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North Facing roof Solar Panels?
anyone know if its worth filling a north facing roof?
had a quote today to add panels, but it seems too expensive. (they wanted over 6k to add 12’ish panels to north)
already have 10 panels and a 3.6 sunsynk and 10kWh battery south facing.
would be entirely for offsetting purposes/dumping to grid at 12p/kWh so would not expect big savings – just considering filling the roof.
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17 Replies
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The generation is 50% of South roof, 4000kwh south then approx 2000kwh north, big cost is probably the scaffolding. Pvgis will do you calculations on yield based on your location.
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yeah so 4457 south last year. so about 2.2k north, or £264/year worth of export at 12p/kWh. at 10 years looking at an install cost of around 2.6k to even bother by sounds of it.
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Probably worth it, unless you are trying to keep to a minimal budget.
I ran the numbers when we did ours and the north roof reduced the payback time on the entire system
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The short answer is yes. I have a north and a south roof and the north roof makes really good generation. But there’s also a YouTube video about it from either Artisan or Oval renewables. The figures stack up.
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What were you quoted for exactly? Did it involve upgrading the inverter etc…
You mention earlier you might DIY something. I’d suggest getting a roofer to install the rails and panels, then if your inverter has a spare MPTT input then great, otherwise consider a separate MPPT controller that would go direct to the batteries. they will charge sooner in the day so you could start exporting sooner.
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12 or so 500W+ panels. no inverter. I have a spare MPTT. I only really needed someone to install the rails and panels. easy enough to hook it to the rest of the system – i have the trunking from the loft to the inverter already.
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Find a local roofer that’s willing to take it on. Buy the materials yourself, it’s really not very complicated. The DIY solar group is a good place for advice without installer sneering…
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With modern panels you can get great generation from North facing
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Definitely worth considering! My video explains why:
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6000/264=22.7 yrs ROI. I wouldn’t be betting £6k of my money on 12p export lasting ~23 years. I’d say it’s DIY or forget it.
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it depends on a few factors such as your actual consumption and usage as there maybe a small opportunity for improvement in the seasons off-summer self-consumption wise. The other factor would be the inverter… Assuming it would be an upgraded inverter from your current system to say a 5kW?
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You make the call but here is my numbers. Personally yes.
I’m 637kwh ahead on the rears which are north vs the front but they are becoming more and more alive as the suns position is different and longer duration of generation as well as earlier.
Total capacity of 9.34 kWp (19 Panels)
Rear 6,120 kWh
12 × 510 Wp AIKO Neostar 2S solar panels (North Facing, 313* NW)
Front 3,220 kWh
7 × 460 Wp AIKO Neostar 2S solar panels (South Facing, 146* SE)
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I would say a bit expensive compared to my additional 8 panels and additional 6.8kw battery, they moved 2 panels from the east to the west side, so 10 each side, was just over £4k.
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Did this for other members of this forum – I am a retired designer and happy to help (no charge) if you want a more detailed example
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Similar situation got a couple of quotes recently to expand my system currently have 12x 450W south facing and room on north facing roof for 8x more and spare mppt on existing inverter. Quote was £3900, were probably going to move house in 3-4 years so didn’t go for it.
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Think about what you generate on the non-peak production times of the year when you actually want more energy. That extra capacity makes a noticeable difference and rather than being 50% less its nearer 20/30% even though production is lower
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As others have said, use pvgis to calc production; slope makes a big difference. Mine was calculated at 60% of an equivalent south facing array. Need to calculate cost versus production value, as per any install, and decide if the ROI is acceptable to you. I’m in the same situation and as yet undecided
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