Braintree Solar Guide: Essex Sunshine, Silk-Town Streets & 10 Verified Installers
10 MCS-certified firms for Braintree, Bocking, Great Notley, Rayne and the CM7 and CM77 villages.
Braintree was built on silk: Courtaulds set up its mills here in the early 19th century, Warner & Sons wove coronation fabrics at New Mills until 1971, and the Warner Textile Archive still holds around 100,000 items at Silks Way. The town is still growing, with new estates at Great Notley, Birch Park and west of Panfield Lane, and large solar projects nearby, including part of the 500MW Longfield Solar Farm.
This guide is written for Braintree. A 4kW roof here is estimated to produce 4,134 kWh a year, the most of any town in this week’s guides, and at the Eastern price cap each unit you use yourself saves 26.61p. Below are ten MCS-certified installers, four of them within four miles of the town hall, each checked against the MCS listings and its own site or register entries.
At a glance: Braintree solar installers compared
| Company | Accreditation | Services | Coverage | Years | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar Panels Funded | MCS network | Quote matching, solar PV, battery, panel cleaning, funding guidance | Braintree, CM7, CM77 & north Essex | — | One enquiry → multiple local quotes |
| Radiance Solar Ltd | MCS (NICEIC) | Solar PV, battery, EV | Braintree (CM7), under 1 mile | Company since 2011 | A Braintree-based family firm for a home system. |
| Igloo Environmental Ltd | MCS (NAPIT), RECC, Which?, TrustMark | Solar PV, battery, EV, roofing | Lynderswood (CM77), ~3 miles | Since 2009 | Buyers who want Which? vetting and a Powerwall. |
| Solar Power (GB) Ltd | MCS (NAPIT), HIES | Solar PV, battery, repairs, bird guards | Rayne (CM77), ~4 miles | Since 2007 | Owners with an older system needing repairs or upgrades. |
| Sean Scanlan Electrical Services | MCS (NICEIC), RECC | Solar PV, battery, EV, electrical | Great Notley (CM77), ~1 mile | Since 2019 | Solar with a Sonnen battery or myenergi charger. |
| Laser Renewables & Electrical Solutions Ltd | MCS (NICEIC) | Solar PV, battery, EV, off-grid | Earls Colne (CO6), ~6 miles | Since 2021 | Larger homes and small businesses. |
| Greener Advantage Renewables Ltd | MCS (NAPIT) | Solar PV, battery | Kelvedon (CO5), ~7 miles | Since 2024 | Larger systems from a new local firm. |
| PV Renewable Energy Ltd | MCS, BUS, Panasonic Pro | Solar PV, heat pumps, air con | Great Braxted (CM8), ~8 miles | Since 2011 | Solar combined with a Panasonic heat pump. |
| EV Electrical Essex Ltd | MCS (NAPIT), OZEV | EV chargers, solar PV, battery | Great Dunmow (CM6), ~8 miles | 20+ years | Adding solar alongside an EV charger. |
| MCM Electrical Solutions Ltd | MCS (NAPIT), ECA | Solar PV, electrical, smart home | Great Dunmow (CM6), ~8 miles | Since 2018 | Solar with smart-home wiring. |
| Ecolec Installations Ltd | MCS (NICEIC), TrustMark | Electrical, EV, heating, solar PV | Little Canfield (CM6), ~12 miles | Since 2010 | A well-reviewed firm for solar within wider home work. |
MCS numbers checked 28 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 Braintree by the numbers
These figures are modelled for Braintree, not a national average. A 4kW south-facing system at 35° is estimated to produce 4,134 kWh a year, peaking at about 498 kWh in June and dipping to 144 kWh in December.
- 4,134 kWh / yearEstimated output of a 4kW roof system in Braintree
- 26.61p per kWhPrice-cap unit rate for Braintree’s region (Eastern), Oct–Dec 2026, vs 26.32p GB average
- £440–£660 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 works out at roughly £760–£875 a year, repaying a £6,490 system in about 7.4–8.5 years. Braintree gets about 6% more output than Beverley and 13% more than Durham.
Sources: output from the EU’s PVGIS 5.3 model (SARAH-3 data) for Braintree, 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 Braintree
This guide covers the CM7 and CM77 postcode districts: Braintree town centre, Bocking and Bradford Street, High Garrett, Panfield and the villages to the north in CM7, and Great Notley, Black Notley, Rayne, Cressing, Stisted and Coggeshall in CM77. The installers here work from Braintree, Great Notley, Lynderswood, Rayne, Earls Colne, Kelvedon, Great Braxted, Great Dunmow and Little Canfield.
