What Direction Should Solar Panels Face in the UK?

The direction your roof faces (its aspect or orientation) determines how much sunlight your panels receive throughout the day. Here is how each direction performs relative to the optimal south-facing position:

• South: 100% — panels receive maximum sunlight from mid-morning to mid-afternoon
• South-East: 95% — strong morning generation, slightly less afternoon sun
• South-West: 95% — slightly less morning sun, strong afternoon generation
• East: 80–85% — good morning generation, tails off after midday
• West: 80–85% — lower morning output, peaks in afternoon
• North-East: 60–65% — limited direct sun, mostly diffused light
• North-West: 60–65% — similar to north-east
• North: 55–60% — minimal direct sun, relies heavily on diffused light

These percentages apply to the UK's latitude (50–58°N). At this latitude, the sun tracks across the southern sky, making south-facing surfaces the most productive.

Source: PVGIS European Commission; Energy Saving Trust orientation guidance.

If your roof does not face south, an east-west split system can be an excellent option. This involves installing panels on both the east-facing and west-facing sides of a pitched roof.

Benefits of east-west split: - Generates electricity across more of the day (morning east panels + afternoon west panels) - Produces a flatter, more consistent output curve vs a south-facing peak - Better matches typical household consumption patterns (morning and evening usage) - Can accommodate more total panels (using both roof slopes) - Only produces 80–85% of south-facing output per panel — but you may fit more panels total

With micro-inverters, each panel operates independently, so the east panels do not drag down the west panels. This makes east-west splits particularly effective with micro-inverter technology.

Source: MCS installer design guidance.

Yes, but less than direction. The optimal tilt angle for UK solar panels is 30–40 degrees from horizontal — which conveniently matches most UK roof pitches.

Output by roof pitch: - 30–40 degrees: 100% (optimal) - 20–30 degrees: 95–98% (very close to optimal) - 15–20 degrees: 90–95% (slight reduction) - 0–10 degrees (flat roof): 85–90% (panels can be tilted with mounting frames) - 50–60 degrees: 90–95% (steep but still effective)

Flat roofs are not a problem — panels are mounted on angled frames at 20–30 degrees. The main consideration is ensuring the frames do not shade each other, which requires adequate spacing.

Source: PVGIS irradiance calculations for UK latitudes.

Generally no. A north-facing roof produces only 55–60% of a south-facing roof's output. At this level, the financial case weakens significantly:

• South-facing 4kW system: generates ~4,000 kWh, saves ~£900/year, payback ~9 years
• North-facing 4kW system: generates ~2,300 kWh, saves ~£500/year, payback ~14 years

However, there are situations where north-facing panels might still make sense: - Your electricity consumption is very high (>6,000 kWh/year) - You have already installed panels on all other available roof faces - You have a battery and time-of-use tariff that maximises even small amounts of solar - The panels are heavily subsidised or free

In most cases, if only a north-facing roof is available, the money is better spent on other energy efficiency measures (insulation, heat pump, LED lighting).

Source: Energy Saving Trust; MCS installer assessment criteria.