Can You Put Solar Panels on a North-Facing Commercial Roof?
- Daniel O'Malley
- Nov 24
- 3 min read
If your main roof is north-facing, it’s easy to assume solar is off the table.
“We’d love to do solar, but our building faces the wrong way…”
Yes, south-facing roofs generally see the most direct sunlight in the UK – but that doesn’t mean a north-facing commercial building is excluded from the benefits of solar at all. The reality is more nuanced, and our Pink Group Holdings project in Gorleston is proof!
Does a North-Facing Roof Rule Out Solar?
Short answer: no, it doesn’t.
On the Pink Group case study, we explain that while south-facing panels usually receive the most light, east- and west-facing installations also perform well, especially in diffuse light. We model performance using precise meteorological data and factor in any shading from nearby buildings, trees or the landscape to give realistic forecasts.
Those same design principles can be applied to north-facing roofs:
We look at your roof pitch and layout, not just the compass direction.
We use site-specific data rather than generic rules of thumb.
We design the system around how your building actually uses power across the day.
Orientation matters, but it’s only one part of the picture.
Case Study – Pink Group’s North-Facing Commercial Rooftop
Our Pink Group Holdings installation in Gorleston is a great example of making a predominantly north-facing commercial roof work hard.
System snapshot:
43.12 kWp commercial rooftop solar array
98 Jinko Tiger Neo 440 W N-type all-black mono panels collecting the light
SolarEdge 33 kW 3-phase and Fox ESS AC3 10 kW 3-phase inverters converting it into usable power
A Fox ESS lithium battery adding storage and supporting a safe grid connection
Despite the roof orientation, the system is designed to deliver strong long-term reductions in grid demand and support Pink Group’s wider sustainability goals. The case study highlights a rapid payback period and significant lifetime energy-cost savings over 25 years – all from a building that isn’t perfectly south-facing.
The takeaway: orientation didn’t stop this project from stacking up.
What Really Matters on a North-Facing Commercial Building
If you’re thinking about solar on a north-facing site, these are the big questions:
Roof shape and pitch Shallow, commercial-style roofs with good, uninterrupted areas are ideal for carefully planned layouts.
Your daytime electricity use The more you use during working hours, the more value you can get from on-site generation, even if the roof isn’t perfectly aligned.
Good design and honest modelling Using accurate local data and realistic assumptions up front gives you a clear view of performance before you commit.
FAQs – Can you put solar panels on a north facing commercial roof?
Can you put solar panels on a north-facing commercial roof?
Yes. Orientation on its own does not rule out solar. With proper design and modelling, a north-facing commercial roof can still support a highly effective system, as shown by the Pink Group Holdings project.
Are north-facing solar panels worth it for UK businesses?
They can be, particularly where you have a suitable roof and consistent daytime demand. The key is whether the system can meaningfully reduce your imported kWh over its lifetime, not whether the roof faces textbook south.
How efficient are solar panels on a north-facing building?
Panel-for-panel, you may see lower generation than a perfect south-facing array, but in real business terms – total savings, carbon reduction and long-term resilience – a well-designed north-facing system can still deliver a very strong result.
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