The angle you put your solar panel at really changes how much power it makes over its life. Solar panels make power at all sorts of angles, but getting the tilt just right helps pull in the most sunlight, get more juice, and pay off your solar faster.

Usually, the best angle to mount a solar panel lines up with where you are on the globe. A good rule is to tilt the panel about the same as your latitude. So, if you're at 30° latitude, tilting the panel around 30° helps it soak up lots of sun all year. This balances how the sun moves during the year and keeps your energy coming steady.

But, the best angle can move around based on what you want to get out of your setup. If you want the most power all year, match the tilt to your latitude. If you want more power in the winter, tilt the panels a bit steeper to grab the lower winter sun. If you want more power in the summer, use a flatter angle to grab more from the long summer days. This is key for businesses that need more or less power at different times of the year.

Your roof also calls some shots on the angle. Slanted roofs already set the panel angle, which is often close to good enough, so you don't need extra adjustments. Flat roofs, though, do require extra frames to get the panel at the right angle. These frames are made strong to hold the angle and not get blown away.

If you put your panels on the ground, you have even more say in the angle. Since you're not stuck with a roof, you can set the tilt and direction just right. That’s a reason why you see this setup a lot in solar farms. Changing the tilt by season can boost how well it works, especially in certain climates.

The frame holding the panel is key to getting the angle right and keeping it there. Good frames have to hold the panels steady at the right tilt and stand up to wind, snow, and weather for years. The guys at SIC Solar make these frames for all sorts of setups. Good frames make sure your angle stays put for decades.

Space between rows of panels matters too. Steeper angles mean you need more space so they don't block each other's sun, mainly in winter. Set things up right so the panels don't shade each other, which messes with how well everything works.

So, there's no one-size-fits-all angle for solar panels. It banks on where you are, what type of setup you're using, what you want to get out of it, and how it's all built. If you plan right and use the right setup, you can put your solar panels where they'll give you power for years.