UK solar panel hotspots

Installing solar panels is a great way to reduce your electricity costs and your carbon dioxide emissions. Using free, renewable energy from the sun means you’re not paying for electricity from the grid.

With that in mind, we looked at which areas of the UK have the highest density of solar panels.

Jump to solar hotspots in your region:

Why do some areas have more solar panels than others?

Looking at Global Solar Atlas’ map showing photovoltaic (PV) power potential, these five areas have a higher ‘long term PV power potential’. This takes into account factors including:

• amount of sunshine
• shading from nearby terrain
• average air temperature

The top five solar hotspots in the UK are also in areas where at least two-thirds of the population are homeowners.

This is an important factor, since you’re less likely to be able to install solar panels if you’re renting.

It’s no surprise that the areas with the lowest density of domestic solar panels are all in a large urban area like London. These areas have a high proportion of people living in flats compared to the national average. Installing solar panels in flats can be more complicated as it will depend on who owns the roof of the building.

Between two-thirds and three-quarters of those who live in these areas are also renters, which may make solar panels more difficult to get. This is because it’s up to the landlord to make changes to the property and the benefits will go to the tenants who get lower bills.  

If you’re currently renting, speak to your landlord about installing solar panels. Even if it’s not possible, there are still ways you can save energy while renting.

The majority of hotspots in the top 10 are in the south west of England. Given the amount of sunshine this region gets, it’s no surprise.

The other hotspots are dotted around the east of England, which also gets a lot of sunshine.

As with the top UK hotspots, most of these areas have an above average number of homeowners. The only exception is Plymouth, Moor View, where 59% of people own their home.

There’s a lot of potential in the south east of England, given the high ‘PV power potential’ of the area. There are plenty of areas in the sunny south coast that have a high proportion of homeowners, making solar panels a more likely prospect.

*These use parliamentary constituencies from the UK Government.

The Scottish Government offers residents green finance options to help fund home improvements like solar panels. Also, people have access to tailored advice through services like Home Energy Scotland to help them with making these improvements.

The areas in Scotland’s top 10 are clustered around the edges of Scotland, matching the amount of sunlight those areas get. However, solar panels still work well on cloudy days and in areas where it’s less sunny.

For example, while both Stirling and West Aberdeenshire & Kincardine have slightly less ‘PV power potential’, it clearly hasn’t stopped them from making the top of the list.

We can’t get matching data to look at Scotland’s homeownership in the same areas. But places like Stirling are showing you don’t always need to be a homeowner to benefit from solar panels.

In July, a group of social housing flats in St. Ninians was built with energy efficiency and renewable energy in mind. This included solar panels and battery storage.

There’s a band of areas in mid Wales that are in the top 10, which doesn’t correlate with the highest ‘PV power potential’ in Wales. However, these areas have a higher proportion of detached houses compared to areas in north and south Wales. A larger house typically means more space for solar panels, making them a more worthwhile investment.

Except for Clwyd South, these areas also have a high percentage of homeowners, ranging from 64% to 75%.

In Wales, eligible homes can get support to install solar panels as part of a package of improvements with the Welsh Government Warm Homes Nest scheme.

The top areas encircle the coast of Northern Ireland and the border with Eire. The east coast of Northern Ireland has the highest ‘PV power potential’, so it’s interesting that there’s a greater mix of higher density sites elsewhere in the country.

Overall, Northern Ireland has a much lower density of solar panels than other areas of the UK. Only four areas are above the UK average of 179 solar panel installations per 10,000 people.

But this may change. In May 2023, the UK Government introduced a 0% VAT rate on solar panel installations in Northern Ireland. At that point it had already been in England, Scotland and Wales since April 2022. This could help make solar panels a more affordable home improvement for homeowners in Northern Ireland.

Top opportunities for solar panel installations in the UK

What do I do if I want to install solar panels?