Solar Panel Angle Calculator

Q: What angle should solar panels be at?

As a rule of thumb, set your solar panels at a tilt angle roughly equal to your latitude for good year-round output. For maximum annual energy, use a slightly lower angle (about latitude x 0.76 + 3.1 for most locations). Panels should face True South in the northern hemisphere and True North in the southern hemisphere.

Q: Should I change my solar panel angle by season?

If you can adjust your panels, a lower tilt in summer (about your latitude minus 15 degrees) and a higher tilt in winter (about your latitude plus 15 degrees) increases total energy. Adjusting twice a year captures most of the benefit.

Q: Which direction should solar panels face?

In the northern hemisphere point panels toward True South. In the southern hemisphere point them toward True North. True South and North differ from magnetic compass readings, so account for magnetic declination in your area.

Q: Do flat solar panels still work?

Yes, flat (horizontal) panels still produce power, but usually 10 to 25 percent less than well-tilted panels, depending on your latitude. A tilt of at least 10 to 15 degrees also helps rain wash off dust and debris.

Find the optimal tilt angle for your solar panels. Enter your location and get the best year-round angle, seasonal settings, and a month-by-month tilt chart.

Your latitude (degrees, e.g. 40.7 — use a negative value south of the equator)

or pick a city

City

Your optimal solar panel angles

For latitude —

Best year-round

—

Summer

—

Spring / Autumn

—

Winter

—

Face your panels toward —.

Best tilt angle each month

Monthly table

Month	Tilt

How to use this solar panel angle calculator

Enter your latitude, tap Use my location, or pick the nearest city. The calculator instantly returns four numbers:

Best year-round angle — set it once and leave it. Ideal for rooftop and fixed mounts.
Summer and winter angles — if your mount can be adjusted, changing it twice a year captures more energy.
Spring / Autumn angle — the mid-season setting.
Month-by-month tilt — the angle that points your panels straight at the midday sun for each month, useful for tilt-adjustable and off-grid setups.

All angles are measured up from horizontal. 0° is flat on the ground; 90° is standing straight up.

What is the best angle for solar panels?

The short answer: tilt your panels at roughly your latitude and point them toward the equator (True South in the northern hemisphere, True North in the southern hemisphere). That single setting gives strong output all year.

If you want to squeeze out every kilowatt-hour, two refinements help:

1. Optimise for the whole year

The angle that maximises annual energy is slightly lower than your latitude, because summer days are long and the sun is high. A well-established formula (Landau) is:

latitude < 25° → tilt = latitude × 0.87
latitude ≥ 25° → tilt = latitude × 0.76 + 3.1

That is the number shown as Best year-round above.

2. Adjust by season

If your rack lets you change the tilt, lower it in summer and raise it in winter:

summer tilt ≈ latitude − 15°
winter tilt ≈ latitude + 15°
spring / autumn tilt ≈ latitude

Adjusting twice a year (spring and autumn) captures most of the possible gain without the hassle of monthly changes.

The month-by-month angles, explained

The monthly chart uses the sun's declination — how far north or south the sun sits in the sky on a given day. The tilt that points your panel straight at the midday sun is:

declination δ = 23.45° × sin( 360 × (284 + day) / 365 )
monthly tilt = | latitude | − δ (northern hemisphere)
monthly tilt = | latitude | + δ (southern hemisphere)

This is the most accurate setting for tilt-adjustable and off-grid systems (RVs, vans, boats, cabins) where you can nudge the angle each month to chase the sun.

Which way should the panels face?

Direction matters as much as tilt. Aim for True South in the northern hemisphere and True North in the southern hemisphere. Note that a magnetic compass points to magnetic north, which can be several degrees off from true north depending on where you are, so adjust for your local magnetic declination when aligning panels precisely.

Frequently asked questions

What angle should solar panels be at?

As a rule of thumb, tilt your panels at about your latitude for solid year-round output. For maximum annual energy use a slightly lower angle (about latitude × 0.76 + 3.1 for most places). Always face them toward the equator.

Should I change my solar panel angle by season?

If your mount can be adjusted, use a lower tilt in summer (about latitude − 15°) and a higher tilt in winter (about latitude + 15°). Adjusting twice a year captures most of the benefit with little effort.

Which direction should solar panels face?

Point them toward True South in the northern hemisphere and True North in the southern hemisphere. True north differs from magnetic north, so correct for your local magnetic declination.

Do flat solar panels still work?

Yes, but flat panels typically produce 10–25% less than well-tilted panels depending on latitude. A tilt of at least 10–15° also lets rain wash off dust and debris.