If the angle is too shallow or too steep, your panels won't perform at their best. Even small variations can lead to measurable differences in annual energy production. For many households, that difference adds up to real savings or losses on utility bills over time. ' Solar panel orientation is the side of the roof that the module faces. So a tilt, or nearly the entire tilt, and orientation dictate how much sun the panels will 'see' or collect. The single most important consideration affecting the ideal solar panel angle is the latitude of your location on Earth. So, How Much Does Angle *Really* Affect Efficiency? Factors Beyond Tilt: What Else. To maximize a solar array's output, the optimal pv azimuth and tilt angle must be evaluated with both baseline rules and site-specific modeling. Generally, in the Northern Hemisphere, a common baseline for array azimuth is 180° (true south), and a common rule of thumb for a fixed-tilt system is to. For a photovoltaic system facing south, a maximum of energy can be produced at an angle between 22.