Ashbourne Solar Guide: Gateway to the Peak, a Solar Leisure Centre & 10 Verified Installers
10 MCS-certified firms from Ashbourne to Uttoxeter and Derby, with output and savings worked out for Ashbourne itself.
Ashbourne sits right on the edge of the Peak District, and that shapes solar here more than in most towns. Inside the town, more than 160 listed buildings and a conservation area around the Georgian centre mean some roofs need a planning check first, while a few miles north, villages such as Thorpe fall under the National Park Authority’s stricter rules. Around the town the debate is about scale: a solar farm of about 300 acres has been proposed at Brailsford, and the council has already put 180 panels on Ashbourne Leisure Centre.
This guide covers what matters for a home in DE6. A 4kW roof here is estimated to produce 3,750 kWh a year, and each unit you use yourself saves 25.36p at East Midlands price-cap rates. Below that are ten MCS-certified installers in and around Ashbourne, each checked against the MCS listings and its own site or register entries.
At a glance: Ashbourne solar installers compared
| Company | Accreditation | Services | Coverage | Years | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar Panels Funded | MCS network | Quote matching, solar PV, battery, panel cleaning, funding guidance | Ashbourne, DE6 & Derbyshire Dales | — | One enquiry → multiple local quotes |
| M H Electrical & Solar Installations Ltd | MCS, NAPIT, RECC, OZEV | Solar PV, battery, EV, air con | Ashbourne (DE6) | — | A genuinely local firm with a wide choice of batteries. |
| Solar Star Power Ltd | MCS, Tesla Premium, Octopus | Solar PV, Powerwall/Sigenergy/Fox, EV | Uttoxeter (ST14), ~11 miles | Since 2011 | Conservation-area jobs that need planning drawings. |
| Staffordshire Renewables (TJG Electrical Ltd) | MCS (NICEIC), RECC, Which? | Solar PV, battery, EV, electrical | Cheadle (ST10), ~13 miles | Since 2021 | Buyers who want a firm with a strong Which? record. |
| MYE Renewables Ltd | MCS (NICEIC), RECC, Tesla, Duracell | Solar PV, battery, EV | Hilton (DE65), ~11 miles | Since 2014 | Buyers who want no-pressure quoting. |
| Mercia Electrical Ltd | MCS (NICEIC), TrustMark, HIES, CHAS | Solar PV, battery, EV | Mickleover (DE3), ~10 miles | Since 2020 | Buyers comparing several battery brands. |
| J.A.L Roofing Ltd | MCS, NAPIT, RECC, NFRC, TrustMark | Roofing, solar PV | Hilton (DE65), ~11 miles | 40+ yrs (family) | Older roofs that need work before panels. |
| Broad Oak Properties Ltd | MCS, RECC, INCA | Solar PV, heat pumps, insulation | Kingsley Moor (ST10), ~14 miles | — | Grant-funded whole-house retrofits in the Dales. |
| Renewable Solutions (Staffordshire) Ltd | MCS, RECC, HIES | Solar PV, battery, servicing | Uttoxeter (ST14), ~11 miles | Since 2022 | Servicing or replacing the inverter on an older system. |
| TNM Solutions | MCS (NAPIT), RECC, TrustMark | Solar PV | Hulland Village (DE6), ~5 miles | New (2025–26) | Villages east of Ashbourne wanting a very local installer. |
| KWP Renewables Ltd | MCS (NAPIT) | Solar PV, battery | Mickleover (DE3), ~10 miles | Since 2024 | Buyers happy to vet a newer firm themselves. |
MCS numbers checked 27 September 2026 against the MCS installer listings (via Find Certified Installers), with services and accreditations checked on each firm’s own site and the RECC, TrustMark, Which? and Checkatrade listings where available. Review figures are the ones shown on those listings. Membership can change, so confirm MCS status with the installer before you sign.
Solar in Ashbourne by the numbers
These figures are specific to Ashbourne. A 4kW system on a south-facing, 35° roof is estimated to produce 3,750 kWh a year, with May the peak at about 470 kWh and December the low point at 115 kWh.
- 3,750 kWh / yearEstimated output of a 4kW roof system in Ashbourne
- 25.36p per kWhPrice-cap unit rate for Ashbourne’s region (East Midlands), Oct–Dec 2026, vs 26.32p GB average
- £380–£570 off your billIf you use 40–60% of what the panels make at home
- + £195–£295 export incomeThe rest sold at 13p/kWh on an open Smart Export Guarantee tariff
That’s worth roughly £675–£765 a year, repaying a typical £6,490 system in about 8.5–9.6 years. Ashbourne’s output is close to Belper’s and well above the higher Peak towns, but the East Midlands unit rate is the lowest in Great Britain, so savings per unit are slightly smaller than in Cheshire or the North West.
Sources: output from the EU’s PVGIS 5.3 model (SARAH-3 data) for Ashbourne, 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. Your own figures will depend on roof direction, shading and how much electricity you use in daylight.
