Bolsover Solar Guide: Colliery Land to Solar Farms, Council Grants & 10 Verified Installers
10 MCS-certified firms from Bolsover to Worksop and Mansfield, with output and savings worked out for Bolsover itself.
Bolsover’s last two collieries closed within two months of each other in 1993, and some of the land they left behind now generates electricity. A 5MW solar farm sits on reclaimed colliery land at Creswell, and in December 2024 councillors unanimously approved a 14,000-panel county council solar farm on restored opencast land next to Williamthorpe Nature Reserve, between Bolsover and Chesterfield. For households, the district runs a £1.2m Warm Homes grant and is adding solar and batteries to some of its own council homes.
This guide covers what that means for a home here. A 4kW roof in Bolsover is estimated to produce 3,821 kWh a year, the highest of the Derbyshire towns in this series, and each unit you use yourself saves 25.36p at East Midlands rates. Below that are ten MCS-certified installers in Bolsover and the neighbouring towns, each checked against the MCS listings and its own site or register entries.
At a glance: Bolsover solar installers compared
| Company | Accreditation | Services | Coverage | Years | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar Panels Funded | MCS network | Quote matching, solar PV, battery, panel cleaning, funding guidance | Bolsover district, S44, S43, S80 & NG20 | — | One enquiry → multiple local quotes |
| AP Contracting (Chesterfield) Ltd | MCS, NICEIC, RECC | Solar PV, GivEnergy/Powerwall, EV | Bolsover (S44) | Since 2015 | A Bolsover-based firm for homes and businesses. |
| Danlec Electrical Solutions Ltd | MCS, NICEIC, RECC, TrustMark, OZEV | Solar PV, Powerwall/EcoFlow, EV | Shireoaks (S81), ~12 miles | Since 2015 | Buyers who want the most reviews to go on. |
| Egensys Ltd | MCS (NICEIC), RECC, TrustMark, Which? | Solar PV, battery, heat pumps, biomass | Worksop (S81), ~13 miles | — | Solar with a heat pump from a Which?-endorsed firm. |
| GB Solar Ltd | MCS (NICEIC) | Solar PV, battery retrofits, servicing | Shireoaks (S81), ~12 miles | — | Adding a battery to an existing solar system. |
| Grid Neutral Ltd | MCS, TrustMark | Solar PV, battery, repairs | Worksop (S80), ~12 miles | Since 2019 | Buyers who want to see a 3D design before committing. |
| Holmes Electrical & Renewables Ltd | MCS (NAPIT), RECC, TrustMark | Solar PV, battery, EV, heat pumps | Worksop (S81), ~14 miles | 15+ yrs | Buyers who dislike sales visits. |
| Electrical Labs (Omstrad Ltd) | MCS (NICEIC), TrustMark | Solar PV, battery, electrical | Whitwell (S80), ~9 miles | New | Villages in the north of the district. |
| Independent Testing Company Inc Ltd | MCS (NICEIC), RECC, TrustMark | Solar PV, battery, heat pumps, solar thermal | Pleasley Vale (NG19), ~6 miles | — | Solar combined with a heat pump near Shirebrook. |
| Thorpe Energy & Compliance Ltd | MCS (NAPIT), RECC | Solar PV, battery | Sutton-in-Ashfield (NG17), ~9 miles | Since 2022 | Southern parts of the district near Mansfield. |
| J S Electrical (Midlands) Ltd | MCS (NAPIT), RECC | Solar PV, battery | Kirkby-in-Ashfield (NG17), ~11 miles | — | Buyers wanting another well-reviewed quote. |
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 Bolsover by the numbers
These figures are for Bolsover. A 4kW system on a south-facing, 35° roof is estimated to produce 3,821 kWh a year, with a peak of about 475 kWh in May and 129 kWh in December.
- 3,821 kWh / yearEstimated output of a 4kW roof system in Bolsover
- 25.36p per kWhPrice-cap unit rate for Bolsover’s region (East Midlands), Oct–Dec 2026, vs 26.32p GB average
- £390–£580 off your billIf you use 40–60% of what the panels make at home
- + £200–£300 export incomeThe rest sold at 13p/kWh on an open Smart Export Guarantee tariff
That adds up to around £685–£780 a year, clearing a typical £6,490 install in about 8.3–9.5 years. Bolsover’s position on the eastern edge of Derbyshire gives it slightly more sun than Chesterfield, while East Midlands electricity is the cheapest per unit in Britain.
