If you’re lucky enough to live among the chalk hills and lavender fields of Sussex and you’re looking to cut your electricity bills, solar panels could be the best way forward.

From Stoughton in West Sussex to Jury's Gap beach in East Sussex, this joint area receives more sunlight than almost any other place in the UK, which gives residents with solar panels a massive advantage.

In this guide, we’ll tell you how much solar panels cost in Sussex, how the area’s great weather affects savings, and which grants can help you cut the upfront cost.

If you would like to see how much you could save by getting a solar & battery system at no upfront cost, just answer a few quick questions below and we’ll provide an estimate.

How many homes in Sussex have solar panels?

37,720 homes in Sussex have had solar panels installed with a Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certificate, as of May 2024.

Overall, that means 5.2% of all households in East and West Sussex have acquired a solar panel system – or one in every 19.

This is higher than the UK average of 4.6% – as it should be, since Sussex is among the brightest, sunniest areas in the country.

And these Sussex numbers only take into account installations the MCS has certified, so the real number of households with solar panels is likely to be slightly higher.

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

A solar panel system in Sussex can generate enough electricity to power the majority of your home’s electrical needs, allowing you to reduce your electricity bills.

We designed the system below for a household in St Leonards-on-Sea that uses around 4,140kWh of electricity per year.

How much do solar panels cost in Sussex?

Are there any grants for solar panels in Sussex?

There are grants for solar panels available in Sussex, thanks to local initiatives and national government schemes.

If you’re not eligible for any of these programmes, 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 can save you money from day one.

Solar Together Sussex

Solar Together is an initiative that helps residents in a specific area secure a sizable discount on their solar installations through collective buying.

In Sussex, more than 10,000 local homes signed up during the 2023 edition of the scheme, which has operated in the region since 2019 and is supported by councils including West Sussex, East Sussex, and Brighton and Hove.

You can take part in Solar Together if you’re a homeowner, small or medium-sized business owner, or tenant – as long as you have your landlord's permission.

It only runs for a limited amount of time in each area, so watch out for when it comes back to Sussex.

To learn more, check out our guide to Solar Together.

Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund

This government programme gives funding to local councils that they can use to improve the energy efficiency of social homes in their area, including measures like solar panels and insulation.

In 2024, the government awarded £2.3 million of funding to Lewes District Council, and £1.47 million to Wealden District Council.

This was a first for both these councils, but Sussex residents have benefited from Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund grants before.

Crawley Borough Council has received £7.5 million from this initiative, which it has so far used to carry out 122 measures across 57 households, according to the government.

It’s not clear how many of these measures in Crawley were solar panel installations, but they make up about 10% of all installations across the country.

You can’t apply to the scheme, but if you live in Lewes or Wealden, you can contact your local council to advocate for your social housing to be included in any measures.

National grants

Two national grants are available to Sussex households – and if you’re eligible for either, you should absolutely consider applying.

Solar panels can cut your electricity bills by hundreds of pounds per year, shrink your carbon footprint, and increase your property’s value, but the upfront cost is often high. If you don’t have to pay it, you shouldn’t.

Home Upgrade Grant

The Home Upgrade Grant gives funding to local authorities so they can pay for energy-efficient improvements in low-income households that aren’t connected to the gas grid.

This government-backed scheme is only available to properties that hold a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) with D, E, F, or G rating.

If your home is eligible, you could get a largely discounted or free solar panel system, wherever you live in Sussex.

In the most recent wave of funding, the government gave £41.4 million to a consortium that included – as well as councils in different areas – Arun, Adur, Brighton and Hove, Chichester, Crawley, Horsham, Mid Sussex, and Worthing.

Another consortium made up of councils from Lewes, Eastbourne, Hastings, and Rother won £6.23 million in funding.

And Wealden District Council, operating on its own, was handed £1.87 million.

To see if you could qualify, apply through the government’s site or call your local council.

Energy Company Obligation (ECO4)

This government scheme compels large energy suppliers to install energy-saving improvements in low-income and vulnerable households that heat their homes with electricity.

If you think you might be eligible and you receive at least one qualifying means-tested benefit – such as Income-based Jobseekers Allowance or Child Tax Credits – you could potentially get an energy supplier to install a free solar panel system at your property.

More than 21,700 solar panel systems have been installed in the UK through ECO4 since it started in July 2022, which is just over 5% of all measures taken through the programme.

Is it worth getting solar panels in Sussex?

It’s absolutely worth getting solar panels in Sussex, more so than most places in the country.

Sussex benefits from high levels of solar irradiance – particularly when compared to the UK average – which enables residents to save hundreds of pounds per year.

There’s a reason why 5.2% of households in East and West Sussex have decided to get solar panels – and that percentage will likely rise over the coming years, as energy bills stay high and heat pumps and electric vehicles continue to become increasingly popular.

If you’d like to buy solar panels but the upfront cost puts you off, you could see if you’re eligible for assistance from initiatives like the Home Upgrade Grant or ECO4 scheme.

And if you don’t qualify for a government grant, 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 ongoing monitoring and maintenance – including replacement parts and insurance cover provided by Aviva – and gives you priority access to the best export tariffs around, through our partnership with Octopus Energy.

To sign up for Sunsave Plus, just answer a few questions below and we’ll be in touch.

Solar panels in Sussex: FAQs