If you’re considering solar panel installation, the direction your roof faces and its steepness can significantly impact your electricity generation when focusing on the Solar Panel Orientation UK. This friendly guide explains these concepts in plain language so you can make informed choices.
We’ll show why certain directions and angles work best in Britain, explore what to do if your roof isn’t ideal and highlight how Flux Solar Energy’s design experts can tailor a system that fits your home and lifestyle.
Why orientation and tilt matter
Two simple factors determine how much light your panels soak up: orientation (the compass direction your roof faces) and tilt (how steep the roof is). When panels face the sun directly, they catch more of its energy and produce more power. If they point away from the sun or lie too flat or too upright, a lot of light is lost. Viridian Solar explains that the sweet spot in the UK is a south‑facing roof pitched around 35 degrees. As you move away from that direction or angle, the yearly energy output drops off.
If this sounds technical, don’t worry – you don’t have to figure it out alone. At Flux Solar Energy, our surveyors measure your roof’s orientation and pitch and design a layout that makes the most of what you have. Knowing these basics also helps you understand why an expert might suggest splitting panels across two sides or adding technologies like micro‑inverters and batteries to squeeze out extra gains.
Optimal directions in the UK
In Britain, south‑facing roofs soak up the most sun because we’re in the northern hemisphere. Panels facing south receive direct sunlight from morning to evening, potentially leading to lower energy bills. As your roof turns away from due south, energy output falls.
Viridian Solar notes that panels facing east or west receive around 80% of the light energy compared with south, while those facing north-east or north-west collect about 60% of the light energy. A fully north-facing roof still captures roughly 55% of the light energy. Put another way, east- or west-facing roofs produce about 15–20% less electricity than a south-facing system, and north-facing roofs yield 40–45% less.
That doesn’t mean you need a perfect south‑facing roof to go solar. East-facing panels work well for early risers, providing breakfast-time energy, while west-facing panels are great if you use more electricity in the late afternoon and evening.
Our team at Flux sometimes splits arrays across two sides to capture sunlight throughout the day and uses power optimisers so one shaded panel won’t drag down the rest. By tailoring the layout to your lifestyle, we make sure your system works hard when you need it most.
What’s the best tilt angle?
Your roof’s pitch affects how much sunlight hits the panels. Fortunately, most UK homes already fall in the sweet spot of 30–40 degrees, which independent studies and industry guides identify as ideal for year‑round solar production.
Viridian Solar suggests that around 35 degrees is a good fixed angle for the UK, and research in Yorkshire shows that 39 degrees delivers the highest annual output. If your roof pitch is close to these values, you’re in good shape.
Some experts suggest adjusting tilt seasonally – steeper in winter, flatter in summer – but the gains are modest and the mechanisms add cost and complexity. That’s why most people stick with a fixed angle. If your roof is very flat or very steep, our designers will add mounting brackets to set the panels at the right pitch so you still get great performance.
East–west and north‑facing installations
We often work with clients whose roofs don’t face due south. Good news: east- and west-facing roofs still generate a large share of the energy of a south-facing system. According to Viridian Solar, panels facing east and west receive about 80% of the light energy that south-facing arrays capture, which equates to roughly 15–20% less output.
East-facing panels supply power for breakfast and school-run activities, while west-facing panels give a boost when you’re cooking dinner. Choosing the right side or splitting panels across both can reduce the need for battery storage because you’ll use energy as it’s generated.
North‑facing roofs are less efficient because they look away from the sun. Viridian Solar notes that north-east or north-west orientations collect around 60% of the light energy of a south-facing roof, and a fully north-facing roof collects about 55%. In other words, a north-facing installation may produce 40–45% less power than an ideal south-facing system. We often recommend high‑efficiency or bifacial panels for such roofs because they grab light from both sides and make the most of diffused sunlight. Our design team will talk you through these options if your home points north.
Regional angle variations
Not every part of Britain has the same perfect tilt. As you travel north, the sun is lower in the sky and panels need to be steeper to catch it. For example, 37–40 ° works well for London and Manchester, 39–44 ° for Newcastle and 40–44 ° for Edinburgh. A study in Yorkshire found that 39 ° delivers the highest output, which sits near the middle of this range.
