Brentwood Solar Guide: Green Belt Homes, Elizabeth Line Commuters & 10 Verified Installers
10 MCS-certified firms for Brentwood, Shenfield, Hutton, Warley, Pilgrims Hatch and the CM13–CM15 villages.
Brentwood is a commuter town with countryside on every side: about 90% of the borough is Metropolitan Green Belt, and the Elizabeth line now runs from Shenfield and Brentwood stations straight through central London. The council has also gone solar itself, with panels at the Brentwood Centre now covering 96% of the site’s peak energy demand.
This guide is written for Brentwood. A 4kW roof here is estimated to produce 4,097 kWh a year, and at the Eastern price cap each unit you use yourself saves 26.61p. Below are ten MCS-certified installers within about 12 miles of the town hall, one of them in Shenfield, each checked against the MCS listings and its own site or register entries.
At a glance: Brentwood solar installers compared
| Company | Accreditation | Services | Coverage | Years | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar Panels Funded | MCS network | Quote matching, solar PV, battery, panel cleaning, funding guidance | Brentwood, CM13–CM15 | — | One enquiry → multiple local quotes |
| Smart Firm Ltd | MCS (NICEIC), RECC, Tesla | Solar PV, Powerwall, EV, security | Shenfield (CM15), ~2 miles | Since 2012 | A Shenfield-based firm for panels and a Powerwall. |
| Axeley Electrical Ltd | MCS (NICEIC), RECC | Solar PV, battery, heat pumps, EV | Billericay (CM12), ~4 miles | MCS since 2024 | Solar plus a heat pump from a well-reviewed local electrician. |
| Thunder Sparks Ltd | MCS (NAPIT), Constructionline | Solar PV, EV, electrical | Billericay (CM12), ~5 miles | Since 2019 | Buyers who want a busy firm with several install teams. |
| Warmer Homes Heating and Renewables Ltd | MCS (NICEIC), Which?, TrustMark, BUS | Solar PV, heat pumps, boilers | Billericay (CM12), ~5 miles | — | Homes replacing a boiler and adding solar at the same time. |
| AJK Energy Ltd | MCS (NAPIT) | Solar PV, Fox ESS battery, heat pumps | Upminster (RM14), ~4 miles | 7+ years | Adding a battery or bird-proofing to an existing system. |
| Radke Electrical Services Ltd | MCS (NAPIT) | Solar PV, battery, EV | Harold Hill (RM3), ~4 miles | — | A well-reviewed local electrician for a straightforward system. |
| Greenacres Energy Group Ltd | MCS (IAA) | Solar PV, battery, EV, agricultural | Hornchurch (RM11), ~5 miles | 10 years | Farms and larger properties in the Brentwood countryside. |
| Suns Power Ltd | MCS (NICEIC), RECC, TrustMark | Solar PV, battery, EV, maintenance | West Horndon area (RM14), ~6 miles | Since 2024 | Homes in West Horndon and south of the A127. |
| MAK Energy Ltd | MCS (NAPIT), RECC, IWA | Solar PV, inverters, battery, maintenance | Wickford (SS12), ~9 miles | Since 2008 | Owners of older systems needing a new inverter or service. |
| Solar PV Ltd | MCS (NAPIT), HIES, TrustMark | Solar PV, battery, EV, heat pumps | Battlesbridge (SS11), ~12 miles | Since 2021 | Buyers who want HIES protection and a GivEnergy battery. |
MCS numbers checked 6 October 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 Brentwood by the numbers
These figures are modelled for Brentwood. A 4kW system on a south-facing, 35° roof is estimated to produce 4,097 kWh a year, peaking at about 498 kWh in July and falling to 140 kWh in December.
- 4,097 kWh / yearEstimated output of a 4kW roof system in Brentwood
- 26.61p per kWhPrice-cap unit rate for Brentwood’s region (Eastern), Oct–Dec 2026, vs 26.32p GB average
- £435–£655 off your billIf you use 40–60% of what the panels make at home
- + £215–£320 export incomeThe rest sold at 13p/kWh on an open Smart Export Guarantee tariff
That comes to roughly £755–£865 a year, paying back a £6,490 install in about 7.5–8.6 years. Brentwood’s output sits between Chigwell, to the west, and Chelmsford, to the north-east.
Sources: output from the EU’s PVGIS 5.3 model (SARAH-3 data) for Brentwood, 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 Brentwood
This guide covers the CM13, CM14 and CM15 postcode districts: Hutton, Great Warley, Ingrave, Herongate and West Horndon in CM13; Brentwood town and Warley in CM14; and Shenfield, Pilgrims Hatch, Doddinghurst, Kelvedon Hatch, Mountnessing and Stondon Massey in CM15. Ingatestone, though in the borough, has a CM4 postcode. One installer here is in Shenfield; the others work from Billericay, Upminster, Hornchurch, Harold Hill, Wickford and Battlesbridge.