BockingBradford StreetHigh GarrettPanfieldGreat NotleyBlack NotleyRayneCressingStistedCoggeshallBirch ParkSilks Way
Postcode districts and parishes from postcodes.io; Bocking and Great Notley details from Wikipedia. Parts of CM7 and CM77 fall in Uttlesford and Chelmsford districts, not Braintree.
Planning and grid connection in Braintree
- 37 conservation areasBraintree district has 37, including Braintree Town Centre and Bradford Street, split into two areas in 2023, and Bocking Church Street, designated in 1981. Panels on a wall or roof facing a highway in them are not permitted development.
- Over 3,000 listed buildingsThe district’s listed buildings include Bocking Windmill and St Mary’s Deanery Church, both Grade I. Any listed building needs consent before panels go on.
- No Article 4 in the townThe district’s only Article 4 directions cover Silver End and a site at Stisted, so Braintree and Bocking follow normal conservation-area rules.
- Permitted development elsewhereOutside those areas, most homes, including the new estates, can fit roof panels without planning permission if they stay within 200mm of the roof slope and below the ridge.
- UK Power NetworksBraintree is on UKPN’s Eastern Power Networks. Most home systems are notified after installation (G98); larger ones need approval first (G99).
Sources: Braintree District Council (conservation areas, listed buildings, Article 4 directions, energy-efficient homes, news); Heat Essex; Essex County Council (Solar Together); Planning Inspectorate (EN010118); EDF Power Solutions; Braintree Museum; UK Power Networks; 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 Braintree homeowners with MCS-accredited installers from its network, so one enquiry brings back several quotes.
In Braintree it can help owners of new-build homes add batteries or extra panels, find installers used to older roofs around Bocking and Bradford Street, and check whether you might qualify for the Heat Essex grant when it reopens.
Get your free Braintree quote →
Best for One enquiry → multiple competitive quotes from vetted MCS-accredited installers.
Radiance Solar Ltd
MCSNICEICFamily-run
Radiance Solar is a family-run Braintree company, with its registered office at Warners Mill on Silks Way, that installs solar PV, battery storage and home EV chargers across Essex and Suffolk. It traded as Concept Controls Solutions until 2023, and the company dates back to 2011.
It shows 5.0 from eight Google reviews. It is the closest firm to the town centre on this list.
Best for A Braintree-based family firm for a home system.
Igloo Environmental Ltd
MCSNAPITRECCWhich? Trusted Trader
Igloo Environmental has been established since 2009 and works from Lynderswood Business Park near Black Notley. It installs solar PV for homes and businesses with Powervault and Tesla Powerwall 2 and 3 batteries, plus EV charging, and has a separate roofing arm.
It is a Which? Trusted Trader with 4.9 from 31 reviews, and a RECC member.
Best for Buyers who want Which? vetting and a Powerwall.
Solar Power (GB) Ltd
MCSNAPITHIES
Solar Power (GB) was founded in 2007 and works from Blake House Farm near Rayne, serving Essex and the South East. As well as new SolarEdge, Solis and SMA systems with Pylontech batteries, it replaces inverters, fits bird guards and removes and refits panels for roof work.
It shows 4.7 from 46 reviews on Trustpilot. Its aftercare services suit owners who already have an older system.
Best for Owners with an older system needing repairs or upgrades.
Sean Scanlan Electrical Services
MCSNICEICRECC
Sean Scanlan Electrical Services is a Great Notley electrician, incorporated in 2019, who is an approved installer for Andersen and myenergi chargers and Sonnen batteries, and fits solar PV, EV chargers and rewires across Braintree, Chelmsford and Colchester.
It is a RECC member. We found no published reviews, and its RECC and MCS entries give slightly different postcodes, so confirm the details on your contract.
Best for Solar with a Sonnen battery or myenergi charger.
Laser Renewables & Electrical Solutions Ltd
MCSNICEICGroup-backed
Laser Renewables was set up in 2021 as part of the Laser Electrical Group, a Chelmsford electrical contractor. From Earls Colne, about six miles east of Braintree, it installs solar PV, batteries, EV chargers and hybrid and off-grid systems for homes, businesses and public buildings, including a system for Chelmsford City FC.
We found no published reviews, and its site doesn’t list accreditations beyond MCS and NICEIC.
Best for Larger homes and small businesses.
Greener Advantage Renewables Ltd
MCSNAPIT
Greener Advantage Renewables is a Kelvedon firm incorporated in January 2024 that installs solar PV and battery storage.
It has one Google review, for a 58-panel system with Fox monitoring completed in a week. As a young company, ask for several references and check the warranty backing.
Best for Larger systems from a new local firm.
