California encourage solar panels pointing west

In April I was noting that a study shown that putting solar panels facing West – and not South – had some benefits. Indeed, panels facing this direction generate more power in peak hour. 

Now, according to Renewable Energy World, the State of California ” recently began to incentivize west-facing panels over south-facing solar. “

The article gives more details :

New guidelines from the California Energy Commission call for a 15 percent higher rebates for west-facing solar arrays than for south-facing solar panels.

While solar panels collect more energy overall when they point toward the equator, that annual energy advantage isn’t as important as generating more clean energy in the early evening hours when Californians arrive home from work and turn on their air conditions, televisions and microwaves.

Facing rooftop solar panels toward the setting sun, can increase late-day energy production by as much as 50 percent, according to recent studies.

“Even though it is less energy on an annual basis, it’s more valuable from an air pollution perspective,” David Hochschild told the U-T San Diego.

Now this means that whatever direction your roof is pointing towards – South or West – you can install solar panels…

Image credits : Flickr.

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