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Solar panels in Yorkshire Solar panel installers for all of Yorkshire
If you own a home in Yorkshire and you're weighing up solar panels, this page covers what they cost, the grants and planning rules where you live, and how we fit them. Our office in Retford is a few miles south of the border: Doncaster is 16 miles away and Sheffield 22. We install solar panels and batteries in all four parts of the county, from Barnsley to Beverley and from Huddersfield to York.
0% depositNothing to pay when you sign
South, West, North and East Yorkshire
or call 0333 577 6576Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Where we install in Yorkshire
Distances are straight-line miles from our Retford office. Each place has its own page with local planning notes.
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16 to 27 miles
South Yorkshire
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34 to 47 miles
West Yorkshire
- Wakefieldabout 34 miles
- Leedsabout 41 miles
- Huddersfieldabout 41 miles
- Bradfordabout 47 miles
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38 to 52 miles
East Yorkshire and North Yorkshire
Wherever you are in the county, the service is the same. James puts your proposal together, and our scaffolders, roofers and electricians fit your system.
Solar panels on Yorkshire homes
Yorkshire's semis and detached houses usually have the roof space for solar panels. In the 2021 Census, semi-detached houses were the most common type of home in Rotherham (49% of households) and Barnsley (46%), and 35% of homes in the East Riding were detached, against 23% across England. Kirklees has more terraced houses than most places, at 32% against 23% across England, and in Sheffield about one household in five lives in a flat.
As a rough guide, the Energy Saving Trust says a mid-terrace fits about 4 panels, an end-terrace or semi about 8, a small detached house about 12 and a large one about 16. The right size of solar panel system for you depends on your roof and your energy usage, so we work it out at your consultation. Our guide to how many solar panels you need shows the sums.
- Mid-terraceabout 4 panels
- End-terrace or semiabout 8 panels
- Small detached houseabout 12 panels
- Large detached houseabout 16 panels
Which way your roof faces
A south facing roof generates the most. Which? says east- or west-facing roofs produce about 15% less, north-facing roofs about 30% less, and heavy shading can cut output by up to half. If your roof faces east and west, panels can go on both slopes, which spreads generation across the day.
- East or west
- about 15% less
- North
- about 30% less
- Heavy shading
- up to half
Is Yorkshire sunny enough for solar PV?
Yes. Which? says the south of the UK gets about 20% more solar energy than the far north, but government figures for small home systems don't show a simple north-south divide. In 2024/25 the North East was one of the three regions with the highest average output, and London had the lowest. Panels still generate on cloudy days, just less, and they don't need heat: manufacturers' datasheets show a typical panel losing about 0.25% to 0.3% of its output for each degree it warms up. Based on national solar output in 2024, a dull year, and 2025, a sunny one, a 4 kWp system would make roughly 3,200 to 3,900 kWh a year. Winter is the weak season: small systems produced about a third as much from October to December 2024 as they had from April to June. Our winter guide has the detail.
What solar panel installation costs in Yorkshire
The upfront cost is the big number. The Energy Saving Trust puts the average home solar panel system, about 4.5 kWp and without a battery, at around £7,600 to install. Our solar and battery systems start from £7,500 fully installed (10 panels, a Fox ESS battery and scaffolding to one side), or from £4,995 for solar panels on their own, and after a free consultation you get a written quote with the full price and no hidden fees. Panels and batteries for homes are 0% VAT until 31 March 2027, when the rate goes back to 5%. Our solar panel cost guide breaks prices down by system size.
26.32pa unit, October to December 2026
Cutting your energy costs
When you make your own electricity, every unit you use is one you don't buy from the grid, which is how solar panels cut energy bills. Rising energy costs make each unit worth more: a typical bill under the price cap rose by 4% on 1 October 2026, and from October to December a unit of electricity costs 26.32p on average. MoneySavingExpert, using Energy Saving Trust figures, puts the saving on electricity bills from a 4.5 kWp system at £190 to £330 a year, before export payments. With export payments included, the Energy Saving Trust estimates payback at about 10 to 11 years for a home in Manchester, the nearest place to Yorkshire in its table. It also estimates that a home system cuts carbon emissions by around one tonne a year.
