Solar panels in Hampshire: are they worth it?

If you live in the hilly county of Hampshire and want to lower your electricity bills, solar panels are the best way to do it.

From Basingstoke to the New Forest, Hampshire enjoys more sunlight than most places in the UK, which gives it a distinct advantage over other counties when it comes to going solar.

In this guide, we’ll go through how much solar panels cost in Hampshire, how well they work in this weather, and which government grants can help you lower the cost.

At Sunsave we install across the whole of Hampshire – so if you’re wondering how much you could save with a solar & battery system, enter a few details below and we’ll generate a quick estimate.

What are the best solar panel installers in Hampshire?

1. Sunsave

At Sunsave, our mission is to make solar accessible to all UK households, which is why we’re offering the UK’s first solar subscription service to households all over Hampshire.

Sunsave Plus allows you to start saving on your energy bills immediately, without having to pay anything upfront.

You’ll get the best-in-class kit installed on your roof, access to the best export tariffs, and the 20-year Sunsave Guarantee, which includes 24/7 monitoring & maintenance, a free replacement battery and inverter, and downtime cover – all for a fixed monthly fee.

Your system will also be insured by Aviva against damage, fire, and theft.

If you want to find out how much you could save with a solar & battery system at no upfront cost from the best installer in Hampshire, enter a few details below, and we’ll generate an estimate.

2. JEM Energy

JEM Energy has been serving the people of Farnborough since 2015, which is long enough to develop a reputation.

Fortunately, James Rodwell and Mark Watford's company enjoys an excellent relationship with its customers, who have given the firm an excellent rating on Google and a near-perfect set of reviews on Bark and Checkatrade.

This is largely down to the team's expertise, excellent communication, and detailed designs, which makes sense considering Rodwell has more than a decade of experience in the renewable industry.

JEM Energy also installs heat pumps and electric car chargers, if you want to make the most of your new solar panels.

3. Volt Energy Southern

This Waterlooville-based company currently has no reviews on top-tier review sites.

Nevertheless, along with the other firms on this list, it's one of the only installers in Hampshire to be approved by the MCS, NAPIT, TrustMark, and HIES – and that's no mean feat.

Founded in 2022, the business is co-owned by locals Gus Stephens, Robert Pittman, and Mason Ling.

Pittman has led teams in the renewable energy sphere for five years, while Stevens has spent seven years working in the sector, so they know what they're doing.

4. EcoVolt Renewables

This family-run business is owned by Michael Beckett, who spent decades fixing yachts all over the world before deciding to settle down in Petersfield and open a renewable installation company in 2022.

Beckett, who is also a qualified electrician, engages with the community at events organised by groups like the Petersfield Climate Action Network.

Unfortunately, this communal involvement doesn't stretch to encouraging his customers to leave reviews, as EcoVolt Renewables also has no reviews on reputable sites – but its accreditations again mean you should trust this firm.

How much do solar panels cost in Hampshire?

How many homes in Hampshire have solar panels?

41,709 homes in Hampshire have solar panels certified by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), as of January 2024.

That means 5.4% of all households in the county have gone solar, across the 13 local authorities.

This is one-fifth higher than the 4.5% of all UK households that have bought solar panels – which makes sense, since Hampshire is one of the sunniest places in the country.

And since this county-wide tally only includes MCS-certified installations, the real number of homes with solar panels in Hampshire is possibly a little bit higher.

Are there any grants for solar panels in Hampshire?

There are multiple solar panel grants for people in Hampshire, as well as schemes that can help you lower the costs of your installation. 

If you don’t qualify for these initiatives but still can’t afford the price of solar panels, have a look at Sunsave Plus, which is available at no upfront cost. 

For fixed monthly payments over 20 years, you’ll receive the best-in-class kit, full monitoring and maintenance support, and a system that’ll save you money from day one.

Solar Together Hampshire

Solar Together is a group-buying scheme that helps residents in a particular local authority secure a sizable discount on their solar installations.

It’s not a grant, but it will typically lower the price of everyone’s systems by around 25%, through the power of bulk buying and negotiating as a collective.

Solar Together is open to homeowners, small or medium-sized businesses, and tenants – as long as they have their landlord's permission.

It’s only available to a certain number of areas at any one time, so keep an eye out.

National grants

There are a couple of national grants that apply to residents in Hampshire – and if you’re eligible, they’re well worth considering.

Solar panels could save you hundreds of pounds per year, and drastically reduce your carbon footprint.

Home Upgrade Grant

The Home Upgrade Grant funds the installation of eco-friendly measures in low-income homes that aren’t connected to the gas grid and have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) between D and G.

If you qualify, you may be able to get heavily discounted or even free solar panels.

All 13 of Hampshire’s local authorities have Home Upgrade Grant funding to hand out, after they successfully applied to the second phase of the scheme, which ends in March 2025.

There’s £41.4 million of grants available to Hampshire residents in Basingstoke and Deane, East Hampshire, Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport, Havant, New Forest, Portsmouth, Rushmoor, Southampton, Test Valley, and Winchester.

For those of you in Hart, your grants are being handled by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, which has £82.3 million to give out to residents in 48 local authorities.

To apply, just contact your local authority.

Energy Company Obligation (ECO4)

The government’s main initiative for cutting domestic emissions is available to low-income and vulnerable households whose residents are on certain benefits.

ECO4 isn’t a government grant; it instead forces large energy suppliers to install energy-saving measures in underprivileged households.

You may be able to get a free solar panel system through ECO4, but only if your home is electrically heated, like 9% of households in England and Wales.

How much sunlight does Hampshire get?

Hampshire receives a lot of sunlight compared to most of the UK, with the level of solar irradiance in the county coming in at 18% higher than the UK average.

For instance, the Guildhall in Winchester sees 1,287 kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) on average, each year. This figure will vary slightly across the county, but it’s a pretty good indicator.

'Kilowatt-hours per square metre' refers to how much energy is travelling from the sun, across 93 million miles of space, to a specific square metre on Earth.

These figures are taken from the European Commission's Photovoltaic Geographical Information System, which measures solar irradiance according to the latest weather trends.

When it comes to solar panel output there are a number of factors which affect how much energy they produce, but solar irradiance is a big one.

As you’d expect, the more intense the sunlight that hits your panels, the higher the kWh/m², and the more solar electricity your installation will produce – leading to higher savings.

How much power can a solar panel system generate in Hampshire?

A solar panel system in Hampshire can generate enough power to cover most of your annual consumption, allowing you to cut your electricity bills by more than half.

We put together the design below for a household in Southampton that uses roughly 5,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per year.

Is it worth getting solar panels in Hampshire?

It’s definitely worth getting solar panels in Hampshire, in almost all cases.

The levels of solar irradiance are high across the county, especially when compared to the UK average, which means you’ll save even more on your electricity bills than most solar households.

That’s probably why 5.4% of homes in Hampshire have made the decision to go solar.

If the upfront cost is too steep, you may be eligible for Solar Together, ECO4, or the Home Upgrade Grant, all of which can reduce the price.

If not, you should consider Sunsave Plus, our all-in-one residential solar and battery solution that’s tailored to your home, and delivered as a monthly subscription at no upfront cost.

It also comes with 24/7 monitoring and maintenance, free replacement parts, downtime cover, and insurance against damage, fire and theft.

At Sunsave we install across the whole of Hampshire – so if you’re wondering how much you could save with a solar & battery system, enter a few details below and we’ll generate a quick estimate.

Solar panels in Hampshire: FAQs