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Solar panel output by council

The short answer

981 kWh a year for each kW of panels on a south facing roof in the median UK council, about 3,924 kWh from a 4 kW system
Eastbourne makes the most, 1,136 kWh; the Shetland Islands the least, 752 kWh
Your roof matters more: half of all councils are within 6% of the median, while facing east or west costs about 20%

Updated 25 September 2026. Every figure on this page comes from the European Commission's PVGIS model and official statistics; see where our data comes from.

In the median UK council, each kW of solar panels on a south facing roof makes 981 kWh a year, about 3,924 kWh from a typical 4 kW system. That runs from 1,136 kWh in Eastbourne to 752 kWh in the Shetland Islands.

Output a year for each kW of panels on a clean south facing roof, by council. Shetland is shown in the box.

Under 900 kWh
900 to 950
950 to 1,000
1,000 to 1,050
1,050 kWh or more

Find your council

Search for a council, or hover over the map.

London, enlarged

The sunniest councils

The Sussex coast. Eastbourne makes 1,136 kWh a year for each kW of panels, 16% more than the UK median.

Council	Region	Per kW of panels	A 4 kW system
Eastbourne	South East	1,136 kWh	4,544 kWh
Hastings	South East	1,123 kWh	4,492 kWh
Brighton and Hove	South East	1,121 kWh	4,484 kWh
Lewes	South East	1,121 kWh	4,484 kWh
Worthing	South East	1,121 kWh	4,484 kWh
Arun	South East	1,120 kWh	4,480 kWh
Adur	South East	1,111 kWh	4,444 kWh
Rother	South East	1,110 kWh	4,440 kWh
Isle of Wight	South East	1,105 kWh	4,420 kWh
Folkestone and Hythe	South East	1,105 kWh	4,420 kWh

The least sunny councils

The Scottish Highlands and islands. The Shetland Islands make 752 kWh, 23% less than the median, but panels still work there.

Council	Region	Per kW of panels	A 4 kW system
North Lanarkshire	Scotland	827 kWh	3,308 kWh
East Renfrewshire	Scotland	826 kWh	3,304 kWh
Moray	Scotland	826 kWh	3,304 kWh
Inverclyde	Scotland	822 kWh	3,288 kWh
Orkney Islands	Scotland	822 kWh	3,288 kWh
Derry City and Strabane	Northern Ireland	819 kWh	3,276 kWh
Argyll and Bute	Scotland	812 kWh	3,248 kWh
Na h-Eileanan Siar	Scotland	805 kWh	3,220 kWh
Highland	Scotland	787 kWh	3,148 kWh
Shetland Islands	Scotland	752 kWh	3,008 kWh

By region

South East leads and Scotland trails. Each region links to what panels cost and save there.

Region	Average council	Range
South East	1,037 kWh	983 to 1,136 kWh
East of England	1,017 kWh	985 to 1,085 kWh
South West	1,011 kWh	962 to 1,099 kWh
London	996 kWh	980 to 1,016 kWh
East Midlands	963 kWh	849 to 1,015 kWh
Wales	952 kWh	858 to 1,032 kWh
West Midlands	945 kWh	899 to 975 kWh
Yorkshire and the Humber	940 kWh	900 to 982 kWh
North East	925 kWh	915 to 942 kWh
North West	893 kWh	831 to 998 kWh
Northern Ireland	870 kWh	819 to 915 kWh
Scotland	850 kWh	752 to 916 kWh

How much does location matter?

Less than your roof. Half of all councils are within 6% of the median; turning panels from south to east or west costs about 20%.

Shading, roof direction and pitch usually matter more than which council you live in. The solar calculator takes your postcode, roof direction and pitch, and uses regional figures set a little below these to allow for shading and dirt on the panels.

Every council

All 361 councils in the UK, ranked.

