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Planning · 3 min read

Roof orientation, tilt and shading: getting the most from your roof

By the Genius Solar Services engineering team · Reviewed by Dhirendra Bandil · Updated

Direction

OrientationApprox. annual output vs south
South100%
South-east / south-west~95–98%
East or west (single)~85–90%
East–west split~88–95%
North-facing tiltAvoid

Tilt

A tilt close to Indore's latitude (about 20–23°) maximises annual output; 10–15° is common for elevated structures to reduce wind load with only a small loss. Flat (0°) modules collect dust and lose several percent — always give some tilt.

Finding shade

Walk your roof at 9 am, noon and 4 pm, ideally in December when shadows are longest. Note shadows from:

  • Water tanks and stair headroom (mumty)
  • Parapet walls, especially on the south side
  • Trees, poles, dish antennas
  • Taller neighbouring buildings to the south, east or west

A rule of thumb: an obstacle casts a winter shadow roughly 1.5–2 times its height to the north around mid-morning and mid-afternoon in Indore.

Fixing shade

  1. Move the array to the unshaded part of the roof.
  2. Raise it above the obstacle with an elevated structure — often the cleanest fix.
  3. Split strings across two MPPT inputs so a shaded string doesn't drag down the other.
  4. Trim trees where you're allowed to.

Use our roof suitability check for a quick verdict, then book a free survey for a proper shadow study.

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