Solar panels in Nottingham: output, grid and planning

What a roof in Nottingham can generate

The EU’s PVGIS tool models solar output for any spot in Britain. For Nottingham it gives about 979 kWh a year for every kWp of panels. That figure assumes a south-facing roof at a 35 degree tilt and uses the PVGIS-SARAH3 satellite database.

The best tilt in the city is around 41 degrees. At that angle the model gives 983 kWh per kWp. As a result, a few degrees either way barely matters on a typical pitched roof.

The model also assumes a default 14% system loss for cables, inverters, dirt and ageing.

Here is a worked example. A 4 kWp system is roughly 4 x 979, or 3,916 kWh a year. For scale, Ofgem’s typical medium household uses 2,500 kWh of electricity a year. This is a modelled estimate, and it does not say how much of the power you will use at home.

The figure is a starting point because three things move it. Direction comes first, since a roof facing east or west makes less than one facing south. Some homes still do well, as our guide to east and west facing panels explains.

Shade is the second factor, because chimneys, trees and nearby buildings can cut output. Ask your installer to check shade through the year. Tilt is the third, and a roof steeper or flatter than 35 degrees moves the figure a little.

Connecting to the local network

Your home sits on the East Midlands network, which is run by National Grid Electricity Distribution. This firm is the distribution network operator, or DNO. The DNO needs to know about every new solar system.

The size of the system sets the route. The MCS standard says installs up to 16 A per phase follow the G98 process, and larger ones follow G99. The 16 A limit counts all generators together. A 3 kW solar array plus a 3 kW battery on one single-phase supply therefore falls under G99.

You do not normally fill in the forms yourself, because under the MCS standard, the certified installer must notify the DNO. Our post on G98 and G99 grid connection walks through the steps.

Planning rules for Nottingham homes

Nottingham is in England, so English permitted development rules apply. However, the government changed them in August 2026. The Planning Portal explains the change: houses and blocks of flats now have separate rules. Projects that no longer qualify can use the older rules until 26 August 2027.

Extra limits still apply in some places. Under the older rules, panels in a conservation area could not go on a wall facing the road. The right also did not cover a building in the grounds of a listed building. Flats can need a prior approval step for stand-alone solar.

The planning authority is Nottingham City Council. Check with the council first if your home is listed, in a conservation area or a flat. Extra limits can apply there. Our guide on planning permission for solar panels sets out the national picture.

Selling spare power back

Solar panels often make more power than your home uses at midday. In particular, sunny summer afternoons can leave a surplus. Under the Smart Export Guarantee, a supplier pays you for what you send to the grid. Suppliers set their own rates, so they vary, and each rate must be above zero.

You need an MCS-certified installation to qualify, since the scheme asks for proof. Our explainer on the Smart Export Guarantee shows how to compare tariffs. A battery may help you keep more of your own power, but it adds cost. See whether solar batteries are worth it before you ask for one in a quote.

Choosing an installer

Start with certification. MCS is the UK quality mark for small-scale renewables, and its search tool lets you check any business. Ask also whether the firm belongs to the Renewable Energy Consumer Code. Its members must insure deposits and workmanship warranties in case the installer stops trading.

Next, compare quotes side by side. Ask each firm for the system size in kWp, the expected yearly output and the panel and inverter makes. Ask who handles the DNO notification and what warranty covers the work. A quote that shows its working is easier to trust, while a vague one is a warning sign.

Our page on solar panel installation explains what a typical job involves, for example the survey and the commissioning visit. The guide to solar panel costs shows how to read the price. If you are near the city boundary, solar panels in Leicester covers the next big city along the same network.

When you are ready, you can ask for quotes through this site. We are an independent guide, not an installer, and nobody contacts you without your consent.