- Average 4.5 kWp solar panel system, no battery, Energy Saving Trust
- £7,600
- Off electricity bills a year, 4.5 kWp, before export payments, MoneySavingExpert
- £190 to £330
- VAT on home panels and batteries until 31 March 2027
- 0%
1p to 25pa unit for exports, April 2026
Getting paid for excess solar energy
What you don't use goes to the grid, and the Smart Export Guarantee pays you for it. Which? found rates from 1p to 25p a unit in April 2026, depending on the supplier and the tariff, and the best rates usually mean buying your electricity from the same company. To qualify, a home system needs an installer and installation certified under MCS or an equivalent scheme. Are solar panels worth it? has payback times.
EPCsolar can improve your rating, says Which?
Solar panels and property value
Most estate agents told Which? that solar panels don't typically increase a property's value, but they can make a home easier to sell. Which? also says solar can improve your EPC rating. Our guide on whether solar panels add value has the detail.
Grants and local schemes in Yorkshire
Lower-income households may be able to get solar panels free through the government's Warm Homes: Local Grant, run by councils. When we checked in October 2026, Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley, Leeds, Bradford, Calderdale, Wakefield, York, Hull and the East Riding all had funding. Rotherham and Kirklees weren't on the government's list. The grant can pay for insulation and other energy efficiency measures as well as solar PV, and each council decides what it offers. In Sheffield, applications go through E.ON.
If you don't qualify for a grant, panels and batteries on homes are 0% VAT until 31 March 2027. Our grants guide covers who qualifies.
Solar panels and battery storage systems
Panels make most of their power around the middle of the day, when many homes use the least. Battery storage fixes that mismatch: it keeps the daytime surplus for the evening, so you buy less from the grid. A solar battery can also charge overnight on a cheaper tariff. Which? says the average home uses 8 to 10 kWh of electricity a day, and home batteries are typically 5 to 15 kWh. In its 2024 survey of more than 2,000 solar owners, 43% also had a battery, and MCS recorded about 36,000 battery installations in the first half of 2026.
We fit battery storage systems with new panels, and we can add a solar battery to panels another company fitted. If you install solar panels and a battery together, it can cost less than adding one later, because the installer is already on site. We size the battery to your energy usage, especially in the evening. Our solar customers' reviews mention EcoFlow batteries among those we've installed. The Energy Saving Trust expects a battery to last about 10 to 12 years. Most batteries don't power your home in a power cut unless extra equipment is fitted, so check what any battery you're quoted for can do. See solar battery cost and adding a battery to existing panels.
- of electricity a day, the average home
- 8 to 10 kWh
- Which?
- a typical home battery
- 5 to 15 kWh
- Which?
- of solar owners surveyed also had a battery
- 43%
- Which?, 2024
- battery installations, first half of 2026
- 36,000
- MCS
Planning a heat pump, or an electric car with a home EV charger? Tell us at your consultation. Both raise your electricity use, which changes the right size of system and battery.
Planning permission in Yorkshire
For most homeowners, rooftop solar panels are permitted development, so no planning application is needed. Yorkshire has more than its share of places where extra rules apply:
Three national parks
The Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors each have their own national park authority, which handles planning inside the park. The Peak District also reaches into South and West Yorkshire. National park land counts as "designated land", so panels on a flat roof there need prior approval from the planning authority first.
Saltaire and York
Saltaire, in Bradford, is a World Heritage Site. There, and in conservation areas such as York's historic centre, panels can't go on a wall, balcony or roof enclosure that faces a road, and flat-roof panels need prior approval. Roof slopes facing the road aren't ruled out by that rule, but they need care.
Listed buildings
A listed building always needs listed building consent before solar panels go on. Historic England's advice is that hidden or less prominent roof slopes are generally acceptable, and prominent main slopes generally aren't.
