Why Orientation Matters So Much
The orientation and tilt angle of your solar modules are, along with location, the most important factors for yield. An optimally south-facing module at 30 degrees tilt achieves the maximum annual yield in Germany. But not everyone has a south-facing balcony -- and that is no reason to forgo a balcony solar system.
The difference between optimal south orientation and a west or east orientation is about 20%. This means: even with an east or west balcony, you still achieve 80% of possible yield. At the low acquisition costs of a balcony solar system, this changes the payback period by only 1-2 years.
South Orientation: The Gold Standard
South orientation delivers the highest total yield. The modules receive sunlight from morning to evening, with the highest intensity at midday. In northern Germany (Hamburg, Kiel), an 800-watt system with south orientation and optimal tilt produces about 640-720 kWh per year. In southern Germany (Munich, Stuttgart), it is 750-860 kWh.
The advantage of south orientation: the yield curve has a pronounced maximum around midday. This fits perfectly if you are at home during the day -- for example, working from home or retired. Disadvantage: yield is concentrated in a few hours, leading to more surplus feed-in when nobody is home.
Southwest and Southeast: Almost as Good
Southwest and southeast orientations achieve about 95% of optimal yield -- a negligibly small difference. The big advantage: the yield curve shifts temporally. Southwest modules deliver more electricity in the afternoon and early evening, when many people come home from work and cook, do laundry, or watch television.
Southeast modules are stronger in the morning and complement typical morning consumption (coffee machine, toaster, kettle) ideally. In practice, a slight deviation from south often leads to a higher self-consumption rate, because electricity generation better matches the consumption pattern.
West and East: Still Profitable
Even pure west or east orientations still deliver 80% of optimal yield. For an 800-watt system in central Germany, that is still 550-620 kWh per year. At an electricity price of 35 cents/kWh and 55% self-consumption, this corresponds to annual savings of EUR 107-119.
Payback extends compared to south from 4-5 to 5-6 years -- still an excellent investment. A special advantage of east-west setup: electricity generation is distributed more evenly throughout the day. The east module delivers in the morning, the west module in the evening. This reduces peak feed-in and increases self-consumption.
The Matter of Tilt Angle
The optimal tilt angle in Germany is 30-35 degrees. With balcony mounting (vertical, i.e., 90 degrees), yield drops to about 70% of optimum -- this is the largest yield loss from mounting method. However, vertical mounting also has advantages: in winter, when the sun is low, yield is relatively better than with flat mounting.
Flat roof brackets (tilt 25-35 degrees) achieve nearly full yield and are the most productive solution when possible. Garden installation with adjustable angle offers maximum flexibility.
Two Modules, Different Orientations?
An interesting strategy: with an 800-watt system, mount one module facing east and one facing west. This east-west split delivers slightly less total yield than south, but electricity generation is more evenly distributed throughout the day. Self-consumption typically increases by 5-10 percentage points as a result.
Conclusion: A Balcony Solar System Is Worth It Even Without a South Balcony
The message is clear: only a north orientation is truly problematic (50% yield loss). All other directions -- south, southwest, southeast, west, east -- deliver enough yield to make a balcony solar system economically viable. Payback differences amount to only 1-2 years. Use our calculator to compute the exact yield for your orientation.