Roof Orientation and Tilt
Your roof's direction and angle are two of the biggest factors in how much electricity your panels will produce.
Orientation (Azimuth)
In the northern hemisphere, a perfectly south-facing roof captures the most annual sunlight. But how much do other orientations lose?
| Orientation | Annual Output vs. South |
|---|---|
| South (180°) | 100% (optimal) |
| South-East / South-West | 95–97% |
| East or West | 80–85% |
| North-East / North-West | 60–70% |
| North | 50–60% |
The takeaway: east and west roofs still work well for solar. Only north-facing roofs in higher latitudes become genuinely poor candidates.
East-west split systems are increasingly popular — panels on both sides of a pitched roof produce energy more evenly throughout the day, reducing midday peaks and increasing self-consumption.
Tilt Angle
The optimal tilt angle roughly equals your latitude:
- Podgorica (42°N): optimal tilt ~35°
- Belgrade (45°N): optimal tilt ~37°
- Zagreb (46°N): optimal tilt ~38°
But roofs rarely match the optimal angle perfectly. Here's how tilt affects output:
| Tilt | Impact |
|---|---|
| Optimal (30–40°) | 100% output |
| Flat (0–10°) | 85–93% output |
| Steep (50–60°) | 85–90% output |
A 10° deviation from optimal costs you only 1–3% of annual output. Don't let a non-ideal roof angle discourage you.
Flat Roofs
Flat roofs are actually great for solar because you can mount panels at the optimal angle using tilt frames. The tradeoff: tilt frames add 5–10% to installation cost, and you need spacing between rows to avoid self-shading.
Does My Roof Work?
Most roofs work for solar. The exceptions are:
- North-facing with steep pitch (above 30°) at high latitudes
- Heavily shaded by trees or buildings that can't be trimmed
- Too small to fit enough panels to justify the inverter and connection costs
Use our calculator to enter your exact roof orientation and see the impact on your production.