Lines of latitude and solar power

The angle of latitude changes the way that you angle your solar panels on your roof. You always want the solar panels to point to the sun, so if you are in the northern hemisphere, then you face them south, east, or west.

Lines of latitude, which are normally included on most maps, are actually designations of the angle between the equator and a line from the center of the earth's surface. Latitudes vary from zero degrees at the equator, to 90 degrees at the north pole. That is why the sun is directly above you at the equator, and low on the horizon at the poles. If you angle the solar panels straight up at the equator, and angle the panels more than 45 degrees at the poles to capture the sunlight and use it for power.

The middle lines between the equator and the poles are the tropic of cancer and the tropic of Capricorn. This is also a perfect location for solar panels. You just have to point them to the sun.
 

The sun's position and solar panels

The apparent position of the sun from any point on earth is defined by two angles. The angle of the sun's position in the sky with respect to the earth's horizontal is known as the solar altitude. The position of the sun with respect to the true south is referred to as the solar azimuth. The position of the sun in relation to specific geographical locations, seasons, and times of day can be determined by several different methods, each with varying degrees of accuracy.
 

Solar panels can easily be pointed in the right direction

Solar panels can easily be pointed in the right direction, even if you have problems understanding the sun's azimuth and altitude. Graphic projections, however, can be understood easily and can be correlated with both radiant energy and shading diagrams. With solar panels, you can get around shading with power optimizers and microinverters.

To find out what solar panels are right for you, go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. You can see how much a system will cost, and how much you can save over the next 20 years.

For more information relating to going solar, don't forget to visit our solar blog section for more handy guides and articles.