Key facts
| Council area | South Tyneside |
| Population | 73,345 (South Shields built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS, rounded to the nearest five)) |
| Network operator | Northern Powergrid (Northeast licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Port of Tyne (Tyne Dock); Holborn riverside |
| Indicative yield | About 944 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in South Shields
- Port of Tyne (Tyne Dock): The south side of the Port of Tyne at Tyne Dock, South Shields. In May 2025 LS Eco Advanced Cables began consulting on a £923 million subsea and onshore cable factory there, which it said would bring 500 direct jobs.
- Holborn riverside: A nine hectare former dockland site the council is turning into a riverside quarter, with new offices planned on an Enterprise Zone site to the north, backed by £9.4 million, alongside new homes.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Ports and offshore energy: The proposed LS Eco Advanced Cables plant at Tyne Dock would make high voltage cables that carry offshore wind power to the UK, with about 1,000 more jobs in the supply chain; the Port of Tyne's chief executive called it a generational employment opportunity. It was at consultation stage in 2025.
- Maritime training (South Shields Marine School): South Shields Marine School, founded in 1861 and sharing a campus with South Tyneside College, is one of the largest merchant navy training colleges in the UK, teaching navigation, marine engineering and electro technical officers (Wikipedia).
Large, simple roofs on distribution sheds and modern industrial units are usually the quickest and cheapest to fit. Older mill, factory and workshop buildings can work well too, but often need a structural survey first, and roofs from before 2000 may contain asbestos cement: see asbestos roofs.
Grid connection
South Shields is served by Northern Powergrid (Northeast licence area). Almost every commercial system needs G99 approval from the network operator before it is switched on, and the question is usually how much the local network can take back. Where export is limited, a G100 export limitation scheme can let a larger array connect. See G99 and DNO applications.
Planning in South Shields
South Shields follows the national planning rules for England, decided by South Tyneside council. Rooftop solar on most non-domestic buildings is permitted development, within height and edge limits, and systems above 50 kW need a prior approval application covering design and glare.
Points that come up locally:
- The Mill Dam Conservation Area on the riverside, designated in 1981, is small (about 1.7 hectares) but holds four Grade II listed buildings including the former Mercantile Marine Offices, so roofs there need more care.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in South Shields could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 944 kWh per kWp a year.
| Item | Illustrative figure |
|---|---|
| System | 100 kWp, south facing at 30 degrees |
| Installed cost | £900 per kWp, so £90,000 excluding VAT |
| Generation | About 94,400 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £15,859 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,416 earned |
| Total a year | About £17,275 |
| Simple payback | About 5.2 years before tax relief |
Illustrative, not a quote: the same sums as our commercial solar calculator. A company paying corporation tax can usually shorten the payback with capital allowances.
Funding and support
We found no council or regional grant for business solar open in South Shields at the time of writing (November 2026). National reliefs still apply, such as capital allowances and, in England, the business rates exemption for onsite renewables: see grants and reliefs in England.
Solar across South Tyneside
At the end of 2025, South Tyneside had 3,762 solar PV installations with 13.2 MW of capacity, up 46% since 2020, according to government figures. The South Tyneside page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Gateshead, about 7 miles away
- Washington, Tyne and Wear, about 8 miles away
- Cramlington, about 9 miles away
- Blyth, about 9 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- northeast-ca.gov.uk: plans for new 923m sub sea cable factory
- southtyneside-newsroom.prgloo.com: multi million pound riverside regeneration underway
- en.wikipedia.org: South Tyneside College
- gov.uk: maps of north east investment zone tax sites
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- heritagecheck.co.uk: mill dam
- Yield: PVGIS 5.3 (European Commission Joint Research Centre), SARAH3 data, 14% system losses, for the town centre, modelled 4 November 2026.
- Council area figures: DESNZ, renewable electricity by local authority 2014 to 2025.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the electricity network operator in South Shields?
Northern Powergrid (Northeast licence area). Most commercial solar systems need its G99 approval before they are switched on. The operator follows the postcode, so confirm yours with the Energy Networks Association postcode tool.
How much would a 100 kWp solar system generate in South Shields?
About 94,400 kWh a year for a south-facing roof at 30 degrees, modelled with PVGIS for the town centre. At 70% used on site at 24p and the rest exported at 5p, that is worth about £17,275 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in South Shields get a free solar survey?
Yes. Answer six short questions and we match the site with one MCS certified installer, who surveys it on site or by video call. It is free, with no obligation. Get a free survey.
Related pages
- South Tyneside3,762 installations, 13.2 MW of solar and about 945 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- North EastNorthern Powergrid connections, the Tyneside Clean Air Zone, Teesside and Sunderland manufacturing, Tyne and Tees ports, and Northumberland farming.
- Commercial solar calculatorEstimate commercial solar savings and payback, with the generation, price and cost assumptions shown and sourced, and the limits of a simple estimate explained.
- EnglandCurrent solar support in England for businesses, schools, public bodies, community groups and farms, plus rates, planning and who to contact.
- Planning permissionPermitted development for commercial rooftop solar and car park canopies in England, prior approval, heritage limits, ground-mounted schemes and the other UK nations.