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Solar panels in North East

Roofs across North East get about 908 hours of usable sunlight a year, and electricity costs 26.1p/kWh. That combination puts a typical system's payback at 13.4 years. Here's the detail, from real rooftop data across 6 North East cities.

908Sun hours / yr
26.1pPer kWh
9Panels typical
13.4 yrPayback
Solar is a slow payback in North East. At 13.4 years, mostly because electricity here costs 26.1p/kWh, this only makes sense as a long-horizon decision or with local incentives. Check the numbers hard.

Check your own roof in North East → These are regional figures; your roof's size, pitch and shading move them a lot.

How North East compares

North East gets more sunlight than 3% 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 North East

CitySun hrs/yrPanels Net costPayback
Durham 932 8 £5,440 12.7 yrs
Darlington 932 8 £5,440 12.7 yrs
Sunderland 908 9 £6,120 13.4 yrs
Newcastle upon Tyne 891 9 £6,120 13.6 yrs
Middlesbrough 890 9 £6,120 13.6 yrs
Berwick-upon-Tweed 882 9 £6,120 13.7 yrs

What a system costs in North East

SystemSizekWh/yr Net costSaves/yrPayback
8 panels3.2 kW 2,470£9,120 £645 14.1 yrs
12 panels4.8 kW 3,705£13,680 £967 14.1 yrs
16 panels6.4 kW 4,940£18,240 £1,290 14.1 yrs
20 panels8 kW 6,174£22,800 £1,612 14.1 yrs
26 panels10.4 kW 8,027£29,640 £2,096 14.1 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.

North East 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 North East programmes directly rather than trusting a figure on a website.

Check your net metering rules. What your utility credits you for exported power drives your return more than most rebates do, and it differs by utility.

North East solar questions

Is solar worth it in North East?

At 26.1p/kWh and 908 usable sun hours, a typical North East system pays back in about 13.4 years and returns roughly £5,302 across a 25-year panel life. That is slower than average, so compare at least three quotes before committing. Individual cities in North East vary widely around this average.

How many solar panels do I need in North East?

About 9 panels for a home using 2,500 kWh a year. Each 400W panel produces roughly 309 kWh annually at North East 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 North East?

A 3.6 kW system runs about £6,120 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

What you get paid for exported powerA 3p vs 15p tariff changes payback by years 12 questions to ask before signingIdentical systems vary 30–40% in price Is solar worth it in the UK?UK guide Is a battery worth it in the UK?UK guide

Regional estimates generated 2026-08-22 from Google Solar API rooftop samples across 6 North East cities, and average North East electricity rates. Not a quote and not financial or tax advice.