Liverpool sits in the middle of the UK output range. PVGIS, the European Commission’s solar model, gives about 965 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof at 35 degrees. That figure assumes no shade and a clear view of the sky. Your own roof will differ, so use it as a starting point.
What a Liverpool roof can produce
A 4 kWp system is a common size for a house. At 965 kWh per kWp, it would make about 3,860 kWh a year. London gets about 1,019 kWh per kWp, so Liverpool produces about 5% less than the capital. Aberdeen gets about 893 kWh per kWp, so Liverpool produces about 8% more than the far north.
Liverpool also beats Manchester, which gets about 886 kWh per kWp. The two cities sit close together, yet PVGIS shows a gap of about 9%. Local conditions vary, so run your own address through the calculator.
Summer against winter
Liverpool’s best month is May, at 125.8 kWh per kWp. That is close to London’s July peak. Its worst is December, at 28.1 kWh per kWp, so May delivers about 4.5 times the output of December.
For a 4 kWp system, that means roughly 503 kWh in May and 112 kWh in December. The swing is large, so a Liverpool home will export in spring and summer. In winter, however, it will import most of its power. Our page on solar battery storage explains how a battery moves some of that surplus into the evening.
Tilt and direction
PVGIS puts the best fixed tilt for Liverpool at 40 degrees. That gives 968 kWh per kWp, only a little above the 965 you get at 35 degrees. Our guide to the best tilt angle for solar panels in the UK shows why a few degrees rarely matter. Because the curve is flat near the peak, a roof anywhere from 30 to 45 degrees performs almost the same.
Direction matters more. Our London run shows an east-facing roof at 35 degrees loses about 20% against south, and a west-facing one loses about 23%. The calculator lets you test your own angle and compass direction.
Planning in Liverpool
In England, panels on a house roof are normally permitted development. Their limit is 200mm out from the roof slope, and they must stay below the highest part of the roof. The Planning Portal sets out the full rules.
Listed buildings need planning permission and listed building consent. In a conservation area, however, panels cannot go on a wall or roof section that fronts a highway. Liverpool City Council is the planning authority, and it can tell you whether an Article 4 direction applies to your street.
The grid connection
Most of Liverpool takes its power from SP Energy Networks. Since your postcode fixes the operator, use the Energy Networks Association lookup if you are unsure.
A system up to 16A per phase, about 3.68kW on a single-phase supply, falls under rule G98. Your installer tells the network operator within 28 days of commissioning. Larger systems fall under G99, which needs approval before installation, as MCS explains.
Getting quotes
Solar Yield is an independent estimator and referral service. It does not install panels. It passes your enquiry to MCS-certified installers, and you can check any installer on the MCS register.
Read our guide to solar panel installation before you compare offers. Our post on how to check a solar quote lists what to look for in the paperwork. MCS rules say an estimate is guidance, not a guarantee.
Once the system is running, your inverter app shows live output. Our note on reading your solar inverter app explains the numbers. Compare them with the PVGIS monthly figures on this page. A big gap in a clear month is worth a question to your installer.
You may also want a comparison with nearby areas. See solar output in Manchester and the Birmingham estimate for neighbouring figures.
Next steps
Use the Solar Yield calculator to estimate output for your own roof. Then send your details through our quote form to receive offers from MCS-certified installers. Estimate openly, then check it against the installer’s figures.