📐 Solar Panel Tilt Angle Calculator
Enter your latitude to get the optimal panel tilt angle for year-round output, and separate summer and winter angles.
Positive for the northern hemisphere, negative for southern — the tilt is the same magnitude.
Year-round (fixed)
33.5°
Summer
25°
Winter
55°
Tilt is measured from horizontal (0° = flat, 90° = vertical), with panels facing the equator (south in the northern hemisphere, north in the southern). A good fixed year-round angle is close to your latitude; steepen it by about 15° for winter and flatten it by 15° for summer, or adjust seasonally if your mounts allow. Local shading, snow and roof pitch matter too. 🔒 In your browser.
How the solar panel tilt angle calculator works
The best tilt for a fixed solar panel is close to your latitude, so the winter sun (which sits low in the sky) still strikes the panel closer to head-on. The tool uses a refined version of that rule for the year-round angle, then applies the standard ±15° seasonal adjustment: flatten the panels by about 15° in summer (when the sun is high) and steepen them by 15° in winter. Angles are measured from horizontal, with the panels facing the equator.
A fixed installation is usually set to the year-round angle and left alone; if your mounts allow two or four adjustments a year, the summer/winter angles capture a bit more energy. Very steep winter angles also help shed snow. Roof pitch, shading and whether you want to favour summer or winter generation all shift the ideal in practice.
Frequently asked questions
What angle should my solar panels be?
For year-round output, roughly your latitude — this tool gives a refined value. For example, near 40° latitude a fixed tilt of about 33–40° works well. Adjust ±15° if you tilt seasonally.
What is the best tilt angle for winter?
About your latitude plus 15°, so the panels face the low winter sun more directly. Steeper winter angles also help snow slide off. This tool shows the winter angle from your latitude automatically.
Should I change my panel angle seasonally?
If your mounts allow it, yes — flattening in summer and steepening in winter captures a little more energy over the year. Many fixed rooftop systems just use the year-round angle for simplicity, which is only slightly less than optimal.
Which direction should panels face?
Towards the equator: due south in the northern hemisphere and due north in the southern. Facing within about 15° of that has little effect; larger deviations reduce output and can shift when peak generation occurs during the day.
Does latitude alone determine the best angle?
It's the dominant factor, but local conditions matter: shading, typical cloud cover, snow, whether you want to maximise summer or winter yield, and your roof's existing pitch. Treat the latitude-based angle as the starting point.