Solar Panel Tilt & Shading Calculator

PV-001 · Tilt & Shading Reference

Stop guessing the tilt angle.
Calculate it from your coordinates.

Enter a site’s exact latitude and a target date — get the optimum panel tilt, peak sun hours, and the sun’s path across the array, in seconds.

SAMPLE SITE: 31.23°N, 121.47°E JUN 21, SOLSTICE
Optimum tilt (annual)
31.2°
≈ site latitude
Solar noon altitude
81.4°
sun directly overhead range
Peak sun hours
6.8 h
equivalent full-output hours
Azimuth sweep
61°→299°
sunrise to sunset bearing
Why this matters

Generic tilt charts assume a flat horizon. Your site isn’t flat.

A rooftop array with a parapet wall, a ground-mount system near a tree line, or a carport under a building’s shadow — all need the sun’s actual path on your actual date, not a regional average.

01 — TILT

Optimum angle by latitude & season

Get the fixed-tilt angle for max annual yield, or the two-position seasonal adjustment for summer/winter optimization.

02 — SHADING

Sun path against obstructions

Plot solar altitude and azimuth hour-by-hour to identify exactly when a nearby structure clips array output.

03 — REPORTING

Numbers you can put in a proposal

Peak sun hours, solar noon altitude, and azimuth range — the figures clients and permitting offices actually ask for.

INPUT

Site coordinates + date

Lat/lon from address search or GPS. Any date, past or future.

CALCULATE

Sun Position Calculator

Altitude, azimuth, sunrise/sunset, and solar noon — computed for that exact point on Earth.

OUTPUT

Apply to your design

Read off tilt, peak sun hours, and the shadow window directly.

// Sun Position Calculator — sample output
Location: 31.2304°N, 121.4737°E (Shanghai)
Date: 2026-06-21
Sunrise: 04:46 → Azimuth 060.8°
Solar noon: 11:55 → Altitude 81.4°
Sunset: 19:01 → Azimuth 299.2°
Day length: 14h 15m
Recommended tilt: 31° (fixed, annual optimum)

Run it for your own site coordinates

Free. No signup. Works for any location and date, past or future.

Open Sun Position Calculator →