Which Direction Should Solar Panels Face?

If you’re thinking about installing solar panels on your UK home, one of the most important decisions is figuring out which direction your roof should face. The good news is that most homes can generate excellent returns from solar, even if they’re not perfectly positioned. However, understanding roof orientation is crucial because it directly affects how much electricity your panels will produce and, ultimately, what you’ll save each year.

In the UK, south-facing roofs are ideal for maximising solar panel output. But here’s what often surprises homeowners: if your roof faces east or west, you can still get a highly productive system. Modern inverter technology and battery storage have made non-ideal orientations much more viable than they used to be. The key is understanding the trade-offs and choosing the right system design for your situation.

This guide walks you through everything you need to know about solar panel direction in the UK, from checking your roof orientation to understanding how it affects your annual savings.

Key Takeaways

• South-facing roofs produce the most solar energy in the UK, generating around 100% of optimal output
• East and west-facing roofs still generate 80-85% of south-facing output and suit households with morning and evening demand patterns
• The optimal tilt angle for UK solar panels is 30-40 degrees, matching your local latitude
• Modern power optimisers and battery storage can significantly reduce the penalty of non-ideal orientation
• You can check your roof direction using a smartphone compass app, Google Maps satellite view, or asking an MCS-approved installer
• North-facing roofs are not recommended for domestic solar installation due to low output relative to cost

Which Direction is Best for Solar Panels in the UK?

South-facing solar panels capture the most sunlight throughout the day in the UK because the sun travels from east to west and reaches its highest point in the southern sky. This is true whether you live in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, or anywhere else in the country. When your panels face true south (not magnetic south from a compass), they’re perpendicular to the sun’s rays for the longest part of the day, capturing maximum solar radiation.

Here’s what “true south” means: magnetic south (what a compass shows) is not the same as true south (astronomical south). The difference between the two is called magnetic declination and varies by location in the UK. For most of the country, true south is approximately 2-4 degrees west of what your compass indicates. Most solar installers use either a sun position app or a physical solar meter to find true south rather than relying on a basic compass.

Practically speaking, you can check your roof direction using several free tools. Open Google Maps on your phone, switch to satellite view, and you’ll see your property from above. You can see which way your roof ridges run. Alternatively, download a free compass app from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Stand on the ground next to your house (not on the roof) and point the phone at your roof to see the bearing. For the most accuracy, most MCS-approved installers will use a sun path calculator or solar irradiance software when they visit your home.

In terms of actual performance, a south-facing roof in a UK location like London might generate around 1,000-1,100 kWh per kWp installed per year. The same system on an east or west-facing roof might generate 800-900 kWh per kWp. That difference is significant but not a deal-breaker, especially if your household demand pattern suits the orientation.

How Much Does Orientation Affect Solar Panel Output?

Roof orientation is one of the biggest factors affecting annual solar panel output in the UK. The table below shows typical output percentages relative to a perfectly south-facing system at the optimal tilt angle (30-40 degrees).

What does this mean in real terms? If a south-facing 4kWp system produces 4,400 kWh per year, an east-west split system (2kWp east, 2kWp west) might produce around 3,500 kWh per year. That’s still a substantial amount of electricity. For self-consumption households (those who work from home or have high daytime demand), an east-west split often performs better than a large south-facing system because you’re generating electricity during the morning and evening when you’re actually using it.

This is a deliberate design choice many installers now recommend. Rather than maximising annual output, east-west systems optimise self-consumption. You use more of the electricity you generate rather than exporting it to the grid at lower rates. When paired with a battery storage system, an east-west split becomes even more effective because you can store morning or evening excess and use it during peak demand periods.

What is the Best Angle (Pitch) for Solar Panels?

Beyond direction, the angle (pitch) of your roof matters equally. The optimal tilt angle for solar panels in the UK is between 30 and 40 degrees, which roughly matches the latitude of the UK (around 51-55 degrees north). This angle allows panels to receive sunlight as directly as possible throughout the year, accounting for the sun’s lower position in winter.

If your roof is steeper than 40 degrees (like a steep Victorian terrace or cottage roof), you’ll lose some summer output because the angle becomes too vertical. If your roof is flatter than 30 degrees, you’ll lose some winter output, but you’ll still generate good summer returns. A flat roof tilted at just 15-20 degrees using tilt frames is better than a truly flat installation because it allows rain to wash away dust and bird droppings, keeping panels clean.

Most pitched residential roofs in the UK fall in the 35-45 degree range, which is nearly perfect for solar. If you’re planning an installation and have options (like a flat roof on an extension), our guide to the best angle for solar panels covers the detailed calculations.

What if My Roof Doesn’t Face South?

If your roof faces east or west, don’t worry. You can still install a highly productive solar system. Many modern UK homes have east or west-facing roofs, especially terraced properties and newer estates with varied designs. An east or west-facing system might produce 15-20% less energy than an equivalent south-facing system, but it’s still a worthwhile investment with a 9-12 year payback period.

One advantage of an east or west-facing roof is better self-consumption. If you’re at home during morning or evening hours (perhaps working flexibly, running a business from home, or retired), an east-facing roof generates electricity when you need it most. You’ll use a higher percentage of the power you generate rather than exporting it to the grid at the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) rate (typically 10-15p per kWh), where you’d get paid less than retail electricity rates.

