A south-facing roof in Leeds generates about 947 kWh per kWp a year on the EU's PVGIS model, and every unit you use saves 25.60p at the Yorkshire price cap rate, one of the lower rates in Great Britain. A typical 4.5kWp system would make about 4,262 kWh a year.
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Get a Solar Quote →How much electricity solar panels make in Leeds
A south-facing 1kWp system at 35 degrees in central Leeds generates about 947 kWh a year, according to the EU's PVGIS model. That ranks 16 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 | 947 kWh | 111 kWh | 32 kWh |
| East-facing | 748 kWh | 104 kWh | 12 kWh |
| West-facing | 738 kWh | 104 kWh | 12 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 Leeds
Every unit you use yourself saves 25.60p, the Ofgem price cap rate for direct debit customers in the Yorkshire 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 Leeds it would generate about 4,262 kWh a year. If you used all of it, that would be worth about £1,091. If you exported all of it, about £511. 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.
A city of semi-detached roofs
At the 2021 Census, 37.5% of Leeds households lived in semi-detached houses, against 31.5% across England. Another 25.0% lived in terraced houses and 15.5% in detached houses, while 17.5% lived in purpose-built flats. A semi usually has a whole roof slope of its own, which makes it one of the easiest house types to quote for.
Ownership matters too, because only an owner can agree to an install. In Leeds 57.0% of households own their home, below the England figure of 61.3%, and 21.8% rent privately. If you rent, your landlord has to agree. Our guide to how many solar panels you need helps you size a system for your roof.
Grants and loans in Leeds: both paused
Leeds City Council's Warm Homes: Local Grant can fund solar panels, but it is oversubscribed and closed to new applications, with a review due in April 2027. It is delivered by Sustainable Building Services and Groundwork Yorkshire and runs to March 2028. To qualify, a home must be privately owned or privately rented with an EPC of D to G, and the household must have an income under £36,000, receive income-related benefits, or live in a selected area. The council says fewer than half of the city's private homes had an EPC of C or better in 2021.
The Home Energy West Yorkshire loans, £5,000 to £25,000 over up to 10 years with solar panels included, are also closed, with a next phase planned for later in 2026 and no date confirmed. Home Energy West Yorkshire still gives Leeds households free, impartial advice with the council. See our guide to solar panel grants in the UK for the national schemes.
How much solar Leeds has
The government counted 14,922 solar installations in Leeds at the end of 2025, up from 13,269 a year earlier, about 44 per 1,000 households by our count. That is below the UK average of about 69, and the government warns its 2025 council figures undercount. On its domestic figures for August 2026, Leeds East had the most installations of the city's constituencies (1,993) and Leeds Central and Headingley, where flats and student lets dominate, the fewest (865).
Across Yorkshire and the Humber there were 162,372 solar installations by the end of August 2026, according to the government's regional table.
Planning and your network operator in Leeds
Rooftop solar on a Leeds house is usually permitted development, but Leeds has 80 conservation areas, and the council says some panels in them need planning permission. In England the conservation area restriction applies to panels on a wall facing a road rather than to roof slopes, so check the council's conservation pages if you are in one. Our guide to solar panels in a conservation area explains the rules.
Leeds's network is run by Northern Powergrid. A single home system is notified on G98 Form B, and anything over 3.68kW per phase needs a G99 application. See our G98 and G99 guide, and compare with solar panels in Sheffield or solar panels in Manchester.
Getting solar quotes in Leeds
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 Leeds.
Get a Solar Quote →Solar panels in Leeds: frequently asked questions
Are solar panels worth it in Leeds?
For a house with a suitable roof, usually yes. Leeds generates about 947 kWh per kWp a year on the PVGIS model, and every unit you use saves 25.60p at the Yorkshire price cap rate for October to December 2026.
Is there a solar panel grant in Leeds?
Leeds City Council's Warm Homes: Local Grant can fund solar panels for eligible low-income households in homes rated EPC D to G, but it is closed to new applications, with a review in April 2027. The Home Energy West Yorkshire loans are also closed, with a next phase planned for later in 2026.
Do I need planning permission for solar panels in Leeds?
Usually not for panels on the roof of a house. Leeds has 80 conservation areas where some panels need permission, mainly on walls facing a road, and listed buildings always need consent.
Who is the network operator for solar in Leeds?
Northern Powergrid. A single home system is notified on G98 Form B; larger systems need a G99 application.
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:
- Warm Homes Leeds (Warm Homes: Local Grant)
- Leeds City Council: make your home more energy efficient
- Home Energy West Yorkshire: home energy loans
- Leeds City Council: conservation areas
- Nomis: Census 2021 accommodation type (TS044)
- DESNZ: Renewable electricity by local authority, 2014 to 2025
- DESNZ: Solar photovoltaics deployment (September 2026)
- Northern Powergrid: connections application forms