Harlow Solar Guide: New-Town Homes, Covenants & 10 Verified Installers
10 MCS-certified firms for Old Harlow, Church Langley, Newhall, Great Parndon, Mark Hall, Netteswell and the rest of Harlow.
Harlow was designated a new town on 25 March 1947 to Sir Frederick Gibberd’s masterplan, and much of it still follows his neighbourhood layout, from Mark Hall and Netteswell to Great Parndon and Bush Fair. It has The Lawn, completed in 1951 and described as Britain’s first residential tower block, more than 100 public sculptures, and big growth ahead through the Harlow & Gilston Garden Town.
This guide is written for Harlow. A 4kW roof here is estimated to produce 4,049 kWh a year, and at the Eastern price cap each unit you use yourself saves 26.61p. Below are ten MCS-certified installers, two of them in Harlow itself, each checked against the MCS listings and its own site or register entries.
At a glance: Harlow solar installers compared
| Company | Accreditation | Services | Coverage | Years | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar Panels Funded | MCS network | Quote matching, solar PV, battery, panel cleaning, funding guidance | Harlow, CM17–CM20 | — | One enquiry → multiple local quotes |
| Coolpower Electrical Ltd | MCS (NAPIT), RECC, Tesla | Solar PV, Powerwall, EV | Greenway, Harlow (CM19), ~2 miles | — | A highly reviewed Harlow firm for panels and a Powerwall. |
| Mark Daniel Electrical Ltd | MCS (NAPIT) | Solar PV, battery | Harlow (CM19), ~1 mile | — | A Harlow-based electrician for a small system. |
| Chelsfield Solar (Chelsfield Electrical Ltd) | MCS (NICEIC), RECC, Which?, TrustMark | Solar PV, battery, EV, repairs | Great Amwell (SG12), ~5 miles | Since 2002 | Buyers who want a long-established firm with a showroom. |
| Future Green Renewables Ltd | MCS (NICEIC), Tesla | Solar PV, Powerwall 3, EV | Hoddesdon (EN11), ~5 miles | — | A family firm for a Powerwall install. |
| Lux Property Services Ltd | MCS (NICEIC) | Solar PV, battery | Hoddesdon (EN11), ~4 miles | — | A well-reviewed firm worth a comparison quote. |
| Everyone’s Energy UK Ltd | MCS (NAPIT), HIES, TrustMark, CHAS | Solar PV, Powerwall 3 | Hertford (SG13), ~8 miles | — | Buyers who want in-house installers and HIES protection. |
| Sharp Heating & Plumbing Ltd | MCS (IAA), RECC, CHAS, Gas Safe | Solar PV, Fox/Sigenergy/Powerwall, heat pumps | Hertford (SG14), ~8 miles | — | Buyers comparing fixed package prices. |
| Solar Green Ltd | MCS (NICEIC) | Solar PV, battery, thermal | High Ongar (CM5), ~8 miles | — | Homes on the Ongar side of Harlow. |
| SAS Solar Ltd | MCS (NAPIT) | Solar PV, battery | Bishop’s Stortford area (CM22), ~7 miles | — | Homes on the Stortford side of Harlow. |
| Climate Force Ltd | MCS (NAPIT), RECC | Solar PV, in-roof, battery | Cuffley (EN6), ~10 miles | 15+ years | In-roof panels and roofing work together. |
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 Harlow by the numbers
These figures are modelled for Harlow. A 4kW system facing south at 35° is estimated to produce 4,049 kWh a year, peaking at about 492 kWh in July and falling to 139 kWh in December.
- 4,049 kWh / yearEstimated output of a 4kW roof system in Harlow
- 26.61p per kWhPrice-cap unit rate for Harlow’s region (Eastern), Oct–Dec 2026, vs 26.32p GB average
- £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
That comes to roughly £745–£855 a year, repaying a £6,490 install in about 7.6–8.7 years. Harlow’s output is just above Chigwell’s and slightly below Brentwood and Chelmsford.