Sources: output from the EU’s PVGIS 5.3 model (SARAH-3 data) for Bolsover, 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 Bolsover
This guide covers Bolsover and the surrounding district: S44 (Bolsover, Shuttlewood, Stanfree, Oxcroft, Doe Lea and Scarcliffe), S43 (Clowne and Barlborough), S80 (Creswell and Whitwell) and NG20 (Shirebrook and Langwith). AP Contracting is based in Bolsover and Electrical Labs in Whitwell; the others work from Pleasley Vale, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Worksop and Shireoaks.
New BolsoverHillstownCarr ValeShuttlewoodStanfreeOxcroftWhaleyDoe LeaScarcliffeClowneCreswellShirebrook
Place names from the Wikipedia Bolsover and Bolsover District articles and the Royal Mail S and NG postcode areas.
Planning and grid connection in Bolsover
- 55 listed buildings in Old BolsoverIncluding Bolsover Castle (Grade I) and five Grade II* buildings such as St Mary and St Laurence’s Church. All need listed building consent before panels go on.
- Conservation areasParts of Bolsover and the surrounding villages are conservation areas. In one, panels on a wall or roof enclosure facing a road aren’t permitted development; roof panels elsewhere usually are.
- Solar farms on brownfield landThe council’s policy favours solar farms on brownfield or lower-grade farmland, which is why reclaimed colliery sites such as Creswell have been used.
- National Grid Electricity DistributionBolsover’s network operator (East Midlands). Typical home systems are notified after installation (G98); larger ones need prior approval (G99).
Sources: Bolsover District Council (Warm Homes grant, Warm Homes Social Housing Fund report); Bassetlaw District Council; Derbyshire County Council; CPRE Derbyshire; British Listed Buildings (Old Bolsover); 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 Bolsover homeowners with MCS-accredited installers from its network, so one enquiry brings back several quotes.
For Bolsover, it can help you check the district’s Warm Homes grant before you pay anything, and point businesses on Markham Vale and the district’s industrial estates to commercial installers.
Get your free Bolsover quote →
Best for One enquiry → multiple competitive quotes from vetted MCS-accredited installers.
AP Contracting (Chesterfield) Ltd
MCSNICEICRECC
AP Contracting is the only MCS solar firm we found with a Bolsover address, at Hillstown Business Centre. Incorporated in 2015, it installs solar for homes, businesses and industry, with GivEnergy and Tesla Powerwall batteries, Zappi EV chargers and LED lighting.
It serves Chesterfield, Bolsover, Mansfield and Nottinghamshire. We didn’t find published reviews, so ask for local references.
Best for A Bolsover-based firm for homes and businesses.
Danlec Electrical Solutions Ltd
MCSNICEICRECCTrustMark
Danlec is a Shireoaks firm, incorporated in 2015, with the largest review base of any installer near Bolsover: 4.9 from 681 reviews on its MCS listing. It installs solar with Tesla Powerwall and EcoFlow batteries and Hypervolt EV chargers, much of its work being EV charging.
It uses directly employed engineers, offers fixed prices and gives a five-year workmanship guarantee. It is also OZEV approved.
Best for Buyers who want the most reviews to go on.
Egensys Ltd
MCSNICEICRECCWhich? Trusted Trader
Egensys is a Worksop renewables firm that installs solar PV, batteries, heat pumps and biomass, and services existing systems. It is a Tesla Powerwall installer and Octopus partner, and trains its own apprentices.
It is a Which? Trusted Trader with 5.0 from seven reviews there, and 5.0 from 43 on its MCS listing.
Best for Solar with a heat pump from a Which?-endorsed firm.
GB Solar Ltd
MCSNICEICStorage retrofits
GB Solar describes itself as a solar PV and energy storage specialist, installing domestic and commercial systems and adding batteries to existing ones. It also services systems.
It shows 4.9 from 114 reviews on its MCS listing and 4.9 from 132 on Birdeye. It shares a business estate with Danlec.
Best for Adding a battery to an existing solar system.
Grid Neutral Ltd
MCSTrustMarkInsurance-backed warranty
Grid Neutral is a Worksop firm, incorporated in 2019, that installs residential and commercial solar and batteries and repairs systems. It says it has completed more than 750 installations and uses degree-qualified engineers and 3D design renders.
It shows 5.0 from 29 reviews on its MCS listing. Its website presents a Sheffield base, while its registered office is in Worksop.
Best for Buyers who want to see a 3D design before committing.
Holmes Electrical & Renewables Ltd
MCSNAPITRECCTrustMark
Holmes Electrical has served the Worksop area for more than 15 years, and solar is its main service, alongside batteries, EV chargers and air source heat pumps. All its engineers are in-house, and it uses no sales reps.
It shows 5.0 from 12 reviews on its MCS listing. It’s run by managing director Joshua Holmes.