Show every council

Council	Region	Per kW of panels	Rank
Aberdeen City	Scotland	890 kWh	306
Aberdeenshire	Scotland	855 kWh	332
Adur	South East	1,111 kWh	7
Amber Valley	East Midlands	942 kWh	237
Angus	Scotland	909 kWh	289
Antrim and Newtownabbey	Northern Ireland	870 kWh	321
Ards and North Down	Northern Ireland	915 kWh	284
Argyll and Bute	Scotland	812 kWh	358
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon	Northern Ireland	880 kWh	314
Arun	South East	1,120 kWh	6
Ashfield	East Midlands	940 kWh	241
Ashford	South East	1,080 kWh	19
Babergh	East of England	1,045 kWh	38
Barking and Dagenham	London	1,014 kWh	72
Barnet	London	988 kWh	168
Barnsley	Yorkshire and the Humber	939 kWh	244
Basildon	East of England	1,037 kWh	41
Basingstoke and Deane	South East	1,001 kWh	100
Bassetlaw	East Midlands	959 kWh	212
Bath and North East Somerset	South West	992 kWh	141
Bedford	East of England	1,002 kWh	97
Belfast	Northern Ireland	893 kWh	304
Bexley	London	1,016 kWh	64
Birmingham	West Midlands	941 kWh	240
Blaby	East Midlands	961 kWh	207
Blackburn with Darwen	North West	858 kWh	329
Blackpool	North West	998 kWh	105
Blaenau Gwent	Wales	921 kWh	273
Bolsover	East Midlands	947 kWh	229
Bolton	North West	875 kWh	317
Boston	East Midlands	1,015 kWh	68
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole	South West	1,085 kWh	15
Bracknell Forest	South East	987 kWh	170
Bradford	Yorkshire and the Humber	903 kWh	296
Braintree	East of England	1,032 kWh	47
Breckland	East of England	998 kWh	108
Brent	London	991 kWh	152
Brentwood	East of England	1,021 kWh	59
Bridgend	Wales	992 kWh	146
Brighton and Hove	South East	1,121 kWh	3
Bristol, City of	South West	994 kWh	129
Broadland	East of England	1,016 kWh	63
Bromley	London	1,007 kWh	88
Bromsgrove	West Midlands	947 kWh	232
Broxbourne	East of England	991 kWh	147
Broxtowe	East Midlands	947 kWh	230
Buckinghamshire	South East	983 kWh	177
Burnley	North West	847 kWh	337
Bury	North West	866 kWh	323
Caerphilly	Wales	947 kWh	233
Calderdale	Yorkshire and the Humber	900 kWh	299
Cambridge	East of England	1,011 kWh	75
Camden	London	989 kWh	165
Cannock Chase	West Midlands	933 kWh	252
Canterbury	South East	1,066 kWh	26
Cardiff	Wales	1,013 kWh	74
Carmarthenshire	Wales	961 kWh	209
Castle Point	East of England	1,041 kWh	39
Causeway Coast and Glens	Northern Ireland	861 kWh	327
Central Bedfordshire	East of England	996 kWh	118
Ceredigion	Wales	904 kWh	295
Charnwood	East Midlands	958 kWh	215
Chelmsford	East of England	1,037 kWh	42
Cheltenham	South West	962 kWh	206
Cherwell	South East	989 kWh	164
Cheshire East	North West	888 kWh	308
Cheshire West and Chester	North West	927 kWh	263
Chesterfield	East Midlands	933 kWh	251
Chichester	South East	1,088 kWh	14
Chorley	North West	881 kWh	312
City of Edinburgh	Scotland	881 kWh	313
City of London	London	980 kWh	183
Clackmannanshire	Scotland	849 kWh	336
Colchester	East of England	1,052 kWh	31
Conwy	Wales	905 kWh	294
Cornwall	South West	1,013 kWh	73
Cotswold	South West	985 kWh	175
County Durham	North East	923 kWh	268
Coventry	West Midlands	961 kWh	208
Crawley	South East	1,009 kWh	80
Croydon	London	992 kWh	144
Cumberland	North West	900 kWh	298
Dacorum	East of England	991 kWh	148
Darlington	North East	915 kWh	282
Dartford	South East	1,022 kWh	58
Denbighshire	Wales	920 kWh	277
Derby	East Midlands	950 kWh	225
Derbyshire Dales	East Midlands	921 kWh	270
