The 10 dumb myths of solar installers
#5
5) You can’t put panels facing south
This one’s a biggy. I was previously in the trap also of criticising systems that were oriented south, southwest or southeast.
Actually they’re great. They’re great if the north, east and west already have panels, as they help enhance self-consumption of solar output. They’re also great if installing on the northern roof is complicated and would necessitate a very expensive install. If you were comparing, say, a system on the north costing $1.30 or more per watt due to complications (split arrays, need for DC optimisers/micro-inverters), but could get a system in for $1 per watt on the south, then the financials end up about the same and you could conceivably afford to install 30% more panels on the south that would make up for the loss of power output.
The south facing system is also a good match for self-consumption in summer. And in diffuse light (when it’s cloudy) it should contribute as much as a north facing panel. That’s assuming 5-30 degrees incline on the south facing roof in Melbourne. As you go further north from Melbourne, the option of installing on the south gives better and better results.
Seriously, there will be better return on inveestment installing a 5kw Chinese system having south Faced panels, than a fully German solar system with panels facing North for 3 times the price.
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