Founder & Renewable Energy Author, kilowatts.uk
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East- and west-facing arrays can spread solar production across a longer part of the day
East- and west-facing arrays can spread solar production across a longer part of the day.
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East- and west-facing arrays can spread solar production across a longer part of the day. This short Kilowatts UK film is a companion to a real design question, not a sales pitch. The page below restates what the film teaches, then puts it in practical UK-home context so the article still stands if you cannot play the video.
"East- and west-facing arrays can spread solar production across a longer part of the day."
What the film is asking
The episode title is “...”. The premise is simple: East- and west-facing arrays can spread solar production across a longer part of the day. On screen: time accelerating through seasons while a counter climbs. That is the whole point of the film. Two homes can look identical and still need different solar and storage designs if they use electricity at different times of day.
What Mo and RoboMo actually say
The spoken script is short on purpose. Each line is a design point, not filler. Don't solar panels need to face east? RoboMo: No, east and west can produce a longer generation window. Are clouds a problem? RoboMo: No, diffuse daylight can still produce electricity. And what about unused roof space? RoboMo: That can represent decades of forgone generation. Don't solar panels need to face east? RoboMo: No, east and west can produce a longer generation window. Are clouds a problem? RoboMo: No, diffuse daylight can still produce electricity. And what about unused roof space? RoboMo: That can represent decades of forgone generation. Read those lines as engineering, not marketing. The film is teaching you to size the system around measured demand rather than around how the house looks from the street.
Why identical houses can need different systems
A household load profile affects useful array size, battery sizing and expected self-consumption. Solar on the roof makes electricity when there is daylight. A home that uses most of its power while the sun is up can consume a lot of that generation directly. A home that stays quiet all day and then loads the evening — cooking, heating, an EV — needs somewhere to put surplus daylight energy, or it exports it and buys it back later. So the same roof, the same panels and even the same installer quote can still be the wrong design if the demand curve is different. The battery is not a fashion extra. It is how you move daytime generation to the hours when that particular house actually uses power.
How to tell which house you are
You do not guess this from kerb appeal or from a neighbour’s system. In Britain the honest source is your own half-hourly smart meter data: when the house draws power, and how that lines up with daylight. If demand rises with the sun, a larger useful fraction of generation can be used on site. If demand spikes after sunset, storage or a timed overnight charge matters more than adding more panels for their own sake. An EV on the evening house is the same rule again. The roof may stay the same size. The battery, or the decision to charge off-peak, is what changes. Design follows measured demand, not roof size.
A short checklist before you size anything
Pull a year of half-hourly import data if you can, not a single sunny afternoon. Mark when cooking, heating, laundry and any EV charging actually happen. Note whether those hours sit in daylight or after dark. Ask what happens to surplus midday generation: used in the house, stored, or exported. Ask what the house still buys after sunset. Those two numbers tell you more than a brochure array size. Then look at solar, battery and timed charging as one design, not three separate products. The film’s point is that the right mix depends on your load profile. A survey should start there.
Questions the film is answering
Can two identical houses need different solar systems? Yes, if they use electricity at different times. Does an evening-heavy house need a battery more than a daytime-heavy house? Usually yes, because it cannot consume as much generation live. Does adding an EV change the roof? Not necessarily — it more often changes storage or when you charge. How do you know which pattern you have? Your smart meter, not the look of the house. None of that invents a grant, a price or a saving. It is the same teaching as the film: measure the home, then design around that demand.
Video transcript
Mo: Don't solar panels need to face east? RoboMo: No, east and west can produce a longer generation window.
Mo: Are clouds a problem? RoboMo: No, diffuse daylight can still produce electricity.
Mo: And what about unused roof space? RoboMo: That can represent decades of forgone generation. Mo: Don't solar panels need to face east? RoboMo: No, east and west can produce a longer generation window. / Mo: Are clouds a problem? RoboMo: No, diffuse daylight can still produce electricity. / Mo: And what about unused roof space? RoboMo: That can represent decades of forgone generation.
Wrapping up
Watch the short, then look at your own half-hourly data before you treat two similar roofs as the same job. The film is a design lesson, not a product push.
Next step
If you want a second pair of eyes on that data, book a friendly Kilowatts UK survey — no pressure.
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FAQ
Need Help? RoboMo's Got Answers
Can two identical houses really need different solar and battery systems?
Yes. The roof may be the same, but the electricity demand can be very different. A home that uses power during daylight may use more solar directly, while an evening-heavy home may need storage or timed charging to make the system work well.
Which type of home is more likely to benefit from a battery?
A battery is usually more useful where demand is high after sunset. It can store surplus daytime solar for evening use. A home with strong daytime demand may use much of its solar generation live and may need less storage.
How do I know whether my home is daytime-heavy or evening-heavy?
The best starting point is your half-hourly smart meter data. It shows when your home imports electricity and how that pattern changes across the year. A proper design should use measured demand rather than assumptions based on the house size or roof.
Does an electric car mean I need a bigger solar system?
Not necessarily. An EV changes when and how much electricity the household uses, but the roof space may not change. Depending on when you charge, the better answer could be battery storage, daytime charging, or overnight charging on a suitable off-peak tariff.
Should I copy my neighbour’s solar and battery setup if our houses are the same?
No, not without checking your own usage. Your neighbour may work from home, charge an EV at different times, or use heating and appliances differently. Similar houses can have very different load profiles, so the right design may not be the same.
What happens to solar electricity I do not use during the day?
It can be used immediately in the home, stored in a battery if fitted, or exported to the grid. The right design looks at how much surplus you are likely to have and when you would otherwise buy electricity back. This is why timing matters as much as total annual usage.
Can I still plan a system if I do not have half-hourly smart meter data?
You can still start, but the design will rely more on estimates and questions about your routine. Bills, appliance use, working patterns, EV charging habits and heating times can all help. Half-hourly data gives a clearer picture and reduces guesswork.
Is a bigger battery always better for an evening-heavy home?
No. A battery should be sized around realistic surplus generation, evening demand and charging strategy. Too small may not cover much evening use, while too large may sit underused for parts of the year. The aim is a balanced design, not simply the biggest product available.
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