Derry City and Strabane	Northern Ireland	819 kWh	357
Doncaster	Yorkshire and the Humber	951 kWh	224
Dorset	South West	1,058 kWh	28
Dover	South East	1,085 kWh	17
Dudley	West Midlands	925 kWh	266
Dumfries and Galloway	Scotland	916 kWh	281
Dundee City	Scotland	909 kWh	290
Ealing	London	993 kWh	138
East Ayrshire	Scotland	847 kWh	339
East Cambridgeshire	East of England	1,008 kWh	83
East Devon	South West	1,031 kWh	49
East Dunbartonshire	Scotland	829 kWh	351
East Hampshire	South East	1,009 kWh	79
East Hertfordshire	East of England	1,004 kWh	94
East Lindsey	East Midlands	1,008 kWh	84
East Lothian	Scotland	909 kWh	288
East Renfrewshire	Scotland	826 kWh	353
East Riding of Yorkshire	Yorkshire and the Humber	981 kWh	179
East Staffordshire	West Midlands	942 kWh	238
East Suffolk	East of England	1,051 kWh	35
Eastbourne	South East	1,136 kWh	1
Eastleigh	South East	1,040 kWh	40
Elmbridge	South East	997 kWh	112
Enfield	London	989 kWh	166
Epping Forest	East of England	1,006 kWh	89
Epsom and Ewell	South East	994 kWh	133
Erewash	East Midlands	948 kWh	228
Exeter	South West	1,025 kWh	56
Falkirk	Scotland	851 kWh	333
Fareham	South East	1,079 kWh	20
Fenland	East of England	1,009 kWh	78
Fermanagh and Omagh	Northern Ireland	832 kWh	348
Fife	Scotland	885 kWh	309
Flintshire	Wales	939 kWh	245
Folkestone and Hythe	South East	1,105 kWh	10
Forest of Dean	South West	978 kWh	184
Fylde	North West	971 kWh	193
Gateshead	North East	921 kWh	272
Gedling	East Midlands	959 kWh	213
Glasgow City	Scotland	834 kWh	346
Gloucester	South West	964 kWh	203
Gosport	South East	1,082 kWh	18
Gravesham	South East	1,028 kWh	52
Great Yarmouth	East of England	1,026 kWh	54
Greenwich	London	1,009 kWh	81
Guildford	South East	991 kWh	150
Gwynedd	Wales	858 kWh	330
Hackney	London	990 kWh	159
Halton	North West	914 kWh	285
Hammersmith and Fulham	London	993 kWh	139
Harborough	East Midlands	980 kWh	182
Haringey	London	990 kWh	160
Harlow	East of England	1,010 kWh	77
Harrow	London	991 kWh	153
Hart	South East	994 kWh	132
Hartlepool	North East	920 kWh	274
Hastings	South East	1,123 kWh	2
Havant	South East	1,092 kWh	12
Havering	London	1,015 kWh	71
Herefordshire, County of	West Midlands	959 kWh	211
Hertsmere	East of England	988 kWh	167
High Peak	East Midlands	849 kWh	335
Highland	Scotland	787 kWh	360
Hillingdon	London	995 kWh	127
Hinckley and Bosworth	East Midlands	963 kWh	205
Horsham	South East	1,054 kWh	30
Hounslow	London	996 kWh	121
Huntingdonshire	East of England	1,007 kWh	87
Hyndburn	North West	856 kWh	331
Inverclyde	Scotland	822 kWh	355
Ipswich	East of England	1,051 kWh	34
Isle of Anglesey	Wales	969 kWh	198
Isle of Wight	South East	1,105 kWh	9
Isles of Scilly	South West	1,099 kWh	11
Islington	London	988 kWh	169
Kensington and Chelsea	London	991 kWh	154
King's Lynn and West Norfolk	East of England	1,005 kWh	91
Kingston upon Hull, City of	Yorkshire and the Humber	972 kWh	190
Kingston upon Thames	London	997 kWh	115
Kirklees	Yorkshire and the Humber	915 kWh	283
Knowsley	North West	921 kWh	271
Lambeth	London	991 kWh	155
Lancaster	North West	882 kWh	311
Leeds	Yorkshire and the Humber	924 kWh	267
Leicester	East Midlands	954 kWh	218
Lewes	South East	1,121 kWh	4
Lewisham	London	998 kWh	109
Lichfield	West Midlands	945 kWh	234
Lincoln	East Midlands	981 kWh	181
Lisburn and Castlereagh	Northern Ireland	895 kWh	302
Liverpool	North West	929 kWh	259
Luton	East of England	995 kWh	123
