Researchers say solar panels produce more power when facing west

Nov 18, 2013 20:16 GMT  ·  By

Thanks to climate change and global warming, but also due to financial considerations, many people are now looking into the possibility to at least partly power their homes by harvesting solar power.

Specialists at the Pecan Street Research Institute say that there is one thing that these people are very likely to do wrong: fitting solar panels on the roof of their home in such way that they face south.

The researchers claim that, according to their investigations into the matter at hand, solar panels produce more electricity when facing west.

This means that, for the time being, most of the solar panels currently operating around the world are facing the wrong way.

The Pecan Street Research Institute specialists claim that, when made to face west, solar panels generate about 2% more electricity on a daily basis.

What's more, they reduce household electricity usage during peak times by as much as 65%. By comparison, south-facing solar panels only reduce usage during this time of the day by 54%.

In light of these findings, the specialists urge that people who already own solar panels re-orient them, and that those who are thinking about buying one or two – maybe more – make sure that they face west once the installation process is complete.