A south-facing roof near Truro generates about 1,053 kWh per kWp a year on the EU's PVGIS model, and every unit you use saves 26.58p at the South Western England price cap rate. A typical 4.5kWp system would make about 4,738 kWh a year.
Tell us about your home once and we match you with MCS-certified installers covering your postcode. No cost and no obligation.
Get a Solar Quote →How much electricity solar panels make in Cornwall
A south-facing 1kWp system at 35 degrees in Truro generates about 1,053 kWh a year, according to the EU's PVGIS model. That ranks 4 of the 20 areas we cover, which run from 850 kWh in Glasgow to 1,119 kWh in Dorset. East and west roofs still work, at roughly a fifth less.
| Roof direction (35° pitch) | Per kWp a year | June | December |
|---|---|---|---|
| South-facing | 1,053 kWh | 127 kWh | 34 kWh |
| East-facing | 833 kWh | 118 kWh | 16 kWh |
| West-facing | 854 kWh | 123 kWh | 16 kWh |
PVGIS is a modelled figure for an unshaded roof with 14% system losses, and it runs higher than the MCS method installers must use for your written estimate, which gives roughly 800 to 950 kWh per kWp for a well-oriented UK roof. Use PVGIS to compare places and the installer's MCS estimate to plan your budget. Our guides to which direction panels should face and how much electricity solar panels produce go further.
What that electricity is worth in Cornwall
Every unit you use yourself saves 26.58p, the Ofgem price cap rate for direct debit customers in the South Western England region from 1 October to 31 December 2026. The Great Britain average is 26.32p. Every unit you export earns whatever your Smart Export Guarantee tariff pays, which the Energy Saving Trust puts at around 12p typically.
Take the Energy Saving Trust's typical 4.5kWp home system. On the PVGIS figure for Cornwall it would generate about 4,738 kWh a year. If you used all of it, that would be worth about £1,259. If you exported all of it, about £569. Real homes sit between the two, and a battery or daytime use pushes you towards the higher figure. The Energy Saving Trust prices that typical system at around £7,600. See our solar panel cost guide and current export rates.
The UK's solar capital
Cornwall had 34,740 solar installations at the end of 2025, the most of any UK local authority. That is about 139 per 1,000 households by our count from the government's local authority table, roughly double the UK average of about 69, with 683 MW of capacity installed. Somerset was second, with 28,561. Cornwall Council itself says 15% of Cornish households already have a certified renewable installation of some kind.
The wider South West added 17,539 installations in 2026 up to July, taking it to 271,400 and second place among UK regions, according to government figures. West-facing roofs do particularly well here: PVGIS puts a west-facing Cornish roof at about 854 kWh per kWp a year, slightly more than a south-facing roof in Glasgow.
Off the gas grid: why solar matters more in Cornwall
About 35,000 Cornish homes, 14% of households, are not on mains gas and heat with oil or LPG, according to Cornwall Council. Many are rural and more than 100 years old. The council also says Cornish housing is less energy efficient than the South West and UK averages.
For an off-gas home, solar on its own cuts the electricity bill. Paired with a heat pump it can also cover part of your heating, which is where off-gas homes gain the most. Our guide to heat pump costs covers the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Grants and loans in Cornwall
Cornwall Council's Warm Homes: Local Grant includes solar panels as a possible upgrade, but the council says there is a long waiting list. It says its three-year allocation from 2025 was less than expected, and applicants register through GOV.UK.
The council also works with Lendology, a community interest company, on Home Improvement Loans for energy-saving upgrades. They are aimed at homeowners who cannot get mainstream lending, are in fuel poverty, have children under 16 or have long-term health conditions, and are not open to holiday lets or second homes. Our guide to solar panel grants in the UK covers the national schemes.
Planning in Cornwall: National Landscape, World Heritage and Article 4
Cornwall Council says that although some Cornish conservation areas have Article 4 Directions, none of them remove permitted development rights for solar panels. Listed buildings need planning permission and listed building consent, and the council offers a planning constraint checker map. It also says building regulations approval is needed to put panels on a roof, because the roof's strength has to be assessed for the extra weight. Your installer should handle this.
Cornwall National Landscape covers about 27% of the county in 12 separate sections, and the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site covers 19,710 hectares across ten areas, with its own pre-application advice service. Our guide to permitted development for solar panels has the national rules.
Your network operator in Cornwall
Cornwall's network is run by National Grid Electricity Distribution, formerly Western Power Distribution, and notification must reach it within 28 days of your system being commissioned. Most home systems use the G98 fit-and-notify route, which National Grid says takes about 10 to 15 minutes online. See our G98 and G99 guide. Also in the South West, see our guide to solar panels in Bristol, or compare solar panels in Kent.
Getting solar quotes in Cornwall
Get at least three written quotes from MCS-certified installers, each with a performance estimate for your roof and a full breakdown of what is supplied. That is the Renewable Energy Consumer Code's advice. Never pay more than 25% up front, and walk away from anyone offering a discount to sign on the day. Our guide to choosing a solar installer covers what to check.
Tell us about your home once and get quotes from MCS-certified installers covering Cornwall.
Get a Solar Quote →Solar panels in Cornwall: frequently asked questions
Are solar panels worth it in Cornwall?
For most houses, yes. A south-facing Cornish roof generates about 1,053 kWh per kWp a year on the PVGIS model, west-facing roofs do better here than anywhere else we cover, and every unit you use saves 26.58p at the South Western England price cap rate for October to December 2026.
Does Cornwall have the most solar panels in the UK?
Yes, by council area. Cornwall had 34,740 solar installations at the end of 2025, the most of any UK local authority, and about 139 per 1,000 households, roughly double the UK average, by our count from the government's local authority data.
Is there a solar grant in Cornwall?
Cornwall Council's Warm Homes: Local Grant can include solar panels, but the council says there is a long waiting list. It also works with Lendology on Home Improvement Loans for eligible homeowners, which are not available for holiday lets or second homes.
Do I need planning permission for solar panels in Cornwall?
Usually not for rooftop panels on a house. Cornwall Council says none of its Article 4 Directions remove permitted development rights for solar. Listed buildings need planning permission and listed building consent, and the council says building regulations approval is needed for panels on a roof.
Who is the network operator for solar in Cornwall?
National Grid Electricity Distribution. Notification of a home solar system must reach it within 28 days of commissioning, normally through its online G98 form.
Sources for this page
Local sources checked on 10 October 2026. Solar yields: PVGIS 5.2, EU Joint Research Centre, modelled 10 October 2026. Electricity prices: Ofgem price cap by region. System cost and export rate: Energy Saving Trust. Local sources:
- DESNZ: Renewable electricity by local authority, 2014 to 2025
- DESNZ: first regional solar breakdown, 27 August 2026
- Cornwall Council: alternative fuel support for off-gas homes
- Cornwall Council: housing decarbonisation programme
- Cornwall Council: Green Home Improvement Loans
- Cornwall Council: solar panels and planning permission
- Cornwall National Landscape
- Cornish Mining World Heritage Site: management plan
- National Grid: micro-generation G98 notification