Solar Panel Placement: You Don't Have to Ruin Your Street View

The "North or Nothing" Myth

Ask any solar installer and they'll tell you: "North-facing panels produce the most energy."

They're right. But here's what they often don't tell you:

You don't have to uglify your home's street presence for solar. You don't have to accept panels visible from your front yard. You can be sustainable AND maintain your home's aesthetic.

Real Output by Direction

Here's the actual performance difference for panels in Australian conditions:

Key insight: East or west loses about 15-20%. That's real, but it's not a dealbreaker. A 6.6kW east-facing system produces roughly what a 5.5kW north-facing system produces.

Why You Might NOT Want North

There are legitimate reasons to choose east or west over north:

1. Street Aesthetics

If your north-facing roof is visible from the street, panels can significantly change your home's appearance. Some people don't mind. Others — particularly in established suburbs or heritage areas — prefer a cleaner street view.

2. Better Match to Usage

• East-facing: Generates power from 6am onwards. Great if you run appliances in the morning, want to start charging your battery early, or need power for morning heating/cooling
• West-facing: Generates power into the evening. Better for households that use power in the afternoon, run pool pumps, or want to offset that 3-9pm peak tariff

3. Roof Constraints

• North roof may have skylights, vents, or chimneys
• North roof section may be too small for adequate panels
• Shading from neighbouring trees or buildings on north side
• North roof pitch may be unsuitable

4. Planning Restrictions

Some councils, body corporates, or heritage overlays have restrictions on street-visible installations. East/west placement may be your only compliant option.

Split Arrays: The Best of Both

You don't have to commit to one direction. Split arrays spread panels across multiple roof faces, and this is often the best approach.

Benefits of Split Arrays

• Longer generation window: East + West gives you power from 6am to 6pm instead of concentrated 10am-2pm
• Better self-consumption: More hours of generation = more opportunity to use it directly
• Reduced peak spikes: North-only systems produce massive midday spikes you often can't use (and export for 1-6c)
• Flexibility: Hide panels on the back while still getting good production

Common Split Configurations

Compensating for Direction

If you choose east, west, or a split array, you can compensate for reduced output in several ways:

1. Add More Panels

The most straightforward solution. If east produces 85% of north, add 15-20% more panels to get the same total output.

Panel prices have dropped significantly. The extra cost of a few panels is often minor compared to the aesthetic benefit.

2. Use Higher Efficiency Panels

Premium panels (400W+) produce more per square metre. If roof space is limited, higher efficiency panels can compensate for orientation loss.

3. Add a Battery

Non-north panels often produce power when you're not using it (morning/afternoon). A battery stores this for evening use, dramatically improving the value of east/west generation.

4. Optimise Your Usage

Match your consumption to your generation. East panels? Run the dishwasher, washing machine, and EV charging in the morning. West panels? Schedule for afternoon.

Real Example: 18 Panels, Zero Street View

Here's a real-world example of prioritising aesthetics without sacrificing performance:

How This Performs

• Morning (6am-11am): Strong generation from east array — powers morning routine, charges EV if needed
• Midday (11am-2pm): Both arrays producing — peak total output
• Afternoon (2pm onwards): North array continues, east tapers off

Total output vs all-north? Approximately 90%. The "loss" of 10% is meaningless when you consider:

• No visible panels from street on a prominent corner block
• Better morning generation for actual usage patterns
• Longer daily generation window
• Home maintains its original aesthetic

The trade-off was worth it.

How Batteries Change the Equation

Adding a battery fundamentally changes the panel placement calculus:

Without Battery

You need to use power as it's generated or export it for 1-6c. North-facing maximises midday production, but you're probably at work. Most of that power gets exported at minimal value.

With Battery

You store power for later use. Now the question isn't "when does it generate?" but "does it generate enough total?" East/west becomes less of a compromise because:

• Morning generation charges the battery for evening use
• Afternoon generation catches late-day sun before the evening peak
• You capture value from ALL generation, not just what you use in the moment

The New Priority Order

1. Enough total capacity — Can you generate enough kWh across the day?
2. Battery sizing — Can you store morning/afternoon generation for evening?
3. Self-consumption — Does your generation window align with any direct usage?
4. Orientation efficiency — Only after the above are sorted

Design Your System

The "best" panel placement depends on your specific situation:

• Your roof layout and available faces
• Which directions are street-visible
• Your usage patterns (morning vs afternoon vs evening)
• Whether you have or plan to add a battery
• Your EV charging needs
• Your aesthetic preferences (and that's a legitimate factor!)

Our calculator helps you navigate these trade-offs. Upload your bill, tell us about your roof and preferences, and we'll show you how different configurations perform for YOUR situation — not just generic "north is best" advice.