Tilting Solar Arrays

A solar panel system that features a static installation is called a fixed tilt array. The system is installed with the panels fixed at the best angle for its geographical location. It varies from a southern facing exposure (for a location in the Northern Hemisphere) or a northern facing exposure (for a location in the Southern Hemisphere) for optimal energy collection. They do not move with suns path across the sky.

When the solar system is installed at latitude where the sun's movement changes drastically, a tilting array may be needed. Simplified, this consists of a tracking device, and either a single or dual tilting axis mechanism located below the panels. The tracking device follows the output from the sun and then feeds the resulting information to the panels so that they adjust to the sun's movement.

In Australia, for example, the increased production with a tilting array may be as much as 36% more than a fixed-tilt array.

Here are some factors that may influence the decision to tilt or not to tilt:

1) The length of summer and winter in your location.

2) The load of the equipment requiring utilities.

3) The amount of overcast cloud cover.

4) The "dirt" factor - amount of soil, snow or other debris that collect on top of the panels.

In the final analysis whether to tilt the array or to fix it should be a consideration of the results of the possibility of gain vs. the expense of the tilting mechanism. In most cases a slight gain of 15% in energy collection will not cover the additional cost of installation, or account for the added expense for maintenance of the tilt.