The future of solar doesn't track the sun

Panel orientation and vertical/bifacial designs

• Many argue that as panels get cheap, orientation shifts from “maximum efficiency” to “good enough on any usable surface” (roofs, facades, fences, balcony railings).
• Vertical mounting (often bifacial, N–S rows with faces E/W) is highlighted for: reduced snow and hail issues, less soiling, lower cell temperatures, better winter and shoulder-season production, and more morning/evening output at the cost of less noon peak.
• There’s debate over “north–south” wording; several clarify this usually means panel rows run N–S so faces point E/W.
• Some see solar fences or PV facades as attractive when they replace an existing structure cost (fence, cladding), even with 10–50% efficiency loss from aesthetics or patterns.

Tracking vs fixed arrays

• Multiple commenters with industry experience say single-/dual-axis tracking used to make sense when modules were very expensive; now cheap panels plus high installation/maintenance cost make trackers hard to justify.
• Field experience: motors/gears outdoors require ongoing maintenance; failures that leave panels mis-aimed can wipe out gains.
• Others note trackers can still help where land is scarce, sunlight is highly direct, or for concentrated solar; but trend is strongly toward fixed-tilt or dense E–W layouts.

Grid-scale vs residential economics

• Grid-scale solar is growing faster than rooftop and is optimized for lowest cost per kWh: minimal complexity, dense layouts, almost flat or low-tilt fixed racks.
• Several argue that as panel prices fall, installation and labor dominate, pushing toward simplest possible ground-mounts over “novelty” surfaces.
• Counterpoint: for individual buildings without spare land, rooftop or façade PV is still economically rational because wiring is short and the surface is “free.”

Timing of generation and grid impacts

• Flattening the daily power curve (less sharp noon peak, more 8–10 a.m. and 4–6 p.m.) is seen as increasingly important as solar penetration rises.
• East–west roofs and vertical bifacial rows are praised for smoothing output, even if total annual kWh is lower than optimal south-facing tilt.
• Several note that wholesale prices are already highly time-dependent; future value will come from generation at off-peak-solar times or via storage.

Hail and mechanical protection

• Hail risk is a major argument for tilting/tracking in some regions, but others suggest dedicated hail protection (nets, chain-link, covers) might be cheaper than moving structures.
• There’s disagreement over how effective netting is; some say it’s already common in agriculture and car protection, others doubt its practicality at scale.

Storage, off-grid nuance, and demand behavior

• Hot water tanks are widely endorsed as ultra-cheap “batteries” for midday solar, with some users nearly off-grid for hot water.
• Discussion touches seasonal storage (e.g., iron/iron-oxide for hydrogen), grid-tied batteries, and using buildings as thermal batteries with heat pumps.
• Several contrast high U.S. household consumption and tankless heaters with more efficient European “passive house” practices, arguing lifestyle and building design heavily shape how much solar is “enough.”