PV Renewable Energy Ltd
MCSBUS registeredPanasonic Pro Partner
PV Renewable Energy was founded in 2011 by director Richard Franks and works from Great Braxted near Witham. It installs solar PV, Panasonic air-to-water and air-to-air heat pumps and air conditioning, and names Braintree, Witham, Halstead and Great Dunmow in its areas.
It is registered for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and is a Panasonic Pro Partner. We found no published reviews.
Best for Solar combined with a Panasonic heat pump.
EV Electrical Essex Ltd
MCSNAPITOZEV authorised
EV Electrical Essex has traded for more than 20 years from Great Dunmow and covers Saffron Walden, Dunmow and nearby Essex. Its website focuses on EV chargers and electrics, but its MCS certificate covers solar PV and battery storage too.
It shows 5.0 from 37 Google reviews. Ask for examples of solar jobs, as its published work is mostly EV charging.
Best for Adding solar alongside an EV charger.
MCM Electrical Solutions Ltd
MCSNAPITECA
MCM Electrical Solutions was incorporated in 2018 and installs solar PV alongside general electrical and smart-home work. Its registered address is in Great Dunmow, but one directory lists it at a Braintree CM7 address.
It is an ECA member. We found no reviews, so ask for local references before you book.
Best for Solar with smart-home wiring.
Ecolec Installations Ltd
MCSNICEICTrustMarkCheckatrade
Ecolec Installations was established in 2010 by Robert Mead and has a team of 15 at Little Canfield, between Great Dunmow and Stansted. It does EV chargers, electrics, plumbing and heating, and its MCS certificate covers solar PV.
It scores 9.71 out of 10 from 145 Checkatrade reviews, although that profile doesn’t list solar, so ask about its solar experience.
Best for A well-reviewed firm for solar within wider home work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a Warm Homes grant for solar in Braintree?
Not right now, but it may reopen. Essex County Council secured £6 million for the Warm Homes: Local Grant, delivered locally through Heat Essex, run by Happy Energy Solutions. Measures include solar PV and batteries for privately owned or rented homes rated EPC D–G with household income of £36,000 or less, or in a qualifying postcode. Braintree District Council said in March 2026 that the scheme wasn’t taking new applications; contact Heat Essex on 01206 326808 to register interest.
Does Solar Together run in Braintree?
Essex County Council has run the Solar Together group-buying scheme with iChoosr. Its 2023 round drew more than 6,600 registrations across Essex, with an expected average discount of 32% on a typical 12-panel system, and the council promoted it again in January 2025. When we checked, the scheme’s Braintree page said it wasn’t active in the area yet.
Can I put panels on a house on Bradford Street or in Bocking?
Often, but check first. Braintree Town Centre and Bradford Street became separate conservation areas in 2023, and Bocking Church Street has been one since 1981. Within them, fitting panels to a front roof slope or elevation that faces the street needs planning permission, and listed buildings need listed building consent. There are no Article 4 directions in the town itself.
What big solar projects are near Braintree?
Two stand out. Longfield Solar Farm, up to 500MW north of the A12 between Boreham and Hatfield Peverel, was granted consent in June 2023 and spans Chelmsford and Braintree districts; EDF says it can power more than 96,000 homes. Closer to town, a 16.5MW solar farm with 22.5MW of battery storage at Kentishes Farm, High Garrett, was approved in March 2026.
How much will solar panels produce in Braintree?
PVGIS estimates around 4,134 kWh a year for a 4kW array on a south-facing Braintree roof at 35°. That is about 6% more than Beverley and roughly 13% more than Durham. June and July are the best months, with June peaking at about 498 kWh, and December still gives around 144 kWh.
How much could a Braintree home save with solar?
Braintree pays the Eastern price-cap rate of 26.61p per unit for October to December 2026. If around half of a 4kW array’s generation (anywhere from 40% to 60%) is used in the house and the remainder is exported at 13p, the benefit is about £760–£875 a year. That repays a £6,490 install in 7.4–8.5 years, one of the quicker paybacks in our guides.
Has Braintree District Council installed solar itself?
Yes. It put 983 panels, 407kW in total, on Witham Leisure Centre, finished by March 2025 with Sport England funding. The array is expected to produce more than 399MWh a year and save around 59 tonnes of CO2.
Final Thoughts
In Braintree, most homes can go straight to quotes. If you are on Bradford Street, in Bocking Church Street or the town centre, or your home is listed, talk to the district council’s planning team first. On newer estates such as Great Notley and Birch Park, permitted development usually applies.
Get at least three quotes and compare each installer’s output estimate with the 4,134 kWh figure above. If your income is under £36,000 and your EPC is D or lower, register with Heat Essex so you hear when the grant reopens.
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.