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Solar Azimuth Calculator

Assess the yield impact of panel orientation away from true south or north.

About Solar Azimuth Calculator

Azimuth matters less than most people expect: east or west facing arrays typically lose only 15 to 20 per cent against due south. Steeper tilts make orientation matter more. East-west split arrays produce a flatter daily curve that often matches consumption better than a single south-facing array, despite lower total yield.

Formula

Solar Azimuth

Yield loss rises roughly with the square of azimuth deviation, scaled by tilt

azimuth
Compass direction the panels face, 180° being due south

Worked example

With the default values below, Solar Azimuth Calculator returns Deviation From Optimal Azimuth of 0.00. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Site latitudeaccepts -66–66 degrees
51.5 degrees
Panel azimuth from true northaccepts 0–360 degrees
180 degrees
Panel tiltaccepts 0–90 degrees
35 degrees

Results

Deviation From Optimal Azimuth
0.00 degrees
Optimal Azimuth
180 degrees
Estimated Yield Loss
0.000%
Relative Yield Against Optimal
100.00%
Orientation
Optimally oriented

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Solar Azimuth
  3. 3Deviation From Optimal Azimuth= 0.00 degrees
  4. 4Optimal Azimuth= 180 degrees
  5. 5Estimated Yield Loss= 0.000
  6. 6Relative Yield Against Optimal= 100.00
  7. 7Orientation= Optimally oriented

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 3 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 3 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Solar Azimuth calculated?

Yield loss rises roughly with the square of azimuth deviation, scaled by tilt Azimuth matters less than most people expect: east or west facing arrays typically lose only 15 to 20 per cent against due south. Steeper tilts make orientation matter more.

Why does Solar Azimuth matter?

East-west split arrays produce a flatter daily curve that often matches consumption better than a single south-facing array, despite lower total yield.

What values do I need to enter?

This calculator takes 3 inputs: Site latitude, Panel azimuth from true north, Panel tilt. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.

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