ShenfieldHuttonWarleyGreat WarleyPilgrims HatchBrentwood town centreDoddinghurstKelvedon HatchIngraveHerongateWest HorndonMountnessing
Postcode sectors from Streetlist (CM13, CM14, CM15); parishes and wards from postcodes.io. CM13 also reaches into Basildon, Havering and Thurrock.
Planning and grid connection in Brentwood
- 13 conservation areasThey include Brentwood Town Centre, Hutton Village, Great Warley, South Weald, Ingatestone High Street, Thorndon Park and Weald Park. Panels on a wall or roof facing a highway in them are not permitted development.
- 512 listed buildingsThe borough has 12 Grade I, 27 Grade II* and 473 Grade II listed buildings. Any of them needs listed building consent before panels go on.
- Metropolitan Green BeltAbout 90% of the borough is Green Belt. That doesn’t remove householder rights to fit roof panels, which apply as normal outside conservation areas.
- Permitted development elsewhereMost homes can fit roof panels without planning permission if they sit within 200mm of the roof slope and below the ridge.
- UK Power NetworksBrentwood is on UK Power Networks’ Eastern network. Most home systems are notified after installation (G98); larger ones need approval first (G99).
Sources: Brentwood Borough Council (conservation areas, listed buildings, climate emergency, energy grants); HEAT Essex; Switch Together; Wikipedia (Metropolitan Green Belt, Shenfield station, Brentwood Cathedral, Thorndon Hall); GOV.UK permitted development rules.
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 Brentwood homeowners with MCS-accredited installers from its network, so one enquiry brings back several quotes.
In Brentwood it can point you to firms used to larger detached homes in Shenfield and Hutton as well as terraces near the town centre, and check whether you might qualify for the HEAT Essex grant once it has space again.
Get your free Brentwood quote →
Best for One enquiry → multiple competitive quotes from vetted MCS-accredited installers.
Smart Firm Ltd
MCSNICEICRECCTesla Certified
Smart Firm was founded in 2012 by David Cooch and Darren Hall and is the only installer on this list based inside Brentwood borough, in Shenfield. It describes itself as MCS-accredited solar PV specialists and Tesla Certified installers, fitting panels, Powerwall batteries and EV chargers alongside electrical and security work.
Its MCS listing shows 4.3 from six Google reviews. Its solar work sits on a separate renewables page rather than the homepage, so ask for local examples.
Best for A Shenfield-based firm for panels and a Powerwall.
Axeley Electrical Ltd
MCSNICEICRECC
Axeley Electrical is a Billericay firm run by managing director Scott Mortlock that installs solar panels, battery storage, air-source heat pumps and EV chargers alongside general electrical work. It has held MCS certification since 2024.
Its MCS listing shows 5.0 from 22 Google reviews. It lists Billericay, Thurrock, Southend and London among its areas but not Brentwood by name, so confirm it covers your street.
Best for Solar plus a heat pump from a well-reviewed local electrician.
Thunder Sparks Ltd
MCSNAPITConstructionline Gold
Thunder Sparks has traded since 2019 from Station Road in Billericay and says it runs four teams and has completed more than 2,500 projects, from small houses to football stadiums. It installs domestic and commercial solar and EV charging.
Its MCS listing shows 4.8 from 42 Google reviews. It covers Essex and Greater London.
Best for Buyers who want a busy firm with several install teams.
Warmer Homes Heating and Renewables Ltd
MCSNICEICWhich? Trusted TraderBUS registered
Warmer Homes is a heating-led firm run by Steve and Andy Pearce that installs solar PV and solar thermal alongside air-to-water and air-to-air heat pumps and boilers from Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Ideal, Daikin and Grant.
It is a Which? Trusted Trader, TrustMark-registered and signed up to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, and shows 5.0 from 16 Google reviews on its MCS listing.
Best for Homes replacing a boiler and adding solar at the same time.
AJK Energy Ltd
MCSNAPIT
AJK Energy is an Upminster installer with more than seven years of experience that fits solar PV with Fox ESS hybrid inverters, retrofit batteries, air-source heat pumps and bird-proofing, and also works with SolShare systems for blocks of flats.
We found no published reviews, so ask for references from recent Brentwood or Havering jobs.
Best for Adding a battery or bird-proofing to an existing system.
Radke Electrical Services Ltd
MCSNAPIT
Radke Electrical Services is a Harold Hill electrician, about four miles west of Brentwood, with MCS certification for solar PV, battery storage and EV chargers. One customer review mentions a SolarEdge system.