The national rules for houses changed on 27 August 2026. Our planning permission guide has the current limits.
Which council handles your planning
We check the rules for your address before we quote. If an application or prior approval is needed, we'll tell you before you commit to anything.
- South Yorkshire: Sheffield City Council, City of Doncaster Council, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council.
- West Yorkshire: Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Kirklees (Huddersfield and Dewsbury) and Calderdale (Halifax) councils.
- North Yorkshire: North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council, plus the two national park authorities inside the parks.
- East Riding: East Riding of Yorkshire Council (Beverley, Bridlington, Goole) and Hull City Council.
Your electricity network
Northern Powergrid runs the local electricity network across Yorkshire. A home solar PV system with an inverter of up to 3.68 kW on a single-phase supply only needs notifying within 28 days of switch-on, and we do it within 7 working days. Larger systems need Northern Powergrid's approval before they connect, which can take from a couple of days to 90, and a battery counts towards that limit. We handle both as part of every solar panel installation.
- inverter on a single-phase supply: notify only
- 3.68 kW
- for us to notify the network after switch-on (the rules allow 28)
- 7 working days
Solar panel installation, from first call to switch-on
Most homes have their solar panels installed in a day once the scaffolding is up. It usually takes two to three weeks from first call to switch-on. Bigger systems that need network approval can take longer.
A free consultation
By phone or at your home. Tell us how you use electricity and what you'd like from solar. No obligation.
Your written quote
We design your system and send a written quote with the full price and no hidden fees, then talk you through it.
Technical survey
Once you've signed, an independent technical surveyor checks where your panels and cables will go. It's included in your price.
Paperwork and approval
Our office orders your kit and books your date. Systems over 3.68 kW need the network operator's consent first: we apply while your survey is booked, and it can take from a couple of days to 90.
Installation day
Scaffold up, panels on, system wired in and switched on. Most homes are done in a day.
Handover and aftercare
We notify your electricity network, email your handover pack within 7 working days, and stay on hand afterwards.
Choosing an MCS certified solar panel installer
Whoever you ask to install solar panels, check these before you sign:
- MCS certification. MCS is the UK's quality mark for small-scale renewable energy systems. A home system needs an MCS certified (or equivalent) installer and installation to earn Smart Export Guarantee payments. The Warm Homes: Local Grant and the government's Warm Homes Loan Scheme also require an MCS certified installer for solar.
- A consumer code. The Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC) is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, and advises paying a deposit of no more than 25% when you sign. We take no deposit at all.
- A competent person scheme. NAPIT is one of the government-authorised schemes that let electricians self-certify their work under the Building Regulations.
- A written quote and recent reviews. Compare quotes like for like: number of panels, inverter, battery size and warranties.
We're MCS certified and members of RECC and NAPIT. We're family-run with an experienced team: James has been in solar since 2010 and Stephanie, our office manager, since 2013. We're rated 4.8 out of 5 from 36 reviews on Trustpilot. The consultation is free, the written quote comes with no obligation, and we stay on hand after switch-on if you have questions.
Businesses and farms
We fit solar for businesses too, including on farm barns and sheds in rural North Yorkshire and the East Riding.
What our customers say
Rated 5 out of 5 on Trustpilot and Google
From the initial enquiry through to completion, the whole process took only around three weeks…
Rated 5 out of 5 on Trustpilot
Everything is explained in detail so you make the right choice for a system that fits your needs.
Rated 5 out of 5 on Google
We felt looked after, not patronised, and the team were very professional and thorough.
Questions people ask
Do you cover all of Yorkshire?
Yes. We install across South, West and North Yorkshire and the East Riding, from our office just south of the border in Retford. Doncaster and Rotherham are both under 20 miles away.
How much do solar panels cost in Yorkshire?
Our solar and battery systems start from £7,500 fully installed (10 panels, a Fox ESS battery and scaffolding to one side), or from £4,995 for solar panels on their own. The Energy Saving Trust puts the average 4.5 kWp home solar panel system, without a battery, at around £7,600. You get the full price for your solar panel installation in a written quote after a free consultation.
