Ely Solar Guide: Fenland Output, Local Solar Farms & 10 Verified Installers
11 local and regional firms worth considering — plus what solar really costs in Ely and the 0% VAT relief that brings it down.
Thinking about solar panels in Ely? With household energy bills still a real squeeze, more residents across this small cathedral city and the wider Cambridgeshire Fens are looking at solar as a practical way to bring that cost down for good.
Ely itself is a small city of under 20,000 people, and this research pass didn’t turn up a large, independently accredited installer trading from inside the city boundary itself — the closest genuinely local option is based in the adjoining village of Witchford, with the next cluster of verified firms spread 15 to 30 miles away around Cambridge, Huntingdon and the Suffolk border, and one further afield in Ipswich. That’s a normal trade-off for one of the more rural parts of the country, and still well within most installers’ usual working radius.
This guide lists ten genuine, verifiable installers serving Ely below in no particular order, each checked against Companies House for live trading status as well as their own accreditation and reviews, so you can compare with confidence — two initially-found companies were excluded outright after failing that live-status check.
At a glance: installers compared
| Company | Accreditation | Services | Coverage | Reviews | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar Panels Funded | MCS network | Quote matching, solar PV, battery, cleaning, funding guidance | Ely & nationwide | — | One enquiry → multiple quotes |
| Eco Installer and Service Ltd | Accreditation not confirmed | Heating & renewables installation | Witchford, Ely · ~4–6 miles | Not found | Closest physically-based installer to Ely itself |
| Huttie | MCS (self-stated) | Solar PV, renewable heating, electrical | Fen Ditton, Cambridge · ~15–16 miles | Not found | One contractor for solar plus wider electrical/heating work |
| RDS Heating & Renewables Ltd | RECC (confirmed); MCS/NICEIC unconfirmed | Solar PV, battery storage, heat pumps | Fenstanton, Cambridgeshire · ~15–18 miles | Not found | Verified RECC-registered consumer protection |
| Electrasolar Ltd | MCS, NICEIC, RECC (self-stated) | Solar PV installation | Alconbury, Cambridgeshire · ~23–25 miles | Not found | Dedicated solar specialist, longest track record |
| Resolve Home Energy Ltd | MCS, NICEIC (self-stated) | Solar PV, battery storage | Cambridge (Cottenham/Milton) · ~15–16 miles | 5.0/5 Google (76, self-reported) | Explicitly markets to Ely and the Fens |
| Hunter Build & Solar Ltd | Accreditation not confirmed | Solar PV installation, building | Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk · ~23–25 miles | Not found | Suffolk-based option on the eastern side of the radius |
| TFM Renewables Ltd | Not stated | Solar PV installation | Pampisford, Cambridgeshire · ~19–20 miles | Not found | A newer local outfit — verify accreditation directly |
| Solar Panels Cambs Ltd | Accreditation not confirmed | Solar PV, battery storage, EV charging | Buckden, St Neots · ~28–30 miles | Not found | Solar plus EV charging in one job |
| Eyre Building Services Group Ltd | Accreditation not confirmed | Solar PV, electrical, plumbing/HVAC | Comberton, Cambridge · ~18 miles | Not found | Long-established regional M&E firm |
| CJ Electrical Contracting Services Ltd | Accreditation not confirmed | Solar PV, electrical | Ipswich, Suffolk · ~50–55 miles | 10.00/10 Checkatrade (17) | Fallback quote for comparison, or Suffolk-side readers |
Reviews and accreditation status checked ahead of publication via each installer’s own site, Checkatrade profile, or the TrustMark/MCS public registers — re-verify on publish day, as membership status can change.
Solar in Ely by the numbers
These numbers are calculated for Ely and the surrounding Fens. A 4kW system on a south-facing, 35° roof here is estimated to produce 4,040 kWh a year, peaking at 487 kWh in Jul and falling to 143 kWh in December.
- 4,040 kWh / yearEstimated output of a 4kW roof system in Ely
- 26.61p per kWhPrice-cap unit rate for the Eastern region, Oct–Dec 2026 (GB average 26.32p)
- £430–£645 off your billIf you use 40–60% of what the panels make at home
- + £210–£315 export incomeThe rest sold at 13p/kWh on an open Smart Export Guarantee tariff
In total that’s roughly £745–£855 a year, enough to clear a typical £6,490 install in 7.6–8.7 years. The open, flat Fen landscape around Ely means little shading and some of the best solar yields in eastern England; Eastern-region unit prices sit slightly above the national average.
Sources: output from the EU’s PVGIS 5.3 model (SARAH-3 data, 2005–2023) for Ely, 4kW, 35° south-facing, roof-mounted, 14% system losses. Unit rate from Ofgem’s price cap for 1 Oct–31 Dec 2026. Export rate: Fuse Energy Single Rate Variable, September 2026. Installed cost: Sunsave, August 2026.
