Solar panels in East of England
Roofs across East of England get about 1,056 hours of usable sunlight a year, and electricity costs 26.1p/kWh. That combination puts a typical system's payback at 11.2 years. Here's the detail, from real rooftop data across 14 East of England cities.
Check your own roof in East of England → These are regional figures; your roof's size, pitch and shading move them a lot.
How East of England compares
East of England gets more sunlight than 12% of the cities we measure, and its electricity costs more than 77% of states and provinces. Both matter, but not equally: the electricity rate usually matters more, because solar saves money by replacing power you would otherwise buy. A sunny state with cheap power often pays back slower than a cloudy state with expensive power. Why that happens →
Solar by city in East of England
| City | Sun hrs/yr | Panels | Net cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King's Lynn | 1,071 | 7 | £4,760 | 11.1 yrs |
| Southend-on-Sea | 1,069 | 7 | £4,760 | 11.1 yrs |
| Great Yarmouth | 1,069 | 7 | £4,760 | 11.1 yrs |
| Chelmsford | 1,061 | 7 | £4,760 | 11.2 yrs |
| Colchester | 1,061 | 7 | £4,760 | 11.2 yrs |
| Ipswich | 1,056 | 7 | £4,760 | 11.2 yrs |
| Basildon | 1,056 | 7 | £4,760 | 11.2 yrs |
| Peterborough | 1,036 | 8 | £5,440 | 11.8 yrs |
| Cambridge | 1,035 | 8 | £5,440 | 11.8 yrs |
| St Albans | 1,026 | 8 | £5,440 | 11.9 yrs |
| Norwich | 1,016 | 8 | £5,440 | 12 yrs |
| Bedford | 1,013 | 8 | £5,440 | 12 yrs |
| Luton | 961 | 8 | £5,440 | 12.4 yrs |
| Watford | 956 | 8 | £5,440 | 12.5 yrs |
What a system costs in East of England
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 2,872 | £9,120 | £750 | 12.2 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 4,308 | £13,680 | £1,125 | 12.2 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 5,745 | £18,240 | £1,500 | 12.2 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 7,181 | £22,800 | £1,875 | 12.2 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 9,335 | £29,640 | £2,437 | 12.2 yrs |
Payback stops improving as systems grow, then gets worse. You can only save on electricity you were going to buy, so once a system covers your usage the extra panels mostly export at a lower rate.
East of England solar incentives
The 30% US federal tax credit does not apply in Canada, and the figures on this page exclude it. Canadian support comes through federal programmes such as the Canada Greener Homes Loan plus provincial and utility schemes, which vary and change — check current East of England programmes directly rather than trusting a figure on a website.
East of England solar questions
Is solar worth it in East of England?
At 26.1p/kWh and 1,056 usable sun hours, a typical East of England system pays back in about 11.2 years and returns roughly £5,866 across a 25-year panel life. That is slower than average, so compare at least three quotes before committing. Individual cities in East of England vary widely around this average.
How many solar panels do I need in East of England?
About 7 panels for a home using 2,500 kWh a year. Each 400W panel produces roughly 359 kWh annually at East of England sunlight levels. Your own figure depends on actual usage — pull a year of bills rather than assuming average consumption, since heating and EV charging change it a lot.
How much do solar panels cost in East of England?
A 2.8 kW system runs about £4,760 before incentives, or roughly £1.70 per watt installed. Quotes vary widely by installer, roof complexity and whether your electrical panel needs upgrading — get three before deciding.
Worth reading before you buy
Regional estimates generated 2026-08-22 from Google Solar API rooftop samples across 14 East of England cities, and average East of England electricity rates. Not a quote and not financial or tax advice.