SolarSimPro

How many panels fit per hectare? Draw the parcel, let the software place them

On a ground-mount site the deciding factor is not area but inter-row spacing. To lay modules out without shading each other you must leave a gap between rows, and that gap changes with latitude, module tilt and the slope of the land. That is why there is no single “X modules per hectare” figure — the parcel's own geometry decides.

Land registry parcel Slope and aspect Instant kWp

What determines how many modules fit?

Row spacing (pitch)

Rows must not shade each other at the winter solstice. The required spacing grows with latitude: the same parcel takes more modules in the south of the country and fewer in the north.

Slope and aspect

A gentle south-facing slope shortens the row spacing; a north-facing slope lengthens it. Steep faces may be excluded from the layout entirely.

Parcel shape

On a long, narrow parcel the rows do not meet the edges cleanly and leftover strips appear. A square parcel takes more modules for the same area.

Mounting table configuration

The row × module configuration (3×26, for example) sets both the module count and the mounting cost. Change the configuration and the layout is rebuilt from scratch.

Why there is no single “X modules per hectare” figure

A hectare is 10,000 m². Divide by module area and you get roughly 4,500 modules. In practice a hectare usually takes 1,200-1,800; the whole difference comes from inter-row spacing.

That gap is not fixed: latitude, module tilt, table height and ground slope set it together. Changing the shading loss you are willing to accept moves the number directly as well.

More modules, or more yield?

Shorten the row spacing and more modules fit, but the rows shade each other and yield per module falls. Total yield rises up to a point, then begins to decline.

That call cannot be made by guesswork. The software shows both ends at once: as you tighten the layout, module count, shading loss and annual yield all update together.

The measurements that set the module count

How do you find out how many panels fit on a site?

The number comes from the parcel's own geometry and the layout.

  1. Fetch the parcelImport the site boundary from KML/KMZ, DXF or CSV, or draw it on the map.
  2. Analyse the terrainSlope, aspect and contours are extracted, and the parts unsuitable for layout become visible.
  3. Choose the table and tiltModule tilt, table height and the row × module configuration are set.
  4. Generate the layoutRow spacing is set from the shading calculation; the module count and total kWp appear.
  5. See yield and feasibilityAnnual yield net of shading loss, and the feasibility, are produced from the same model.

Frequently asked questions

How many panels fit on one hectare?

On most sites it works out at 1,200-1,800 modules, which is roughly 700 kWp to 1.1 MWp. The range is wide because of inter-row spacing: latitude, module tilt and slope set that distance. The exact number only comes from generating a layout on the parcel's own geometry.

How much capacity fits on five hectares?

Expect roughly 3.5 MWp to 5.5 MWp. Parcel shape and slope decide where in that range you land; a narrow, sloping parcel sits near the lower bound.

What happens if I shorten the row spacing?

More modules fit, but the rows shade each other and yield per module falls. The software shows the trade-off: module count, shading loss and total yield update together.

Can a layout be built on sloping ground?

It can. The tables follow the ground elevation and sit at their true levels in the 3D output. Steep faces can be excluded from the layout.

Draw your parcel, see the number

It is minutes from a parcel lookup to a module count. Runs in the browser, no installation.

Related guides