Areas covered around Ashbourne
This guide covers the DE6 postcode district: Ashbourne town, Ashbourne Green and Sturston, and villages including Hulland Ward, Hulland Village, Weston Underwood, Brailsford, Tissington and Thorpe. M H Electrical is the one MCS solar firm based in Ashbourne and TNM Solutions is in Hulland Village; others travel in from Uttoxeter, Cheadle, Kingsley Moor, Mickleover and Hilton.
AshbourneAshbourne GreenSturstonHulland WardHulland VillageWeston UnderwoodBrailsfordTissingtonThorpeCliftonMayfieldKniveton
Postcode district and place names from the Royal Mail DE postcode area and Wikipedia pages for Ashbourne and nearby villages.
Planning and grid connection in Ashbourne
- Ashbourne conservation areaThe Georgian town centre is a conservation area. Panels on a wall, balcony or roof enclosure fronting a highway there aren’t permitted development; roof panels elsewhere usually are.
- Over 160 listed buildingsThree Grade I and 11 Grade II* in Ashbourne parish, including St Oswald’s Church with its 215ft spire. Every listed building needs listed building consent.
- Peak District National ParkThe Park starts about four miles north at Thorpe. Homes inside it fall under the Peak District National Park Authority, which expects panels to be placed discreetly.
- National Grid Electricity DistributionAshbourne’s network operator (East Midlands). Typical home systems are notified after installation (G98); larger ones need prior approval (G99).
Sources: Derbyshire Dales District Council (conservation areas, climate change actions); Wikipedia (Listed buildings in Ashbourne; Thorpe, Derbyshire); GOV.UK permitted development rules (GPDO Schedule 2 Part 14); Midlands Net Zero Hub; National Grid Electricity Distribution.
Solar Panels Funded
MCS networkResidential & commercialFunding specialists
Solar Panels Funded is a Birmingham-based solar intermediary at Digbeth Court Business Centre, 162–164 High Street, Birmingham, B12 0LD. It doesn’t install panels itself. It matches Ashbourne homeowners with MCS-accredited installers from its network, so one enquiry brings back several quotes.
For Ashbourne, it can point you to installers who have handled conservation-area and listed roofs in the Georgian centre, and to firms that take on farm buildings and larger rural roofs across the Dales. It can also check whether you might qualify for the Warm Homes grant or ECO4.
Get your free Ashbourne quote →
Best for One enquiry → multiple competitive quotes from vetted MCS-accredited installers.
M H Electrical & Solar Installations Ltd
MCSNAPITRECCOZEV
M H Electrical is the only MCS solar firm we found based in Ashbourne itself. It installs solar PV with Tesla Powerwall, SolaX, Sigenergy, Growatt and Anker batteries, plus EV chargers and air conditioning, and covers Ashbourne, Derby, Belper, Matlock, Bakewell and Buxton.
It shows 4.9 from 34 reviews on its MCS listing and holds MCS, NAPIT, RECC, OZEV and NICEIC. Locally, it rewired the Elite Cinema & Theatre during its renovation.
Best for A genuinely local firm with a wide choice of batteries.
Solar Star Power Ltd
MCSTesla Premium InstallerOctopus partner
Solar Star Power has installed solar since 2011 from Uttoxeter, about 11 miles south-west of Ashbourne. It is a Tesla Powerwall Certified Premium Installer and Octopus Trusted Partner, and fits Sigenergy and Fox ESS batteries and Zappi chargers too.
It has an in-house architectural team for planning drawings, useful for conservation-area jobs, and offers a 10-year parts and labour warranty. It shows 4.9 from 77 reviews on its MCS listing and about 148 on Trustpilot.
Best for Conservation-area jobs that need planning drawings.
Staffordshire Renewables (TJG Electrical Ltd)
MCSNICEICRECCWhich? Trusted Trader
TJG Electrical trades as Staffordshire Renewables from Cheadle, about 13 miles west of Ashbourne. It installs solar PV, battery storage and EV chargers alongside general electrical, smart home and security work.
It scores 5.0 from 102 reviews on Which? Trusted Traders, with 99% of customers recommending it. It was incorporated in 2021.
Best for Buyers who want a firm with a strong Which? record.
MYE Renewables Ltd
MCSNICEICRECCTesla Certified
MYE Renewables, formerly Hector’s Electrics, has traded since 2014 and names Ashbourne in its coverage. It installs solar PV with Tesla and Duracell batteries and EV chargers, with a team of five.
It says it doesn’t do on-the-spot sales, which suits buyers who want time to compare quotes. We didn’t find a published review score.
Best for Buyers who want no-pressure quoting.
Mercia Electrical Ltd
MCSNICEICTrustMarkHIES
Mercia Electrical is a Mickleover firm, incorporated in 2020, that installs solar PV with a wide range of batteries: FoxESS, Sungrow, Tesla Powerwall 3, Enphase, SolaX and EcoFlow. It says it has completed more than 1,200 installs and quotes lead times of three to four weeks.
It shows 5.0 from 22 reviews on its MCS listing and offers HIES insurance-backed cover. The install figures are the firm’s own.
Best for Buyers comparing several battery brands.
