Usually you see solar panels on a house facing south, but Arizona Public Service wants to shift panels in order to increase solar energy production when it's needed most.
APS officials are urging customers to install new solar panels facing west, to capture more of the late afternoon sun. The officials explain demand for power in Arizona peaks between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. However, solar energy peaks around noon, and starts to taper off in the late afternoon.
There is a reason installers traditionally preferred to face panels to the south, according to APS Vice President of Resource Management Brad Albert.
"That's the way they can capture the most amount of energy production over the course of the year," Albert said. "That doesn't mean it's the most valuable energy production when you look at providing the most bang for your buck and the most value from solar."
To continue using solar power into the night, customers could install a battery system, but APS says those systems are cost prohibitive for more people.
