Solar panels in Leeds: output, grid and planning

Leeds solar output in numbers

Start with the sun. PVGIS, the European Commission’s solar tool, models about 952 kWh a year for each kWp in Leeds. That is for a south-facing roof at 35 degrees. You can open the PVGIS run for Leeds and check it yourself.

The best tilt is 41 degrees, which models at 956 kWh per kWp. The gain over 35 degrees is just four units. As a result, a roof with an ordinary pitch is already close to ideal.

A worked example helps. For example, a 4 kWp system makes about 4 x 952, or 3,808 kWh a year. That is a modelled estimate, and the real figure depends on the roof and the year’s weather.

Not every unit is worth the same. Ofgem’s price cap for October to December 2026 averages 26.32p per kWh for electricity. Power you use yourself avoids buying at a rate like that, while exported power earns whatever your SEG tariff pays. Because of this gap, the share you use at home matters.

Direction and shade change the picture most. A south-facing roof does best, while an east-west split gives a flatter daily curve. Trees, chimneys and tall buildings can all cost output, so a good survey will map them.

Your grid connection

Northern Powergrid runs the Yorkshire network that serves Leeds. Any new generator needs to be on its records. Because every system differs, the size decides the route.

Up to 16 A per phase, a system follows G98. Above that, G99 applies. MCS notes that the figure adds up every generator, so solar plus a battery counts as one total.

Our post on G98 and G99 connections sets out the steps in plain language. For G98, one operator’s page says you notify within 28 days of commissioning. That page belongs to a different operator, so check Northern Powergrid’s own wording.

Your installer normally does the paperwork. The same MCS standard gives that job to the installer. Ask for the confirmation, because you may need it later.

Planning in Leeds

Leeds City Council is your planning authority. Many houses can add panels as permitted development. Even so, England changed these rules on 27 August 2026.

The Planning Portal’s summary says houses and flats now follow separate rules. Projects that miss the new rules can still use the old ones until 26 August 2027. We do not repeat the detailed limits, because they are best confirmed for your own address.

Leeds has conservation areas and many listed buildings. Specifically, extra consent may apply in either case. Flats add another layer, as the freeholder usually has a say.

Cost help and new options

There is a timing point on VAT. HMRC says solar and battery installs are zero-rated until 31 March 2027, and the rate then returns to 5%. Quotes that run past that date may therefore cost more.

Some homes qualify for England’s Warm Homes: Local Grant, which can cover solar PV. It is for low-income, privately owned homes with an EPC rating of D to G. Plug-in solar is also now in the planning rules, although it cannot go on wooden structures.

Checking an installer

This step protects your money, because it shows a firm meets a recognised standard. Our guide to MCS-certified solar installers explains what the mark means and how to check it. MCS runs a public installer search for exactly that.

MCS also matters because you need it to claim payments for spare power. Under the Smart Export Guarantee, you have to show that both your installation and your installer hold certification.

Add the consumer code to your checks. RECC members must insure deposits, stage payments and workmanship warranties. As a result, a failed firm does not leave you with nothing.

Comparing quotes

Ask for at least three written quotes, because prices vary. Then compare the panel count, the inverter, the warranty terms and what the price covers. Our page on solar panel installation lists the usual parts of a job.

On price, DESNZ gives a median of about £1,780 per kW of declared net capacity for 0-4 kW installs in 2025/26. That covers Great Britain and excludes batteries. Our solar panel costs guide explains how to read it.

York is close by and shares the same network operator. Our page on solar installers serving York shows a slightly higher modelled yield.

When you are ready, you can request quotes from MCS-certified installers. Nobody contacts you until you submit the form.