Maidstone	South East	1,035 kWh	45
Maldon	East of England	1,068 kWh	25
Malvern Hills	West Midlands	971 kWh	196
Manchester	North West	863 kWh	326
Mansfield	East Midlands	947 kWh	231
Medway	South East	1,022 kWh	57
Melton	East Midlands	981 kWh	180
Merthyr Tydfil	Wales	912 kWh	286
Merton	London	997 kWh	116
Mid Devon	South West	994 kWh	131
Mid Suffolk	East of England	1,026 kWh	55
Mid Sussex	South East	1,048 kWh	37
Mid Ulster	Northern Ireland	877 kWh	315
Mid and East Antrim	Northern Ireland	838 kWh	342
Middlesbrough	North East	918 kWh	280
Midlothian	Scotland	877 kWh	316
Milton Keynes	South East	986 kWh	173
Mole Valley	South East	1,004 kWh	93
Monmouthshire	Wales	975 kWh	187
Moray	Scotland	826 kWh	354
Na h-Eileanan Siar	Scotland	805 kWh	359
Neath Port Talbot	Wales	928 kWh	262
New Forest	South East	1,057 kWh	29
Newark and Sherwood	East Midlands	971 kWh	194
Newcastle upon Tyne	North East	928 kWh	261
Newcastle-under-Lyme	West Midlands	905 kWh	293
Newham	London	1,006 kWh	90
Newport	Wales	999 kWh	104
Newry, Mourne and Down	Northern Ireland	889 kWh	307
North Ayrshire	Scotland	873 kWh	318
North Devon	South West	985 kWh	174
North East Derbyshire	East Midlands	934 kWh	250
North East Lincolnshire	Yorkshire and the Humber	982 kWh	178
North Hertfordshire	East of England	996 kWh	119
North Kesteven	East Midlands	995 kWh	125
North Lanarkshire	Scotland	827 kWh	352
North Lincolnshire	Yorkshire and the Humber	953 kWh	220
North Norfolk	East of England	1,019 kWh	60
North Northamptonshire	East Midlands	997 kWh	111
North Somerset	South West	1,015 kWh	66
North Tyneside	North East	933 kWh	253
North Warwickshire	West Midlands	955 kWh	217
North West Leicestershire	East Midlands	955 kWh	216
North Yorkshire	Yorkshire and the Humber	929 kWh	258
Northumberland	North East	920 kWh	275
Norwich	East of England	1,002 kWh	98
Nottingham	East Midlands	948 kWh	227
Nuneaton and Bedworth	West Midlands	960 kWh	210
Oadby and Wigston	East Midlands	969 kWh	197
Oldham	North West	831 kWh	349
Orkney Islands	Scotland	822 kWh	356
Oxford	South East	990 kWh	157
Pembrokeshire	Wales	1,016 kWh	65
Pendle	North West	847 kWh	338
Perth and Kinross	Scotland	864 kWh	325
Peterborough	East of England	1,004 kWh	92
Plymouth	South West	1,073 kWh	23
Portsmouth	South East	1,091 kWh	13
Powys	Wales	908 kWh	291
Preston	North West	893 kWh	303
Reading	South East	992 kWh	142
Redbridge	London	1,009 kWh	82
Redcar and Cleveland	North East	919 kWh	278
Redditch	West Midlands	959 kWh	214
Reigate and Banstead	South East	1,001 kWh	101
Renfrewshire	Scotland	837 kWh	345
Rhondda Cynon Taf	Wales	936 kWh	249
Ribble Valley	North West	864 kWh	324
Richmond upon Thames	London	996 kWh	122
Rochdale	North West	841 kWh	341
Rochford	East of England	1,060 kWh	27
Rossendale	North West	845 kWh	340
Rother	South East	1,110 kWh	8
Rotherham	Yorkshire and the Humber	944 kWh	235
Rugby	West Midlands	975 kWh	186
Runnymede	South East	997 kWh	113
Rushcliffe	East Midlands	964 kWh	204
Rushmoor	South East	992 kWh	143
Rutland	East Midlands	996 kWh	117
Salford	North West	871 kWh	320
Sandwell	West Midlands	933 kWh	254
Scottish Borders	Scotland	870 kWh	322
Sefton	North West	952 kWh	223
Sevenoaks	South East	1,016 kWh	62
Sheffield	Yorkshire and the Humber	922 kWh	269
Shetland Islands	Scotland	752 kWh	361
Shropshire	West Midlands	938 kWh	246
Slough	South East	998 kWh	106
Solihull	West Midlands	950 kWh	226
Somerset	South West	1,007 kWh	86
