What direction should solar panels face if built in the Southern Hemisphere?

5 Responses to What direction should solar panels face if built in the Southern Hemisphere?

1. Green Eyes

   January 29, 2011 at 8:23 pm

   depending on how far south but yes they should face to the north
   Idealy they should be able to track the sun from north east to north west
2. campbelp2002

   January 29, 2011 at 9:15 pm

   You probably want them facing north by the same angle as your latitude. So at 40 degrees south latitude they face 40 degrees north of laying flat and from 20 degrees south latitude they face 20 degrees north of laying flat. At the equator they should lay flat, parallel to the ground.
3. cyborg2587410

   January 29, 2011 at 9:18 pm

   during the summer north
   during the winter south but facing up
   this is because the directoln the earth is facing during the diffrent season. the southern hemispere faces south of the sun during the summer. so u should put it north, and the same thing for the other seasons.
4. 404_error

   January 29, 2011 at 9:43 pm

   If you built in on Antarctica – specifically: right on the south pole – then you’d need to angle it toward the horizon, since that’s where the sun would be, and have it rotate once per day (thus tracking the sun). This of course means that it will always be facing north no matter which direction it faces.

   Oh, and this would only work in SH summer, since in SH winter the sun would be below the horizon.

   Of course, relying on solar energy at either of the Earth’s poles is largely futile … I was just trying to add a different answer…
5. johnbonnechappe

   January 29, 2011 at 10:17 pm

   I have mine facing North. They work fine. I’m at 38deg South.