Its MCS listing shows 5.0 from 34 Google reviews, but we couldn’t find a website, so ask for a written specification and photos of past solar jobs.
Best for A well-reviewed local electrician for a straightforward system.
Greenacres Energy Group Ltd
MCSIAAAgricultural
Greenacres Energy Group installs domestic, commercial and agricultural solar, batteries and EV charge points, and says it has ten years of experience and hundreds of systems fitted across East Anglia.
We found no published reviews. Its range suits the borough’s farms and larger rural properties as well as homes.
Best for Farms and larger properties in the Brentwood countryside.
Suns Power Ltd
MCSNICEICRECCTrustMark
Suns Power was incorporated in November 2024 and works from Little Malgraves, near West Horndon, with a Brentwood phone number. It installs solar PV with Fox ESS, Growatt, Hanchu and Lux Power equipment, plus batteries, EV charging and maintenance.
It shows 4.6 from nine Google reviews and lists RECC, TrustMark and IWA membership. As a young company, check how its warranties are backed.
Best for Homes in West Horndon and south of the A127.
MAK Energy Ltd
MCSNAPITRECC
MAK Energy is a family-run Wickford firm that says it has worked in solar since 2008, and one reviewer says it fitted their panels in 2011. As well as new systems it replaces inverters, maintains older arrays and fits batteries and solar thermal.
It shows 5.0 from five Google reviews and is a RECC member.
Best for Owners of older systems needing a new inverter or service.
Solar PV Ltd
MCSNAPITHIESGivEnergy approved
Solar PV Ltd was incorporated in 2021 and works from Battlesbridge, installing Tesla, GivEnergy and SolarEdge systems, retrofit batteries, myenergi chargers and heat pumps across East Anglia and the South East. It is an approved installer for GivEnergy and myenergi.
It shows 5.0 from 32 Google reviews and is HIES-accredited, which covers deposits and workmanship. At about 12 miles it is the furthest firm here.
Best for Buyers who want HIES protection and a GivEnergy battery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a grant for solar panels in Brentwood?
Possibly, but expect to wait. HEAT Essex runs the Warm Homes: Local Grant across Essex, Brentwood included, and its list of measures takes in solar PV and batteries as well as insulation and heat pumps. Whether you qualify turns on household income, health conditions and your home’s energy rating, so benefits aren’t essential. HEAT Essex was temporarily oversubscribed when we looked; ring 01206 326808 to join the queue.
Is Switch Together open in Brentwood?
Yes. Brentwood Borough Council points residents to Switch Together, the group-buying scheme run by iChoosr with Essex County Council that used to be called Solar Together. Registration for solar panels and batteries in Essex was open when we checked in October 2026. You register for free and decide whether to accept the offer later.
Does the Green Belt stop me fitting solar panels in Brentwood?
No. Around 90% of the borough is Metropolitan Green Belt, but Green Belt status doesn’t take away a householder’s right to fit panels on a roof. What matters is whether the property is listed or inside one of the borough’s conservation areas, and how far the panels stand off the roof.
Which Brentwood areas need planning permission for panels?
Mainly the conservation areas and listed buildings. Brentwood has 13 conservation areas, including the town centre, Hutton Village, Great Warley, South Weald and Ingatestone High Street, plus 512 listed buildings. In a conservation area, roof slopes and walls that face the road need permission; on a listed building, any panels need listed building consent.
What is Brentwood Borough Council doing about solar?
The borough council’s climate emergency declaration came in June 2023. Its targets are net zero for its own operations by 2030 and for the whole borough by 2040. Solar on the Brentwood Centre now covers 96% of that site’s peak energy demand, and the council is part-funding new panels at Seymour Pavilion.
How much electricity will panels make in Brentwood?
For Brentwood, PVGIS (the EU’s solar model) puts annual output at about 4,097 kWh for 4kW of south-facing panels at 35°. That’s slightly ahead of Chigwell and just behind Chelmsford. July should bring around 498 kWh and December roughly 140 kWh.
What would a 4kW system save a Brentwood household?
Brentwood is billed at the Eastern cap, 26.61p a unit, through the end of 2026. Suppose a household uses 40–60% of its panels’ output at home and the surplus is sold at 13p: a 4kW system then earns about £755–£865 a year, and a £6,490 installation is covered within 7.5–8.6 years.
Final Thoughts
In Brentwood, most homes can go straight to quotes. If you are in one of the 13 conservation areas or your home is listed, talk to the council’s planning team first; the Green Belt on its own isn’t a barrier to roof panels.
Get at least three quotes and compare each installer’s output estimate for your roof with the 4,097 kWh figure above. If money is tight, register with HEAT Essex and Switch Together before you commit.
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.