Shading and Spacing

Row Spacing Intro

Row Spacing & Shading

Solar Design Calculator: Calculate minimum row spacing to eliminate inter-row shading for ground-mount and rooftop solar arrays. Uses trigonometric analysis of sun elevation angles on winter solstice (December 21st) to determine shadow length based on panel dimensions, tilt angle, and location latitude. Optimize land use while maintaining shade-free operation during critical hours (9am-3pm) for maximum energy production.

Location
Enter your complete address and select from dropdown
Decimal degrees (auto-populated from address). Negative for Southern Hemisphere.
Panel Configuration
Single panel length
Single panel width
How panels are mounted on rack
Direction panels face (south is optimal)
Number of panels stacked vertically
Panel tilt from horizontal (0 = flat, 90 = vertical)
Shade-Free Window
Critical hours for shade-free operation on winter solstice (Dec 21)

Row Spacing Results

Minimum Row Spacing
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Panel Height at Tilt
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Critical Shadow Length
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Shadow at Noon
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Shadow Analysis by Time (Winter Solstice)
Time
Sun Angle
Shadow Length
Row Spacing
Calculation Details
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About Row Spacing
Row spacing calculations use trigonometry to determine the shadow length cast by tilted solar panels based on sun elevation angles. Winter solstice (December 21st) produces the longest shadows due to the sun's lowest angle, making it the critical design condition. The morning hours (9-10 AM) typically require the largest spacing due to low sun elevation. Proper spacing prevents inter-row shading, which can significantly reduce energy production through module mismatch losses and bypass diode activation.