South Ayrshire	Scotland	873 kWh	319
South Cambridgeshire	East of England	1,011 kWh	76
South Derbyshire	East Midlands	952 kWh	221
South Gloucestershire	South West	986 kWh	172
South Hams	South West	1,077 kWh	22
South Holland	East Midlands	1,015 kWh	69
South Kesteven	East Midlands	998 kWh	107
South Lanarkshire	Scotland	837 kWh	344
South Norfolk	East of England	1,015 kWh	70
South Oxfordshire	South East	990 kWh	158
South Ribble	North West	891 kWh	305
South Staffordshire	West Midlands	931 kWh	256
South Tyneside	North East	942 kWh	239
Southampton	South East	1,035 kWh	43
Southend-on-Sea	East of England	1,051 kWh	32
Southwark	London	993 kWh	140
Spelthorne	South East	1,000 kWh	102
St Albans	East of England	993 kWh	137
St. Helens	North West	911 kWh	287
Stafford	West Midlands	927 kWh	264
Staffordshire Moorlands	West Midlands	902 kWh	297
Stevenage	East of England	997 kWh	114
Stirling	Scotland	833 kWh	347
Stockport	North West	860 kWh	328
Stockton-on-Tees	North East	925 kWh	265
Stoke-on-Trent	West Midlands	899 kWh	300
Stratford-on-Avon	West Midlands	973 kWh	189
Stroud	South West	972 kWh	191
Sunderland	North East	931 kWh	257
Surrey Heath	South East	991 kWh	151
Sutton	London	994 kWh	134
Swale	South East	1,051 kWh	33
Swansea	Wales	990 kWh	162
Swindon	South West	993 kWh	136
Tameside	North West	837 kWh	343
Tamworth	West Midlands	954 kWh	219
Tandridge	South East	1,003 kWh	95
Teignbridge	South West	1,035 kWh	44
Telford and Wrekin	West Midlands	939 kWh	242
Tendring	East of England	1,085 kWh	16
Test Valley	South East	1,015 kWh	67
Tewkesbury	South West	968 kWh	199
Thanet	South East	1,079 kWh	21
Three Rivers	East of England	990 kWh	156
Thurrock	East of England	1,030 kWh	50
Tonbridge and Malling	South East	1,027 kWh	53
Torbay	South West	1,048 kWh	36
Torfaen	Wales	974 kWh	188
Torridge	South West	989 kWh	163
Tower Hamlets	London	992 kWh	145
Trafford	North West	884 kWh	310
Tunbridge Wells	South East	1,035 kWh	46
Uttlesford	East of England	1,017 kWh	61
Vale of Glamorgan	Wales	1,032 kWh	48
Vale of White Horse	South East	1,002 kWh	99
Wakefield	Yorkshire and the Humber	939 kWh	243
Walsall	West Midlands	933 kWh	255
Waltham Forest	London	995 kWh	128
Wandsworth	London	994 kWh	135
Warrington	North West	907 kWh	292
Warwick	West Midlands	971 kWh	195
Watford	East of England	985 kWh	176
Waverley	South East	1,000 kWh	103
Wealden	South East	1,073 kWh	24
Welwyn Hatfield	East of England	995 kWh	126
West Berkshire	South East	995 kWh	124
West Devon	South West	967 kWh	201
West Dunbartonshire	Scotland	830 kWh	350
West Lancashire	North West	920 kWh	276
West Lindsey	East Midlands	972 kWh	192
West Lothian	Scotland	850 kWh	334
West Northamptonshire	East Midlands	987 kWh	171
West Oxfordshire	South East	991 kWh	149
West Suffolk	East of England	1,008 kWh	85
Westminster	London	990 kWh	161
Westmorland and Furness	North West	919 kWh	279
Wigan	North West	895 kWh	301
Wiltshire	South West	1,002 kWh	96
Winchester	South East	1,028 kWh	51
Windsor and Maidenhead	South East	997 kWh	110
Wirral	North West	938 kWh	247
Woking	South East	996 kWh	120
Wokingham	South East	994 kWh	130
Wolverhampton	West Midlands	929 kWh	260
Worcester	West Midlands	968 kWh	200
Worthing	South East	1,121 kWh	5
Wrexham	Wales	937 kWh	248
Wychavon	West Midlands	966 kWh	202
Wyre	North West	978 kWh	185
Wyre Forest	West Midlands	952 kWh	222
York	Yorkshire and the Humber	942 kWh	236

