Commercial solar in Canterbury

Solar in Canterbury in figures

What the figures show

Capacity in Canterbury has grown by 13% since the end of 2020, slower than the UK as a whole (69%). It barely moved in 2025 (from 119.8 MW to 123.0 MW).

There are 79.3 installations for every 1,000 households, above the South East median of 74.2 and above the UK median of 67.0. That is 124th of 361 council areas, and 24th of 64 in South East.

The average installation is 24.3 kW, several times a typical home system of about 4 kW, so solar farms and large commercial or farm roofs make up much of the capacity here.

What a business roof in Canterbury could generate

Modelled with PVGIS for the centre of Canterbury, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 1,089 kWh per kWp a year. That is 24th of 361 council areas; the UK median is 998 kWh.

Same sums as our commercial solar calculator: illustrative, not a quote. East- or west-facing roofs, shading and how much power you use in daylight all move these figures, and a company paying corporation tax can usually shorten the payback with capital allowances. See the cost guide for price ranges by system size.

Planning and grid connection

Canterbury follows the national planning rules for England. Permitted development rights for non-domestic rooftop solar were widened in December 2023, including removal of the old 1 MW limit, but conditions still apply, especially for listed buildings and conservation areas. Ground-mounted arrays and carports usually need an application to the council, or to a national park authority inside a national park. Our planning permission guide sets out the conditions.

Most commercial systems need G99 approval from the local network operator before they are switched on. The operator follows the postcode rather than the council boundary: our South East page covers the operators in the region, and the Energy Networks Association postcode tool confirms yours. See G99 and DNO applications.

For funding, see grants and reliefs in England.

Nearby council areas

• Dover, about 9 miles away
• Thanet, about 11 miles away
• Swale, about 14 miles away
• Folkestone and Hythe, about 15 miles away
• Ashford, about 16 miles away
• Maidstone, about 22 miles away

Or see every council area and the South East page.

Where these figures come from

Installations, capacity, generation and households: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Regional Renewable Statistics, renewable electricity by local authority 2014 to 2025 (workbook). They cover all solar PV, homes and businesses, including ground-mounted schemes. Yield: PVGIS 5.3 (European Commission Joint Research Centre), SARAH3 data and 14% system losses, for the council area's centre point (ONS boundaries, December 2024), modelled 4 November 2026. Distances are between centre points.