Many installers now recommend east-west split systems: install half the panels on the east-facing slope and half on the west-facing slope. This spreads generation across morning and evening, smoothing out the consumption pattern and often reducing battery storage needs if you add a battery later.

If neither your main roof nor any side roof faces south, ask your installer about a ground-mounted system. Ground mounts are increasingly affordable and allow you to position panels at the optimal angle and direction, even if your house sits in a poor position. Ground-mounted systems do use garden space and may require planning permission (though domestic solar ground mounts under 4 square metres are usually permitted development), but they unlock the full south-facing output potential.

Can North-Facing Roofs Have Solar Panels?

Technically, yes. Practically, no. North-facing roofs in the UK receive far too little direct sunlight to make residential solar worthwhile. A north-facing system would produce only 50-60% of a south-facing system’s output. For example, a 5kWp north-facing system might produce 2,500 kWh per year instead of 4,250 kWh. At typical UK installation costs of £8,000-10,000 for a 5kWp system, the payback period would stretch to 15-20 years or longer, making the investment financially unviable.

If your only potential roof is north-facing, explore alternatives: a south-facing garage roof (even a small 3kWp system there would outperform the main house north face), a ground-mounted system in the garden, or a sunny balcony if you live in a flat.

Tools to Check Your Roof Orientation

Before you commit to a solar installation, spend ten minutes checking your roof direction using free tools. You don’t need to wait for a survey.

Smartphone compass app: Most phones come with a built-in compass. Open it, stand in your garden next to your house, and point the phone at your roof. The app will show you the bearing (e.g. 180 degrees = due south, 90 degrees = due east, 270 degrees = due west). Remember that compass bearings can be off by a few degrees due to nearby metal or electrical interference, but it’s a good starting point.

Google Maps satellite view: Go to maps.google.co.uk, search for your address, and switch to satellite view. You’ll see your property from above and can identify which way your roof slopes. If your house sits on a corner plot or has multiple roof sections, you can see all of them clearly.

PVGIS solar irradiance tool: The PVGIS solar irradiance tool is a free resource used by professional installers. Enter your postcode or address, and it will show you a sun path diagram and estimated annual output for any roof orientation and tilt angle you input. It’s powerful enough for serious planning but simple enough for homeowners to use.

Ask your installer: When you get quotes from solar panel installation companies, they’ll always assess your roof orientation as part of their survey. Most use a sun position app or a portable solar meter that instantly shows the best orientation. They’ll also spot shading issues (trees, chimneys, neighbouring buildings) that affect output.

Case Study: East-West Roof Installation in Yorkshire

A homeowner in Leeds had a semi-detached house with an east-west roof ridge. The main south-facing wall was blocked by a two-storey neighbour’s property for much of the day (shadowing after 2pm in winter). Rather than fight the shading, the installer designed an east-west split system: 2kWp on the east face (catching morning sun before the shadow fell) and 2kWp on the west face (capturing afternoon and evening light after neighbour shading).

The system was installed with a single inverter managing both sides. Annual generation was approximately 3,400 kWh, about 12% below what a fully unshaded south-facing 4kWp system would produce. However, because the household worked flexible hours (both partners working from home 3 days per week), around 45% of the generation was self-consumed rather than exported. At a self-consumption rate of £0.28 per kWh (avoided retail cost) and SEG export income of £0.13 per kWh on the remainder, the system delivered approximately £680 per year in net energy savings, with a payback period of 10.2 years. A purely south-facing system on that property would have been shaded and underperforming; the east-west split actually made better economic sense.

Expert Insights From Our Solar Panel Installers About Roof Orientation

One of our senior solar panel installers, with over fifteen years of experience in UK residential and commercial installations, explains: “Orientation is important, but it’s not the deciding factor anymore. Ten years ago, if a roof wasn’t south-facing, we’d recommend a ground mount or storage system to compensate. Today, power optimiser technology like SolarEdge inverters minimises the penalty from non-ideal orientation. Each panel has its own optimiser, so if one panel is slightly shaded or facing a different direction, the rest of the array isn’t dragged down. We also see battery storage becoming standard rather than optional, which means homeowners can shift energy from the time it’s generated to the time it’s needed, whatever the roof direction.”

He continues: “The biggest mistake homeowners make is assuming their roof is the wrong direction without checking. We’ve surveyed hundreds of properties where the owner thought north-facing was the main usable roof, but there was a perfectly good east or west-facing slope they’d overlooked. And increasingly, we’re recommending east-west splits for households with flexible working patterns. The 15-20% output loss is more than made up by higher self-consumption rates and lower reliance on battery storage.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Summing Up

South-facing solar panels are ideal for maximising output in the UK, but they’re far from the only option. If your roof faces east, west, or southeast, you can still install a highly productive system with a strong financial return. Modern inverter technology, power optimisers, and battery storage have made non-ideal orientations much more viable than they used to be.

The best first step is to check your own roof using a free compass app or Google Maps satellite view. Then get quotes from a few MCS-approved installers who will assess your specific property, including shading, orientation, and system design options. If your roof isn’t south-facing, discuss east-west splits and battery storage options that might suit your household demand pattern better than a large south-facing array. For professional guidance tailored to your home and energy needs, contact us for a free quote. Our installers will recommend the best orientation and system size for your situation, maximising both your energy savings and return on investment.

Updated April 2026