The complete guide to solar panels in Yorkshire

✔ Homes with solar panels in Yorkshire typically break even in 15 years

✔ Solar panels cut the average Yorkshire home’s electricity bills by 70%

✔ More than 112,000 homes have installed solar panels in Yorkshire so far

The cost of solar panels is dropping, which means this could be the perfect time for anyone in Yorkshire who wants to reduce their electricity bills for decades to come.

The typical three-bedroom household in Yorkshire will save £469 per year by getting solar panels, allowing you to break even in 15 years and enjoy totally free electricity for the next decade or two.

In this guide, we’ll explain how much solar panels cost in Yorkshire, whether the weather affects them positively or negatively, and which government grants are available to you.

If you want to get your own panels, you can compare solar panel prices with our help. Just provide a few quick details, and our expert installers will be in touch with free quotes for you to compare.

Are solar panels worth getting in Yorkshire?

Solar panels are absolutely worth getting in Yorkshire.

The average three-bedroom home in Yorkshire will cut its electricity bills by 70% with solar panels on its roof.

For the typical household, this means cutting your electricity bills by £469 per year.

You’ll break even in 13.5 years, on average, and since solar panels now typically last at least 25 years, you’ll make an average net profit of £4,682.

Solar panels will also help you to reduce your dependence on the electricity grid – and if you choose to get a solar battery, your panels can even keep supplying you with electricity during a power cut.

Just ask your installer to add this capability, and you’ll be protected against the power going out while also helping the environment.

Speaking of which, solar panels in Yorkshire will typically shrink your carbon footprint by 0.47 tonnes of CO2 per year, and multiple studies show your solar panel purchase will make your neighbours more likely to go solar too – increasing your green impact.

How much do solar panels cost in Yorkshire?

Solar panels typically cost £705 per panel to buy and install in Yorkshire.

For this price, you’ll usually receive a 350-watt (W) solar panel. To get the 3.5 kWp system we recommend for an average three-bedroom household in Yorkshire, you’ll need 10 panels for an overall cost of £7,050.

A smaller home needing six panels will pay £4,230 on average, while a bigger house that requires 14 panels will typically pay £9,870.

To discover how much you’ll pay, check out our guide to solar panel costs.

Do solar panels work in Yorkshire weather?

Solar panels work excellently in Yorkshire weather.

This beautiful part of the country receives slightly less sunshine than the UK average, but still gets more than enough for you to massively reduce your electricity bills.

And as a bonus, Yorkshire’s mild climate guards your solar panel system against overheating, which is the primary reason for reduced solar output in the UK.

And don’t worry about rain – solar panels do generate the most electricity under clear, sunny skies, but they still produce plenty of energy when it’s pouring. A downfall even helps to clear your panels of dirt and debris, making them more effective.

How many people have solar panels in Yorkshire?

112,723 homes in Yorkshire have Microgeneration Certification Scheme-certified solar panels, according to the body.

Across the county’s 15 unitary authorities, that means at least 5.1% of all Yorkshire homes have gone solar, which is just above the UK average of 5%.

And since this figure only includes MCS-certified solar installations, the actual number of solar homes in Yorkshire is almost certainly much higher.

Government grants for solar panels in Yorkshire

You can access two government grants for solar panels in Yorkshire: the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme and the Home Upgrade Grant.

Here’s what you need to know to figure out if you qualify for these grants, and how to take advantage of them.

ECO4

The government’s ECO4 scheme compels large energy suppliers to fund the installation of domestic improvements like solar panels in underprivileged households.

If your home’s heating system is fuelled by electricity, you may be eligible for free solar panels, as long as you tick off any of the following criteria:

• Your total household income is less than £31,000 per year
• You were referred to ECO4 by your doctor, energy supplier, or local authority
• You receive any of a list of specific government benefits

You might also be eligible for free insulation through ECO4, as your property must be well-insulated before you’re allowed to get free or subsidised solar panels.

To begin benefiting from ECO4, just get in touch with your energy supplier or local authority.

LA Flex

If you’re not eligible for ECO4 assistance through the routes outlined above, you may still qualify for a different part of ECO4: the Local Authority Flexible Eligibility initiative, also known as LA Flex.

LA Flex enables local authorities like City of Doncaster Council to assist low-income, vulnerable, and energy-inefficient households that don’t meet the benefits criteria for ECO4.

A staggering 46.1% of fuel-poor households match this description, according to government data.

This initiative can get you hugely subsidised or free solar panels, like the main ECO4 scheme.

In Yorkshire, LA Flex is being managed by local councils. Contact yours to see if you could benefit from the national scheme, which has £500 million of funding to use each year.

Home Upgrade Grant

45 local authorities in England including City of York Council, Leeds City Council, North Yorkshire County Council, Sheffield City Council, and Wakefield Council can give residents grants of up to £10,000 for improvements including solar panels.

Hundreds of millions of pounds has been allocated to the Home Upgrade Grant scheme, funding it until March 2025.

To be eligible for a grant, your household has to:

• Be disconnected from the gas grid
• Earn less than £31,000 in total gross annual income (usually)
• Possess an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E, F, or G

Yorkshire councils have more than £37 million to hand out between them, so if you fulfil these criteria, we’d massively encourage you to apply.

Around a quarter of the grants given out through the Home Upgrade Grant so far have been for solar panels.

Local authorities have covered 87% of the cost of panels, overall – and in many cases, they cover the full cost.

The scheme also offers grants for double glazing, heating controls, heat pumps, insulation, and solar thermal panels.

Next steps

The next step is to look at your annual electricity usage and your roof, then work out how many solar panels you need – and how dramatically it could cut your energy bills.

Then you should get multiple solar panel quotes, to make sure you get the best deal possible for your home.

You can kick-start this process with our free comparison tool. Just fill in a few details and our trusted suppliers will get in touch with free quotes.

Solar panels in Yorkshire: FAQs