The data behind this table

Modelled with PVGIS 5.3 (European Commission Joint Research Centre), PVGIS-SARAH3 database for 2005 to 2023: 1 kW of crystalline silicon panels, building mounted, facing due south at 35 degrees, 14% system losses, the same settings as the city table on our solar calculator. Each council's figure is the average over up to 8 places where people live: ONS population weighted centres of MSOAs in England and Wales, Scottish Government Intermediate Zone centres in Scotland (weighted by households), and the largest town in each Northern Ireland council. Queried 25 September 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Which part of the UK gets the most solar power?

The south coast of England. Eastbourne tops the table at 1,136 kWh a year for each kW of panels on a south facing roof, followed by Hastings and Brighton and Hove.

Do solar panels work in Scotland?

Yes. A south facing roof in the average Scottish council makes 850 kWh a year for each kW of panels, about 13% less than the UK median of 981 kWh. Payback takes longer; see solar payback in Scotland.

How are these figures worked out?

We ran the European Commission's PVGIS model for up to 8 places where people live in each council, and averaged them: 1 kW of panels facing due south at a 35 degree pitch with 14% losses, on the SARAH3 sunshine record for 2005 to 2023.

Data sources

European Commission Joint Research Centre, PVGIS 5.3, PVGIS-SARAH3 database.
Office for National Statistics, MSOA (December 2021) population weighted centroids, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Scottish Government, Intermediate Zone 2022 centroids, Open Government Licence v3.0.