Best for Buyers who dislike sales visits.
Electrical Labs (Omstrad Ltd)
MCSNICEICTrustMark
Electrical Labs is based in Whitwell, one of the villages in Bolsover District. It installs solar PV with Sigenergy and SunSynk batteries and does general electrical work.
It’s new to TrustMark (under a year) and we found no reviews yet, so ask for examples of completed installs.
Best for Villages in the north of the district.
Independent Testing Company Inc Ltd
MCSNICEICRECCTrustMark
Independent Testing Company works from the former textile mills at Pleasley Vale on the Derbyshire–Nottinghamshire border. It installs solar PV, battery storage, solar thermal and air and ground source heat pumps, as well as electrical work.
Its five Checkatrade reviews are all rated 9.5–10, but none are from the past year. It’s about six miles from Bolsover.
Best for Solar combined with a heat pump near Shirebrook.
Thorpe Energy & Compliance Ltd
MCSNAPITRECC
Thorpe Energy is a Sutton-in-Ashfield firm, incorporated in 2022, registered for solar PV and battery storage. It shows 4.4 from 13 reviews on Trustpilot.
We couldn’t load its own website, so confirm it does domestic installs before booking a survey.
Best for Southern parts of the district near Mansfield.
J S Electrical (Midlands) Ltd
MCSNAPITRECC
J S Electrical is a Kirkby-in-Ashfield firm registered for solar PV and battery storage, working across the Midlands and further afield.
It shows 5.0 from 32 reviews on its MCS listing and 4.6 from 22 on Trustpilot. It’s the furthest firm on this list, about 11 miles from Bolsover.
Best for Buyers wanting another well-reviewed quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
What solar projects are on former colliery land around Bolsover?
Two stand out. The Creswell solar farm off Frithwood Lane, approved by the council in November 2014, puts 25,000 panels (5MW) on 11.8 hectares of reclaimed colliery land, enough for about 1,500 homes. And in December 2024 Derbyshire County Council’s own £3.75m solar farm, with 14,000 panels on 25 acres of restored opencast land beside Williamthorpe Nature Reserve, was approved unanimously. Council policy favours this kind of brownfield site.
Who runs the Warm Homes grant in Bolsover?
Bassetlaw District Council administers it on Bolsover’s behalf, with the Nottingham Energy Partnership handling customer support on 0115 947 2207, and the district has £1.2m to spend by 2028. To qualify, the home must be rated D–G and lived in by its owner or a private tenant, and the household needs a means-tested benefit, an eligible postcode or a total income no higher than £36k. Solar PV is on the list, but insulation gets priority and there’s a waiting list of several months.
Is Bolsover District Council putting solar on council homes?
On some of them. In June 2025 the council approved £1.65m, half from the government’s Warm Homes Social Housing Fund, to upgrade around 90 council homes below EPC C by March 2028, including solar panels with batteries and air source heat pumps. The council owns about 5,000 homes, roughly half of them below band C.
Can I put solar panels on a house near Bolsover Castle?
If your home is listed, you’ll need listed building consent, and Old Bolsover parish has 55 listed buildings, from the Grade I castle to cottages in the old town. Unlisted homes in a conservation area can normally take panels on the roof, although any facing the street on a wall or roof enclosure need an application. If you live close to the castle, a quick call to the district’s planners first is sensible.
Are there business solar installations in the area?
At Markham Vale, the business park built on the old Markham Colliery site, engineering firm MSE Hiller installed a 75kW system that made it self-sufficient in electricity by 2015. For larger commercial roofs across the district, several installers in this guide, including AP Contracting and GB Solar, also work on business systems.
How much power will a Bolsover roof generate?
PVGIS irradiance data points to about 3,821 kWh a year from four kilowatts of south-facing panels in Bolsover, some 2% more than Chesterfield and the best figure among the Derbyshire towns we cover. May leads at around 475 kWh; December still manages close to 129.
What are solar panels worth to a Bolsover household?
Bolsover is on the East Midlands cap of 25.36p a unit for the last quarter of 2026. With exports paid at 13p, a 4kW system comes out at about £685 a year for a home that uses 40% of what it generates, and near £780 for one using 60%. That puts payback on an average £6,490 system at roughly 8.3–9.5 years.
Final Thoughts
In Bolsover, if your income is under £36,000 and your EPC is D or below, register for the Warm Homes grant early, as the waiting list is long and insulation comes first. If you’re in a listed building near the castle or in a conservation area, check planning before booking.
For self-funded installs, get at least three quotes. Only AP Contracting is based in Bolsover itself, so ask each installer about survey visits and 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.