Do I need planning permission for solar panels in Yorkshire?
Usually not, for a house. The exceptions are listed buildings, which always need consent, and extra rules in conservation areas, national parks and Saltaire's World Heritage Site. We check for your address.
Is there a solar panel grant in Yorkshire?
For some lower-income households, yes. When we checked in October 2026, Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley, Leeds, Bradford, Calderdale, Wakefield, York, Hull and the East Riding had Warm Homes: Local Grant funding. Solar PV is one of the measures it can pay for, though each council decides what it offers. The main tests are an EPC of D to G plus one of these: a household income of £36,000 or less, a means-tested benefit, or an address in one of England's most deprived postcodes.
Can you add a battery to solar panels another company fitted?
Yes. We check your existing solar panel system first, then quote for battery storage that works with it. Home batteries are 0% VAT until 31 March 2027, including ones added to existing panels.
Who is the electricity network operator in Yorkshire?
Northern Powergrid. We notify it, or apply for its approval, as part of every installation.
Sources
Figures and rules on this page were checked on 11 October 2026. Schemes, tariffs and prices change, so check the latest before you decide.
- legislation.gov.uk: General Permitted Development Order 2015, Schedule 2, Part 14, up to date to 9 October 2026
- legislation.gov.uk: S.I. 2026/896, solar permitted development changes, in force 27 August 2026
- Historic England: Advice Note 18, adapting historic buildings for energy and carbon efficiency, July 2024
- legislation.gov.uk: Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, section 7, up to date to 5 October 2026
- ONS: Census 2021, accommodation type (TS044), Barnsley, Rotherham and East Riding of Yorkshire, 2021 census
- ONS: Census 2021, accommodation type (TS044), Sheffield and Kirklees, 2021 census
- ONS: Census 2021, accommodation type (TS044), 2021 census
- Energy Saving Trust: Rooftop solar panel installation, updated 1 October 2026
- Which?: Solar panels buying advice, 12 August 2026
- DESNZ: Feed-in Tariff load factor analysis 2024/25, 18 December 2025
- Energy Saving Trust: Solar power fact check, updated 13 August 2026
- Energy Saving Trust: Solar panels, costs, savings and benefits, updated 1 October 2026
- Ofgem: Energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026, 26 August 2026
- Ofgem: Energy price cap will rise by 4% from October 2026, 26 August 2026
- MoneySavingExpert: Solar panels, are they worth it?, updated 28 September 2026
- Which?: Smart Export Guarantee rates, the best and worst tariffs, 24 April 2026
- Ofgem: SEG guidance for generators, December 2019, still current
- GOV.UK: Warm Homes: Local Grant, successful local authorities, updated 2 July 2026
- Warm Homes Sheffield: Warm Homes Local Grant, checked 11 October 2026
- HMRC: VAT on energy-saving materials and heating equipment (Notice 708/6), zero rate runs to 31 March 2027
- Which?: Solar panel battery storage, 15 May 2026
- Energy Saving Trust: Battery storage, updated 6 October 2026
- Which?: Do solar panels add value to your home?, 13 April 2026
- Which?: Should you get solar panels?, 3 July 2024
- DESNZ: Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2026, chapter 6 (renewables), 2026
- Trina Solar: Vertex S+ NEG9R.28 datasheet, 2026
- REC: Alpha Pure-RX datasheet, August 2024
- GOV.UK: Warm Homes: Local Grant policy guidance, July 2026
- GOV.UK: Warm Homes Loan Scheme rules, September 2026
- Northern Powergrid: About us, checked 11 October 2026
- Energy Networks Association: G98 single premises summary guide, checked 11 October 2026
- MCS: Notifying DNOs, updated 14 July 2026
- RECC: Advice for consumers, checked 11 October 2026
- GOV.UK: Competent person schemes, updated 17 September 2026
- MCS: About us, updated 3 August 2026
- MCS: The 2026 Low Carbon Landscape, updated 20 August 2026
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