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802 places · sun position · panel angle

Solar data for the United Kingdom

Across the 802 places in the United Kingdom the best fixed tilt for solar panels runs from 38° in Plymouth to 45° in Elgin, and flat ground gets 2.3 to 3.2 peak sun hours a day. Every number is computed for each place.

Solar power in the United Kingdom at a glance

Averages over 802 places with climate data, for a fixed array facing south.

Best panel angle41°average, facing south
Peak sun hours2.85a day on flat ground
1 kWp makes1,058kWh a year at the best angle
Off-grid angle74°average, for the darkest month
LondonSandown (most sun)
  • 2.32–2.50
  • 2.50–2.68
  • 2.68–2.87
  • 2.87–3.05
  • 3.05–3.23

Peak sun hours a day on flat ground. Each dot is one place. 1 far-off place lies outside the frame.

The sunniest places in the United Kingdom, with 3.23 peak sun hours a day on flat ground, are Sandown and 2 other places; the least sunny is Fort William with 2.32. A 1 kWp array at its best angle makes from 876 kWh a year in Fort William to 1,175 kWh in Sandown — 1,058 kWh on average.

The best year-round tilt runs from 38° in Plymouth to 45° in Elgin. Off-grid systems are sized for the darkest month and do better steeper, at 74° on average: at 70° that month brings 0.48 kWh per kWp a day in Isle of Lewis and 1.53 kWh in Slough.

Size an off-grid system or open any place below for its sun path, monthly table and tilt curve.

Sunniest places in the United Kingdom

Ranked by peak sun hours on flat ground: the yearly average of a day's sunshine energy (NASA POWER climatology). Output: 1 kWp at its best year-round angle.

RankPlaceRegionSun hours/daykWh per kWp a yearBest tilt
1SandownEngland3.231,17538°
1PenzanceEngland3.231,16238°
1FalmouthEngland3.231,16138°
4CamborneEngland3.221,15838°
5NewportEngland3.211,17038°
5RedruthEngland3.211,15738°
5TruroEngland3.211,15638°
8RydeEngland3.201,16739°
8BrixhamEngland3.201,15938°
8PaigntonEngland3.201,15738°

Least sunny places in the United Kingdom

RankPlaceRegionSun hours/daykWh per kWp a yearBest tilt
794Vale of LevenScotland2.4593043°
799ElginScotland2.4394545°
800Isle of LewisScotland2.3988741°
801InvernessScotland2.3388543°
802Fort WilliamScotland2.3287643°

Solar by region in the United Kingdom

Averages of the places in each region, sunniest first. Darkest month: what 1 kWp of off-grid panels at 70° makes a day in the worst month of the year.

RegionPlacesSun hours/daykWh per kWp a yearBest tiltDarkest month at 70°Sunniest place
Wales412.901,07240°1.28 kWhCarmarthen
England6852.881,06941°1.35 kWhSandown
Northern Ireland172.6298042°1.04 kWhNewtownards
Scotland592.4894943°1.00 kWhPeterhead

Largest places in the United Kingdom at a glance

PlaceLatitudeBest tiltOff-grid tiltSun hours/day (flat)
London51.5° N40°73°2.95
Birmingham52.5° N41°74°2.84
Glasgow55.9° N43°77°2.48
Manchester53.5° N41°74°2.75
Sheffield53.4° N42°75°2.74
Leeds53.8° N42°76°2.70
Edinburgh56.0° N44°78°2.49
Liverpool53.4° N40°74°2.76
Bristol51.5° N40°73°2.95
Cardiff51.5° N40°73°2.95
Leicester52.6° N41°75°2.86
Bradford53.8° N42°75°2.70
Belfast54.6° N41°75°2.65
Coventry52.4° N41°74°2.88
Birkenhead53.4° N40°74°2.76
Nottingham53.0° N42°75°2.81
Islington51.5° N40°74°2.95
Reading51.5° N40°73°2.96
Kingston upon Hull53.7° N42°76°2.74
Preston53.8° N40°74°2.73

Daylight and clock time in the United Kingdom

In Isle of Lewis (58.2° N), the northernmost place, the longest day of the year lasts 18 h 15 min and the shortest 6 h 24 min; in Penzance (50.1° N), the southernmost, 16 h 24 min and 8 h 03 min. The clocks change twice a year: forward on Sun 29 Mar, back on Sun 25 Oct (Europe/London).

Time zonePlacesUTC offsetClocks change in 2026
Europe/London802UTC, in summer UTC+1Forward on Sun 29 Mar, back on Sun 25 Oct

Questions about solar in the United Kingdom

What is the best angle for solar panels in the United Kingdom?
Facing south, between 38° and 45° depending on the place — 41° on average over 802 places. Off-grid systems that must get through the darkest month do better steeper, at about 74° on average.
How many peak sun hours does the United Kingdom get?
From 2.3 hours a day in Fort William to 3.2 in Sandown on flat ground, averaged over the year; 2.9 on average.
How much electricity does 1 kWp of solar panels produce in the United Kingdom?
About 1,058 kWh a year at the best fixed angle on average, from 876 kWh in Fort William to 1,175 kWh in Sandown. These are long-term climate averages; a single year can be several per cent higher or lower.
Where is the sunniest place in the United Kingdom?
Sandown (England) and 2 other places share the most sun of the 802 places: 3.23 peak sun hours a day on flat ground. 1 kWp in Sandown makes about 1,175 kWh a year.
Does the United Kingdom use daylight saving time?
The clocks change twice a year: forward on Sun 29 Mar, back on Sun 25 Oct (Europe/London).
How long is the longest day in the United Kingdom?
18 h 15 min in Isle of Lewis; the shortest day lasts 6 h 24 min in Isle of Lewis.

All places in the United Kingdom

England