Solar installers in Truro & Cornwall.

Sun figures from PVGIS; roof estimates include solar data from Google. How we measure.

Local context

Solar in Cornwall: quick guide.

Cornwall is the best-lit corner of mainland Britain, and it shows in the numbers — a roof here generates more than the same roof would almost anywhere else in the UK. Add a lot of off-gas-grid homes, where cutting an electricity or oil bill matters more, and the case for solar is unusually strong. Most of the nuance here is about protected landscapes and older roofs, not sunshine.

A few Cornwall-specific things worth knowing:

• The best sun in the country. The TR area tops the mainland for annual irradiation — the single biggest reason Cornish payback times tend to be short.
• Off the gas grid. Many rural homes heat with electricity, oil or LPG. That makes self-consumption — and often a battery — more valuable than the UK average.
• Protected landscapes. Large stretches of coast are AONB, and the historic towns have conservation areas and listed granite and slate cottages. Panels visible from the street can need consent in those settings.
• Slate and older roofs. Traditional Cornish roofs make the structural survey more important — worth confirming condition and fixings before you commit.
• Battery storage. With the yield Cornwall gets, storing more of it rather than exporting cheaply often stacks up — run it through the savings calculator.

Grants & support

What help is available in Cornwall?

Solar and battery installations across the UK are currently zero-rated for VAT until 31 March 2027 — a straight saving on the installed price for every household, with no application needed. In England, ECO4 and the Warm Homes scheme can help eligible lower-income households with energy-efficiency measures through their energy supplier or local council.

Eligibility for grant schemes depends on your income, home and circumstances, and the schemes change. We keep the current picture on one page rather than guess what you'll qualify for.