Areas covered around Ely
This guide covers the CB6 and CB7 postcode districts: Ely city centre and Waterside, Witchford, Littleport, Little Downham, Coveney, Sutton, Haddenham, Stretham, Queen Adelaide, Prickwillow and Soham. Eco Installer and Service trades from Witchford; the other firms travel from Cambridge, Fenstanton, Alconbury and Bury St Edmunds.
City CentreWatersideWitchfordLittleportLittle DownhamCoveneySuttonHaddenhamStrethamQueen AdelaidePrickwillowSoham
Ward and parish names from the Office for National Statistics postcode directory for CB6, CB7 (via postcodes.io).
Planning and grid connection in Ely
- Permitted developmentMost homes around Ely can fit roof panels without an application, provided they project no more than 200mm and stay below the ridge.
- Ely conservation areaCentral Ely around the cathedral is a conservation area, one of 28 in East Cambridgeshire. Panels on walls facing a road there need permission, and roof panels should be placed to minimise their visibility.
- Listed buildings and Article 4The district has almost 1,000 listed buildings, and some streets carry Article 4 directions. Either can mean you need consent or permission, so check with East Cambridgeshire District Council first.
- UK Power NetworksEly’s network operator (Eastern area). Standard home systems are notified after installation (G98); larger systems need approval beforehand (G99).
Sources: East Cambridgeshire District Council (Ely conservation area, The Hive solar, Net Zero Villages fund); planning.data.gov.uk; Cambridgeshire County Council (Triangle and North Angle solar farms); Action on Energy Cambridgeshire; UK Power Networks.
Solar Panels Funded
MCS networkResidential & commercialFunding specialists
Solar Panels Funded is a solar energy intermediary operating from Digbeth Court Business Centre, 162–164 High Street, Birmingham, B12 0LD, connecting homeowners and businesses across Ely and Cambridgeshire with a vetted network of MCS-accredited solar panel installers, so one enquiry returns multiple competitive local quotes.
Each installer in the network holds MCS accreditation, and Solar Panels Funded also provides guidance on funding routes such as the ECO4 scheme for eligible Ely households, plus access to professional panel cleaning referrals and the 0% VAT relief and Smart Export Guarantee available UK-wide.
Best for One enquiry → multiple competitive quotes from vetted MCS-accredited local installers.
Eco Installer and Service Ltd
Accreditation not confirmed
Eco Installer and Service Ltd trades from a showroom at the Sedgeway Equestrian Centre in Witchford, an adjoining village just outside Ely, making it the closest physically-based installer to the town itself found in this research. Companies House shows the firm (company number 10579351) as active and incorporated in January 2017, registered under the plumbing, heating and air-conditioning installation SIC code, and its own marketing describes both traditional and renewable heating systems.
No MCS, NICEIC or RECC certificate number could be independently verified for this firm in this research pass, and no Checkatrade or Trustpilot review profile could be located either — the name and Witchford address were cross-checked against two independent Cambridgeshire installer directory listings, but accreditation should be confirmed directly before booking.
Best for Ely residents wanting the closest physically-based installer to the town itself.
Huttie
MCS (self-stated)
Huttie is a long-established Cambridge-area mechanical, electrical, plumbing and heating contractor trading from Fen Ditton, around 15–16 miles from Ely, with a second base at Swaffham Bulbeck. Huttie Renewable Energy Ltd was incorporated in January 2015 and the related Huttie Building Services Ltd in 2009, both showing as active on Companies House, and the firm has expanded from its core trades into solar PV and renewable heating for residential and commercial customers.
Huttie’s own website states its engineers are MCS accredited for solar PV work, though this wasn’t independently cross-checked against the MCS public register in this pass, and no review platform rating could be retrieved — a solid option for homeowners who’d rather use one contractor for solar plus wider electrical or heating work, provided accreditation is confirmed directly.
Best for Homeowners wanting one contractor for solar plus wider electrical/heating work.
RDS Heating & Renewables Ltd
RECCMCS/NICEIC (unconfirmed)
RDS Heating & Renewables Ltd, formerly RDS Plumbing & Heating (Cambridge) Ltd, is a Cambridgeshire plumbing, heating and renewables contractor based in Fenstanton, around 15–18 miles from Ely, with a second operating address in Fen Drayton. Company number 09887966 shows as active on Companies House, incorporated in 2015, and the firm installs solar PV alongside heat pumps and battery storage.
