© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.
“On average, solar panels facing true north are about 54% as effective as panels facing true south.”
Photo Credit: iStock
A London resident who applied to install solar panels on their roof was surprised that their application was rejected.
The rejection was only because they had applied to install the panels on the south-facing roof, which faces the highway. Instead, homeowners in the area were only allowed to install them on the north-facing roof. 
But are the theories true that north-facing panels generate significantly less power? 
The homeowner posted their story on Reddit and explained that their home is in a London conservation area, which means standard permitted development rights didn’t apply. 
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. Homeowners who want to compare designs and pricing can try EnergySage to get free solar installation estimates and compare quotes.
As for the debate between north-facing and south-facing solar panels, studies have found that in the Northern Hemisphere, it is better to install south-facing solar panels. 
“When it comes to solar panel orientation, the proven advice in the U.K. is to install your panels facing south in order to capture the most light, and therefore generate the most power,” Sunsave reported. “On average, solar panels facing true north are about 54% as effective as panels facing true south.”
But even with north-facing solar panels, the power it produces is “by no means trivial,” Sunsave said. “Turning the panels northwest or northeast, rather than directly north, boosts generation by better capturing morning and afternoon sunlight.” 
FROM OUR PARTNER
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers that can help you save as much as $10k on installation.
To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off-grid. Batteries can also help households shift cheap overnight electricity into expensive evening hours. Homeowners can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
For U.S. readers considering their own projects, EnergySage’s solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system state by state, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state. Together, those resources can help homeowners get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
These articles look at north-facing solar roofs, homeowners association disputes, policy changes, and plug-in panel alternatives.
• In Evanston, panel-covered roofs face south, east, west, and even north.
💡Go deep on the latest news and trends shaping the residential solar landscape
• In Austin, a homeowner fought an HOA over this common home addition.
• In Wisconsin, a homeowner sought answers after receiving resistance to solar from their HOA.
• In California, homeowners said it’s as though there is a brick wall preventing solar upgrades.
• In Colorado, officials promoted removing barriers and red tape with plug-in solar panels.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

source