Solar panels in Berwick-upon-Tweed, North East
Roofs in Berwick-upon-Tweed get about 882 hours of usable sunlight a year — less than 98% of the cities we've measured. Here's what that means in cost, savings and payback, using real rooftop data rather than a national average.
Check your specific roof in Berwick-upon-Tweed → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Berwick-upon-Tweed solar system costs
A 9-panel system (3.6 kW) is about right for an average Berwick-upon-Tweed home using 2,500 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 2,699 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 2,399 | £5,440 | £411 | 13.2 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 3,599 | £8,160 | £555 | 14.7 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 4,798 | £10,880 | £699 | 15.6 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 5,998 | £13,600 | £843 | 16.1 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 7,797 | £17,680 | £1,059 | 16.7 yrs |
How we worked this out for Berwick-upon-Tweed
Every number on this page comes from these seven steps. Nothing is a national average — the sunlight figure is measured from Berwick-upon-Tweed rooftops.
| # | Step | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | What one panel makes here 400W ÷ 1000 × 882 sun hrs × 0.85 system losses |
300 kWh/yr |
| 2 | Panels needed to cover typical usage 2,500 kWh ÷ 300 kWh per panel |
9 panels |
| 3 | System size 9 panels × 400W |
3.60 kW |
| 4 | Annual production 3.60 kW × 882 hrs × 0.85 |
2,699 kWh/yr |
| 5 | Installed cost 3,600 W × £1.70 per watt (VAT is 0% on UK installs) |
£6,120 |
| 6 | Annual saving 875 kWh used as generated × 26.1p + 1,824 kWh exported × 12p |
£447/yr |
| 7 | Payback £6,120 ÷ £447 per year |
13.7 years |
Step 6 is where most calculators quietly overstate things. Only 32% of what a system this size produces in Berwick-upon-Tweed is used the moment it is generated; the other 1,824 kWh is exported and paid at the Smart Export Guarantee rate, not your import price. Valuing every kWh at the full 26.1p retail rate — which many calculators do — would show a payback of 8.7 years instead of the 13.7 we show. That 5.0-year difference is the single biggest reason our figures look worse than other sites' for Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Assumptions: 400W panels, 15% system losses (inverter, wiring, heat, soiling), £1.70/W installed, 2,500 kWh typical annual household use, 26.1p/kWh electricity. Change any of those and every figure above moves — which is exactly why a single national "solar costs X" number is misleading.
Notice that payback barely improves as systems get bigger, and eventually gets worse. That's because you can only save money on electricity you were going to buy anyway. Once a system covers your usage, extra panels mostly generate exports at a much lower rate.
Why Berwick-upon-Tweed gets 882 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Berwick-upon-Tweed — it already accounts for shading from trees, chimneys and neighbouring buildings, which is why it's lower than the raw "hours of daylight" figures you'll see elsewhere. An unusually open, unshaded roof in Berwick-upon-Tweed reaches about 918 hours, roughly 4% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 882 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 918 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (North East avg) | 26.1p/kWh |
| Installed cost assumed | £1.70/W |
| Panel size assumed | 400 W |
| Typical household usage | 2,500 kWh/yr |
| Power used as generated | 32% |
| Paid for exported power | 12p/kWh (SEG) |
| Rooftops sampled here | 7 |
| Google imagery from | 2018 |
When Berwick-upon-Tweed actually produces
Annual totals hide the thing that catches people out: 45% of Berwick-upon-Tweed's yearly sunlight arrives in May–July, and just 6% across November–January.
| Month | Sun hrs | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19 | |
| Feb | 37 | |
| Mar | 65 | |
| Apr | 98 | |
| May | 125 | |
| Jun | 138 | |
| Jul | 132 | |
| Aug | 109 | |
| Sep | 76 | |
| Oct | 45 | |
| Nov | 23 | |
| Dec | 15 |
That is a severe seasonal swing — Berwick-upon-Tweed produces roughly 9.3× as much in Jun as in Dec. A system sized to cover your annual usage will overproduce badly in summer and fall well short in winter, so how your utility credits exported power matters more here than in most places.
The annual total is measured from Google's rooftop imagery. Its split across months is calculated from solar geometry at Berwick-upon-Tweed's latitude, not separately measured, so treat the monthly figures as the shape of a typical year rather than a forecast.
How Berwick-upon-Tweed compares to the other 788 cities
| Measure | Berwick-upon-Tweed | Rank of 788 |
|---|---|---|
| Usable sunlight | 882 hrs | 774th |
| Sunlight lost to shade | 4% | 523rd most |
| Median roof size | 176 m² | 454th largest |
| Electricity rate | 26.1p | 132nd highest |
| Payback | 13.7 yrs | 682nd fastest |
| Grid carbon | 479 kg/MWh | 532nd dirtiest |
What actually stands out about Berwick-upon-Tweed:
- Plenty of roof to work with. Typical roofs here fit around 57 panels — roughly 6× what an average home needs. Roof size will not be what limits your system in Berwick-upon-Tweed.
- Older imagery. Google's aerial capture of Berwick-upon-Tweed dates from 2018. Tree growth and new construction since then are not reflected.
Cities with almost the same sunlight
The closest matches to Berwick-upon-Tweed's 882 usable sun hours elsewhere in the UK. Sunlight varies far more across Britain than electricity prices do, so these are the places where a system of the same size produces roughly the same amount.
| City | Sun hrs | Rate | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlisle, North West | 879 | 26.1p | 13.7 yrs |
| Belfast, Northern Ireland | 879 | 26.1p | 13.7 yrs |
| Perth, Scotland | 885 | 26.1p | 13.6 yrs |
| Bolton, North West | 887 | 26.1p | 13.6 yrs |
Nearby cities
See all of North East → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
Berwick-upon-Tweed solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Berwick-upon-Tweed?
About 9 panels for an average home using 2,500 kWh a year. Berwick-upon-Tweed roofs get 882 usable sun hours, so each 400W panel produces roughly 300 kWh annually. A typical Berwick-upon-Tweed roof fits about 57 panels, so roof space is unlikely to be your limit.
Is solar worth it in Berwick-upon-Tweed?
At 26.1p/kWh and 882 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 13.7 years and returns roughly £5,063 over a 25-year panel life. That is slower than average, so compare several quotes before committing. Exported power earns 12p/kWh under the Smart Export Guarantee, well below the 26.1p you pay to import.
How much do solar panels cost in Berwick-upon-Tweed?
A 3.6 kW system costs about £6,120 before incentives. That works out near £1.70 per watt installed. Roof pitch, shading, electrical panel upgrades and equipment choice move the price most, which is why quotes for the same house can differ by thousands.
Worth reading before you buy
Estimates only, generated 2026-08-22 from Google Solar API rooftop samples and average North East electricity rates. Not a quote and not financial advice. Your roof, usage, utility plan and local incentives will change these numbers — get real quotes before buying.