← ecopowerful.com · Know your kit
Where a panel points matters as much as what it's rated
Three siting factors set your real-world harvest. Orientation: south is ideal in the UK; east or west costs ~15–20%; north roughly halves output. Tilt: the sun sits low here, especially in winter — a steep 60–70° tilt maximises the December harvest you're sized around, while the 30–35° of a typical roof favours summer you already have too much of. A wall-mount or adjustable A-frame quietly outperforms a flat shed roof in January.
Shading is the silent killer: cells in a panel are wired in series, so a shadow across one row can collapse most of the panel's output — a chimney shadow at 3pm matters more than panel brand. Watch your site through a winter day before drilling anything; the sun barely clears 12° at midday in a Scottish December.
Mounting kit by scenario: Z-brackets (£10–20/panel) for flat shed roofs, tilt/adjustable A-frames (£25–60) for the winter-angle win, wall brackets for the space-poor, ground-mount frames (£60–150, or self-built timber) for gardens and allotments, rail systems with roof hooks for pitched tiles, and balcony rail hooks/clips for the new plug-in category. Add stainless fixings, sealant for roof penetrations, and ballast (slabs work) for anything that mustn't become a kite — UK wind loading is not theoretical.
Siting is the free upgrade: the same £150 panel can deliver double the useful winter energy pointed and tilted well versus laid flat in partial shade. It's the first thing to optimise and the cheapest mistake to avoid — survey before you buy, not after.
From EcoPowerful — plain-English DIY solar & wind guidance for UK homes, with a free instant system plan builder. Guidance is general; 230V fixed wiring always needs a qualified electrician. Last updated 2026-06-13.