Which way should a balcony solar panel face?
South is best. East and west each make about 80% of what south does. On a railing, north makes only a third to two-fifths as much. How you mount it matters almost as much: a panel hanging straight up on a railing makes about two-thirds of what the same panel would on a stand tilted toward the south.
Updated October 2026
What each direction makes in a year
800 W kit, no shade. The percentage compares each setup with the best fixed position in that state: facing south on a tilted stand.
| State and mounting | North | East | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California, railing | 272 (21%) | 647 (51%) | 803 (63%) | 647 (51%) |
| California, tilted 35° | 693 (54%) | 1,025 (80%) | 1,278 (100%) | 1,025 (80%) |
| New York, railing | 271 (27%) | 525 (52%) | 669 (67%) | 525 (52%) |
| New York, tilted 35° | 572 (57%) | 808 (81%) | 1,000 (100%) | 808 (81%) |
| Virginia, railing | 281 (25%) | 579 (52%) | 713 (64%) | 579 (52%) |
| Virginia, tilted 35° | 645 (58%) | 911 (81%) | 1,117 (100%) | 911 (81%) |
South: the most power
In the US the sun crosses the southern half of the sky. A south-facing panel sees it longest and most directly. A railing panel facing south does especially well in winter, when the sun is low and shines almost straight at it.
East or west: less power, at useful times
East and west make the same over a year, at different times. East peaks in the morning, west in the late afternoon. On the longest day in California, our model has a west-facing railing panel making about ten times as much after 4 p.m. as an east-facing one. Many California homes are on time-of-use rates with the highest prices from 4 to 9 p.m., so west can be worth more than the totals suggest.
North: rarely worth it
A north-facing railing panel hardly ever sees direct sun. It lives on light from the sky, which is why it still makes about a quarter of the best case. With power at 30¢ or more and a cheap kit, it can pay off slowly. Elsewhere, skip it.
Tilting helps more than you’d think
Tilting a south-facing panel back to about 35° raises yearly output by roughly half. But a tilted panel makes more power at midday than most homes can use, so savings rise less: in California about 1,280 kWh instead of 800, but only about 20% more money. Mounting options.
Shade beats direction
A tree, the balcony above you or a building across the street can cost more than a bad direction. Watch your balcony for a day. If direct sun reaches it for less than a few hours, a kit will disappoint wherever it points.
Common questions
Does a southeast or southwest balcony work?
Very well. In our California model a southeast or southwest railing makes about 98% of what a south-facing one does (787 vs 803 kWh a year for an 800 W kit).
Is east or west better for balcony solar?
Over a year they make the same. West makes its power in the afternoon and early evening, when many people are home and some utilities charge the most, so west is often worth a bit more.
Is a north-facing balcony worth it?
Rarely. It makes about a quarter of the best possible output. Only with very expensive power and a cheap kit does it pay back in reasonable time.
What angle is best?
Facing south, roughly your latitude, about 30–40° in most of the US. A panel straight up on a railing (90°) gives up about a third of that.
Sources
- Production and savings: our calculation method.
- Time-of-use example: JouleIO, Kilowatt Hour Cost by State (California default time-of-use rates, weekday peak 4–9 p.m.).