These differences are small, but they show why a one‑size‑fits‑all approach doesn’t work. Our designers at Flux take local climate, roof angle and shading into account when creating your system. If you live in Leeds, York or Sheffield, aiming for around 40 ° offers a good balance between summer and winter. Further south in Cheshire or Lancashire, slightly shallower angles (around 35–38 °) may improve summer yields. Because trees, chimneys and neighbouring buildings also affect sunlight, we always recommend a professional survey before installation.
Tips to maximise performance
Getting the direction and angle right is only the beginning. Here are some simple ways to make your panels work harder:
- Choose quality panels: High‑efficiency modules turn more of the sunlight they receive into electricity, so they perform better on less‑than‑perfect roofs and during cloudy days.
- Use smart electronics: Micro‑inverters or power optimisers let each panel operate independently. If one panel is shaded, it won’t drag down the others. These devices are great for split east‑west arrays and roofs with odd shapes.
- Consider bifacial designs: Bifacial panels harvest light from both sides, making them ideal for north‑facing or reflective surfaces.
- Add a battery: A battery stores surplus energy during the day so you can use it in the evening. This is especially handy if your panels face east or west and you produce power outside peak hours. Flux Solar Energy offers integrated battery solutions for new and existing systems.
- Keep them clean: Dust, moss and bird droppings reduce output. Trim nearby trees and schedule occasional cleaning. Roofs pitched between 30 and 40 degrees naturally shed most dirt when it rains.
When we design your system, we’ll talk through these options and recommend the right combination for your home and budget. Using the best equipment and smart add‑ons ensures your solar investment pays back for decades.
Local focus: Yorkshire & the North West
Flux Solar Energy is proudly based in the North West, serving households from Preston and Chorley to Blackburn, Leeds and York. We install nationwide, but we understand the particular challenges of northern England:
- Lower sun angles: The sun sits lower in the sky here, so panels need to be a bit steeper. We usually recommend tilts of around 40 ° to make the most of winter sunshine.
- Shorter daylight hours: Winter days are short, so splitting arrays east and west helps capture energy throughout the day.
- Cloudy weather: The north sees more cloud. Modern panels still work well on diffused light. We often suggest high‑efficiency or bifacial panels for cloudy areas.
- Planning rules: Many homes here lie in conservation areas. Most solar installs fall under permitted development rights, but listed buildings may need planning permission. We handle this paperwork and liaise with councils so you don’t have to.
Our news section includes real examples from homeowners near you. See how our Solar and Battery Installation in Wigan combines east‑ and west‑facing panels with a battery for all‑day energy, or read How Does Battery Storage Help You Save More? to discover the financial benefits of storing surplus power.
How to determine your roof’s orientation
Curious about which way your roof points? You can check it yourself, but you don’t have to – Flux Solar Energy does this as part of our survey. If you want to take a look ahead of time, here are some easy methods:
- Use a compass or smartphone: Stand at the edge of your roof with a compass app. The direction the roof faces (south, east, west or north) appears on your screen.
- Check online maps: Zoom in on your house using satellite view (e.g. Google Maps) and align north. This shows which way each section of your roof faces.
- Measure pitch with your phone: Many smartphones have level apps. Hold the phone against a gable end to estimate the roof angle. You can also ask your installer to measure it.
- Leave it to us: We include a professional survey with every quote. Our engineers measure orientation, pitch and shading, then model your system’s performance using local weather data.
Armed with these details, we can design a layout that meets your energy needs and budget.
Final thoughts
Getting the direction and tilt right helps your panels work harder. In general, south‑facing roofs angled around 35–40 ° produce the most energy. But as you’ve seen, east‑ and west‑facing roofs can still produce around 80 % of south‑facing output, and north‑facing roofs capture 55–60 % of the light energy when coupled with efficient panels and smart design. Homeowners in Leeds, Manchester and York often do well around 40 °, while those farther south can choose a slightly shallower tilt.
You don’t need to be an expert to enjoy the benefits of solar power. Flux Solar Energy handles everything from measuring your roof to designing and installing a system that fits your home, budget and lifestyle. Our engineers model your expected output and select the right mix of panels, inverters and storage to maximise your savings. Whether your roof faces south, east, west or north, we’ll find the best solution. Ready to go solar?
Contact our friendly team for a free survey and quote today.
