof pitch of perhaps around 20–25 degrees.
The south-facing roof is fully covered with panels, leaving no room for expansion.
With a roof pitch of 45 degrees, installing panels on the north-facing roof would not be economically viable either.
In winter, the north-facing roof would produce no electricity at all because the sun is too low in the sky.
However, only half of the east- and west-facing roof area is covered, leaving room to double the system size to 18 kWp.
Oliver Nacke: If I were building a new house, I would orient the roof to face east and west, with a roof pitch of perhaps around 20–25 degrees.
Maximum panel coverage on an east-west-facing roof
Maximum panel coverage on an east-west-facing roof
Simulation of the roof panel layout