RDS is a confirmed member of the Renewable Energy Consumer Code, listed directly on RECC’s own public register under Solar PV, battery storage, air source and ground/water source heat pumps — a genuinely independent accreditation check, even though its MCS and NICEIC status weren’t separately verified. The company’s own site has a dedicated reviews page, though a specific rating or review count wasn’t extracted in this research pass.
Best for Verified RECC-registered consumer protection on a solar contract.
Electrasolar Ltd
MCS (self-stated)NICEIC & RECC (self-stated)
Electrasolar Ltd is a dedicated solar PV specialist based in Alconbury, around 23–25 miles from Ely, with company number 07606031 showing as active on Companies House since its incorporation in April 2011 — the longest track record of any installer on this list, and its site’s copyright notice implies trading since 2010. It serves Cambridge, Huntingdon, St Ives, St Neots, Bedford, Biggleswade and the wider East Anglia/Bedfordshire area.
The company states MCS certification (quoting certificate number ELC-54454), plus NICEIC registration, RECC ‘Real Assurance’ scheme membership, Part P Approved Contractor status, and approved-installer/reseller status with SolarEdge and Tesla Energy — none of these were independently cross-checked against the relevant public registers in this pass, so treat them as self-stated until confirmed directly, and no independent review rating could be found.
Best for A dedicated solar PV specialist with the longest track record on this list.
Resolve Home Energy Ltd
MCS (self-stated)NICEIC (self-stated)
Resolve Home Energy Ltd is a Cambridge-area solar and renewables installer, company number 08375932, active on Companies House since incorporation in January 2013 — over 11 years trading — based around 15–16 miles from Ely (variously described in directories as Norman Industrial Estates, Cambridge, or the Cottenham/Milton area). It’s one of the few installers in this research to run a dedicated service page naming Ely directly, alongside Chatteris, March, Newmarket, St Ives, St Neots, Wisbech and Whittlesey.
The company states MCS certification and NICEIC registration on its own site, plus HIES certification and approved-installer status with Tesla, SolarEdge, Myenergi and GivEnergy — self-stated and not independently cross-checked in this pass. It also reports a 5.0 out of 5 Google rating from 76 reviews on its own site, with a secondary figure of 4.9 out of 5 from 14 reviews on a third-party directory — treat both as company- or directory-reported rather than independently pulled from Google.
Best for The installer that explicitly markets to Ely and the surrounding Fens towns.
Hunter Build & Solar Ltd
Accreditation not confirmed
Hunter Build & Solar Ltd is a long-established Suffolk building and construction company, previously trading as Hunter Building Developments Limited, based in Fornham All Saints near Bury St Edmunds, around 23–25 miles from Ely. Company number 06117377 shows as active on Companies House, incorporated in 2007, and the firm has added a dedicated solar division alongside its core construction work.
The company’s own site could not be fully accessed in this research pass — it returned an access-blocked response — though its dedicated solar-service pages for Bury St Edmunds and Suffolk were confirmed via search-result listings, and no Checkatrade or Trustpilot profile could be reached. Specific accreditation numbers weren’t confirmed, so this is one to check directly before requesting a quote.
Best for A Suffolk-based option for households on the eastern side of the Ely search radius.
TFM Renewables Ltd
Accreditation not confirmedNewer company
TFM Renewables Ltd is a newer South Cambridgeshire renewables company based in Pampisford, around 19–20 miles from Ely, offering solar panel installation around Bury St Edmunds and the Cambridgeshire/Suffolk border. Company number 15684911 shows as active on Companies House, incorporated in April 2024 — under two years trading, the shortest track record of any firm on this list.
The company’s own website, fetched directly for this research, does not display any MCS, NICEIC, RECC or TrustMark logos or numbers on its solar content, and no independent review rating could be found — making this the least-verified entry on this list. It’s included for readers happy to request a quote from a newer local outfit, provided accreditation is confirmed directly before commissioning any work.
Best for Readers happy to get a quote from a newer local outfit, once accreditation is confirmed directly.
Solar Panels Cambs Ltd
Accreditation not confirmed
Solar Panels Cambs Ltd is a Cambridgeshire solar PV, battery storage and EV-charger installer based in Buckden, near St Neots, around 28–30 miles from Ely. Company number 07374814 shows as active on Companies House, incorporated in September 2010 — around 15 years trading — and directory listings describe over a decade of experience across Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire and wider East Anglia.
No specific MCS, NICEIC or RECC certificate number was located for this firm in this research pass, and its name, address and service description were sourced via a Cambridgeshire installer directory listing rather than a directly-fetched company website — the address matched exactly across two independent directory sources, but accreditation and a working company site should be confirmed before booking.
Best for Households near the Cambridgeshire/Bedfordshire border wanting solar plus EV charging in one job.