J.A.L Roofing Ltd
MCSNAPITNFRCDerbyshire Trusted Trader
J.A.L Roofing is a family roofing business with more than 40 years’ experience that also installs MCS solar PV. It is a Derbyshire County Council Trusted Trader and an NFRC member.
It shows 4.3 from 13 reviews on its MCS listing. Being roofers first, it’s a sensible choice for Ashbourne’s older stone and slate roofs that may need repair before panels go on.
Best for Older roofs that need work before panels.
Broad Oak Properties Ltd
MCSRECCINCA
Broad Oak Properties is a retrofit contractor near Kingsley Moor that is RECC-registered for solar PV, batteries, air and ground source heat pumps and biomass, as well as external wall insulation.
It won the Derbyshire Dales Warm Homes: Local Grant retrofit contract, worth £1.13m for 48 homes, so it may be the firm you meet if you get grant funding. Its website wasn’t loading when we checked.
Best for Grant-funded whole-house retrofits in the Dales.
Renewable Solutions (Staffordshire) Ltd
MCSRECCHIES
Renewable Solutions (Staffordshire) is a small Uttoxeter firm, incorporated in 2022, that installs solar PV and batteries and also services existing systems, including panel cleaning and inverter replacements.
It shows 4.5 from six reviews on its MCS listing. We couldn’t find its own website, so details come from directory entries.
Best for Servicing or replacing the inverter on an older system.
TNM Solutions
MCSNAPITRECCTrustMark
TNM Solutions is a new solar-only installer based in Hulland Village, about five miles from Ashbourne. It holds MCS through NAPIT, RECC membership and a TrustMark licence issued within the last year.
We couldn’t find a website or reviews, so ask for its MCS certificate and examples of completed jobs.
Best for Villages east of Ashbourne wanting a very local installer.
KWP Renewables Ltd
MCSNAPIT
KWP Renewables is a young Mickleover company, incorporated in October 2024, that markets itself as a solar panel and battery storage specialist for Derby and the surrounding area.
Its website wasn’t loading when we checked and we found no reviews, so this is a thin profile. Check its MCS certificate and insurance before booking.
Best for Buyers happy to vet a newer firm themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
What solar farm is planned near Ashbourne?
British Solar Renewables has applied to Derbyshire Dales District Council for a solar farm on about 300 acres near Brailsford, between Ashbourne and Derby. It has offered a £275,000 community fund, and the plan has drawn local opposition; a decision was still pending in summer 2026. Separately, the council considered a 1MW solar farm at Watery Lane in 2022 to supply Severn Trent, but we couldn’t confirm whether it went ahead.
Does Ashbourne Leisure Centre use solar?
Yes. A £734,006 Public Sector Decarbonisation grant awarded in March 2021 paid for 180 solar panels and air source heat pumps at the leisure centre, cutting its carbon emissions by 56%, or around 123 tonnes a year. It’s one of several Derbyshire Dales council buildings that now have panels.
Can I put solar panels on a listed or conservation-area home in Ashbourne?
On a listed building, only with listed building consent, and Ashbourne parish has more than 160 of them, three at Grade I. In the town-centre conservation area, roof panels are usually permitted development, but not on a wall, balcony or roof enclosure that faces the road. Talk to Derbyshire Dales’ planning team before booking if your home is in the old centre.
What if my home is inside the Peak District National Park?
Then the Peak District National Park Authority is your planning authority, not Derbyshire Dales. The Park begins about four miles north of Ashbourne at Thorpe. Its guidance accepts solar panels but expects them to be positioned so they’re as unobtrusive as possible, often on rear roof slopes, so check with the Authority first.
Is there a Warm Homes grant for Ashbourne?
Derbyshire Dales is part of the Midlands Net Zero Hub’s Warm Homes: Local Grant consortium. The council has contracted Broad Oak Properties to retrofit 48 homes by March 2028 under a £1.13m fabric-first programme, so insulation comes first and solar isn’t guaranteed. The Hub says it isn’t taking new applications right now, but you can register interest with Marches Energy Agency on 0800 677 1307.
How much electricity will panels generate in Ashbourne?
A 4kW south-facing array in Ashbourne should give about 3,750 kWh a year, based on EU PVGIS irradiance modelling. That’s almost exactly Belper’s figure and about 7% more than Buxton, higher up in the Peak. May is the peak month at close to 470 kWh, and December gives about 115.
How long will solar take to pay back in Ashbourne?
Ashbourne is in the East Midlands price-cap region, at 25.36p per unit for October–December 2026, the lowest regional rate in Britain. A household that consumes two-fifths of what four kilowatts of panels produce, and sells the surplus at 13p, gains around £675 a year; one that consumes three-fifths gains about £765. On an average £6,490 installation, that works out at a payback of roughly 8.5 to 9.6 years.
Final Thoughts
In Ashbourne, check where you are before you ask for quotes. In the Georgian centre or a listed building, speak to Derbyshire Dales’ planning team first; north of the town, find out whether your home is inside the National Park. Elsewhere in DE6, most roofs can go ahead under permitted development, with about 3,750 kWh a year to expect from 4kW of panels.
With only one MCS firm based in the town, get at least three quotes and check each installer is happy to travel for the survey and any aftercare.
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.