A south-facing roof in Nottingham generates about 978 kWh per kWp a year on the EU's PVGIS model, and every unit you use saves 25.36p at the East Midlands price cap rate, the lowest in Great Britain. A typical 4.5kWp system would make about 4,401 kWh a year.
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A south-facing 1kWp system at 35 degrees in central Nottingham generates about 978 kWh a year, according to the EU's PVGIS model. That ranks 12 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 | 978 kWh | 114 kWh | 34 kWh |
| East-facing | 780 kWh | 109 kWh | 13 kWh |
| West-facing | 761 kWh | 108 kWh | 14 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 Nottingham
Every unit you use yourself saves 25.36p, the Ofgem price cap rate for direct debit customers in the East Midlands 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 Nottingham it would generate about 4,401 kWh a year. If you used all of it, that would be worth about £1,116. If you exported all of it, about £528. 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.
Cheaper electricity changes the maths
The East Midlands has the lowest electricity price cap rate in Great Britain for October to December 2026, at 25.36p per kWh against a national average of 26.32p. Solar saves you the price of each unit you would otherwise buy, so a unit of solar used at home is worth slightly less in Nottingham than in London or Kent.
The gap is about a penny a unit, so it shifts payback by months rather than years. It does make two things more important here: getting a fair installed price, and using as much of your own generation as you can, for example by running appliances in the day or adding a battery. Our guide to whether solar panels are worth it works through the payback maths.
Warm Homes grant in Nottingham: expect a wait
Nottingham City Council's Warm Homes: Local Grant can fund solar panels and batteries, but the council says it is oversubscribed with a waiting list of up to a year. Applications go through Nottingham Energy Partnership. You may qualify with a household income below £36,000 or certain benefits, an EPC rating of D to G, or an eligible postcode. The council aims to support around 400 homes through funding running to 2028.
The city has a long record here. Earlier council schemes fitted measures including solar panels to more than 1,200 private and rented homes, and by 2021 the council had put solar on more than 4,000 social homes since 2012. Nottingham is aiming to be the UK's first carbon neutral city by 2028. Our guide to solar panel grants in the UK covers the national schemes.
How much solar Nottingham has
The government counted 10,500 solar installations in Nottingham at the end of 2025, about 84 per 1,000 households by our count, above the UK average of about 69. That is up from 9,736 a year earlier, and the government warns its 2025 council figures undercount. The council's own programme is a big part of that: it had put solar on more than 4,000 social homes by 2021.
Only 45.1% of Nottingham households own their home, according to the 2021 Census, with 25.5% in social housing and 28.6% renting privately. If you rent, your landlord decides on rooftop panels, and a plug-in solar kit with your landlord's permission may be the realistic option.
Planning and your network operator in Nottingham
Rooftop solar on a Nottingham house is usually permitted development, but check first if you live in one of five conservation areas with Article 4 Directions. Nottingham has 33 conservation areas, and some properties in Canning Circus, New Lenton (Devonshire Promenade and Derby Road), Sneinton, Strelley Village and Waterloo Promenade are covered by Article 4 Directions that remove some permitted development rights. See our guide to permitted development for solar panels.
Nottingham is on National Grid Electricity Distribution's East Midlands network, and notification must reach it within 28 days of commissioning. See our G98 and G99 guide. Compare with solar panels in Sheffield or solar panels in Manchester.
Getting solar quotes in Nottingham
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 Nottingham.
Get a Solar Quote →Solar panels in Nottingham: frequently asked questions
Are solar panels worth it in Nottingham?
For a house with a reasonable roof, usually yes. Nottingham generates about 978 kWh per kWp a year on the PVGIS model. Electricity in the East Midlands is the cheapest in Great Britain under the October to December 2026 price cap, at 25.36p per kWh, which lengthens payback slightly compared with the south.
Is there a solar panel grant in Nottingham?
Nottingham City Council's Warm Homes: Local Grant can fund solar panels and batteries for eligible households, applied for through Nottingham Energy Partnership. The council says it is oversubscribed with a waiting list of up to a year.
Do I need planning permission for solar panels in Nottingham?
Usually not for rooftop panels on a house. Some properties in the Canning Circus, New Lenton, Sneinton, Strelley Village and Waterloo Promenade conservation areas are covered by Article 4 Directions, so check with the council before fitting panels there.
Who is the network operator for solar in Nottingham?
National Grid Electricity Distribution, East Midlands. Notification of a home solar system must reach it within 28 days of commissioning.
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:
- Nottingham City Council: greener housing
- Nottingham City Council: conservation areas and listed buildings
- My Nottingham News: free solar energy for over 600 city homes (2021)
- DESNZ: Renewable electricity by local authority, 2014 to 2025
- Nomis: Census 2021 tenure
- National Grid: distribution area search