Eyre Building Services Group Ltd
Accreditation not confirmedWebsite unverified
Eyre is a long-established East Anglian mechanical and electrical contractor, with Companies House showing incorporation as far back as 1964 under earlier names including Eyre Electrical Limited — consistent with the ’50+ years in East Anglia’ claim seen in directory listings. It operates from a Comberton branch near Cambridge, around 18 miles from Ely, alongside a registered office in Drayton, Norfolk, offering renewable energy and solar PV installation alongside its core electrical and plumbing/HVAC work.
The company’s apparent website redirected to an unrelated third-party domain when checked directly in this research pass, so no live company site could be verified, and no MCS, NICEIC or RECC number was located — this entry carries more uncertainty than most others on this list and should be re-verified, including a working web presence, before contact details are passed on to readers.
Best for A long-established regional M&E firm rather than a solar-only specialist.
CJ Electrical Contracting Services Ltd
Accreditation not confirmed
CJ Electrical Contracting Services Ltd is a Suffolk-based electrical contracting company registered in Ipswich, around 50–55 miles from Ely — well beyond the comfort zone of the rest of this list, and included mainly to round out ten verified, currently-trading options. Company number 09961203 shows as active on Companies House, incorporated in January 2016, and it’s listed by Checkatrade as offering solar panel installation across the Cambridge and wider East Anglia area.
Checkatrade shows a strong 10.00 out of 10 rating from 17 reviews under its Cambridge solar-installer search results, though no specific MCS, NICEIC or RECC certificate number was located in this pass. Given the distance, this is really an option for readers on the Suffolk side of the region, or as one more quote to compare against closer firms.
Best for Readers on the Suffolk side of the region, or as a fallback quote for comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which solar farms are near Ely?
Two of Cambridgeshire County Council’s own. Triangle Solar Farm at Soham opened in January 2017 with 45,000 panels (12MW) across 70 acres, and was paid for with a £10 million public loan. North Angle Solar Park, on 188 acres between Soham and Wicken, started generating in November 2024 and also supplies the Swaffham Prior community heat network.
Has anywhere in Ely installed solar recently?
The Hive Leisure Centre did, in May 2025. A £69,510 grant from Sport England’s Swimming Pool Support Fund paid for 228 panels, which are expected to produce about 91,050 kWh a year and cut the centre’s bills by around £18,000. A screen in reception shows live generation.
Can Ely homeowners get a grant for solar panels?
Lower-income households can apply to Action on Energy Cambridgeshire for the Warm Homes: Local Grant, which East Cambridgeshire takes part in and which lists rooftop solar and batteries as eligible upgrades. The property needs an EPC in bands D to G, and the household must either claim a means-tested benefit or bring in no more than £36,000 a year. Applications are assessed at the scheme’s discretion and there’s a queue.
Do I need planning permission for solar in Ely’s conservation area?
Not normally for roof panels, but the rules are tighter. The historic centre around the cathedral is one of East Cambridgeshire’s 28 conservation areas, and inside it you can’t fix panels to a wall that faces the road without permission. Listed buildings, of which the district has close to a thousand, need listed building consent regardless of where the panels go.
How much solar power does an Ely roof produce?
EU PVGIS modelling for Ely comes out at about 4,040 kWh a year from 4kW of panels angled south. July is the standout month at around 487 kWh, and even December contributes roughly 143. The flat, unshaded Fens help, which is why Ely edges ahead of Bedford and most of the Midlands.
What could a 4kW system save in Ely?
Priced at the Eastern cap of 26.61p/kWh (October–December 2026), the electricity you use yourself plus 13p for each exported unit adds up to around £745 a year if you consume 40% of it and about £855 if you manage 60%. Set against an average £6,490 install, that’s a return of the cost in 7.6 to 8.7 years. Homes with someone in during the day will sit nearer the top.
Final Thoughts
Ely is a small cathedral city, so unlike some of the larger towns in this series, the closest option here (in Witchford) carries less independent verification than several of the Cambridge, Huntingdon and Suffolk-area firms further afield — RDS Heating & Renewables stands out for its directly-confirmed RECC membership, and Resolve Home Energy for actively marketing to Ely and the Fens by name.
Get a handful of quotes from the list above, weigh accreditation and distance against each other, and let your roof start paying you back.
Related reading on Solar Panels Funded
Solar Energy Funding Specialist & Home Energy Advisor
Zachariah Eaton is a UK-based solar energy funding specialist with a focus on helping homeowners access grants, financing schemes, and cost-saving renewable solutions. He has spent years researching government-backed programmes such as ECO4, Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), and local funding initiatives to make solar more accessible. Zachariah writes practical, easy-to-understand guides that help households reduce energy bills and transition to clean energy with confidence.