Sources: output from the EU’s PVGIS 5.3 model (SARAH-3 data) for Harlow, 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 Harlow
This guide covers the CM17, CM18, CM19 and CM20 postcode districts: Old Harlow, Church Langley, Newhall and Potter Street in CM17; Bush Fair, Latton, Staple Tye, Passmores and Sumners in CM18; Great Parndon, Kingsmoor and Roydon in CM19; and the town centre, Mark Hall, Netteswell and Little Parndon in CM20. Two installers here are in Harlow; the others work from Hoddesdon, Great Amwell, Hertford, High Ongar, Bishop’s Stortford and Cuffley.
Old HarlowChurch LangleyNewhallPotter StreetBush FairLattonStaple TyePassmoresGreat ParndonLittle ParndonMark HallNetteswell
Postcode sectors from Streetlist (CM17–CM20); wards from postcodes.io. CM20 2 also takes in Gilston and Eastwick in Hertfordshire.
Planning and grid connection in Harlow
- Old Harlow Article 4Since June 2012, homes on parts of Bury Road, New Road, the High Street, Old Road and nearby streets need permission for putting up or replacing solar panels on a roof visible from the road.
- Other Article 4 directionsMark Hall North (from October 2023) controls alterations to the roof at the front of houses, and Churchgate Street has a direction in force from March 2026. Check before fitting front-facing panels there.
- 10 conservation areas and 179 listed buildingsThey include Old Harlow, Churchgate Street, Mark Hall North, Harlow Garden Village Estate and Tye Green. Panels facing a highway in a conservation area are not permitted development, and listed buildings need consent.
- CovenantsMost former Development Corporation and council homes carry covenants run by the council, but roof-mounted solar doesn’t need covenant consent unless the home is in a conservation area.
- UK Power NetworksHarlow is on UK Power Networks’ Eastern network. Most home systems are notified after installation (G98); larger ones need approval first (G99).
Sources: Harlow Council (conservation areas, Article 4 directions, covenant control, climate change action, Harlow & Gilston Garden Town); HEAT Essex; Switch Together; Wikipedia (Harlow, The Lawn, Listed buildings in Harlow, Harlow Town station); 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 Harlow homeowners with MCS-accredited installers from its network, so one enquiry brings back several quotes.
In Harlow it can flag early whether your home is in Old Harlow or another Article 4 area, help with covenant questions on former council homes, and check whether HEAT Essex might fund part of the work.
Best for One enquiry → multiple competitive quotes from vetted MCS-accredited installers.
Coolpower Electrical Ltd
MCSNAPITRECCTesla Certified
Coolpower Electrical is based on Greenway in Harlow, with a second office in Thetford, and installs residential and commercial solar PV, batteries and EV chargers. It is a Tesla Powerwall Certified Installer and a RECC member.
Its MCS listing shows 5.0 from 146 reviews, one of the strongest records near the town, and one reviewer says panels and a battery were fitted within two weeks.
Best for A highly reviewed Harlow firm for panels and a Powerwall.
Mark Daniel Electrical Ltd
MCSNAPIT
Mark Daniel Electrical is the other MCS solar firm with a Harlow address, certified for solar PV and battery storage.
It has no website or published reviews, so ask for references, insurance details and a written specification before you book.
Best for A Harlow-based electrician for a small system.
Chelsfield Solar (Chelsfield Electrical Ltd)
MCSNICEICRECCWhich? Trusted Trader
Chelsfield Solar has installed solar since 2002 and has a showroom at the Van Hage garden centre in Great Amwell, about five miles from Harlow. It works on homes, businesses, community buildings and new-builds, and also fits batteries and EV chargers and repairs or relocates panels.
It is a Which? Trusted Trader, RECC member and TrustMark-registered. Its site shows testimonials, but we found no review count.
Best for Buyers who want a long-established firm with a showroom.
Future Green Renewables Ltd
MCSNICEICTesla Certified
Future Green Renewables is a family-run Hoddesdon firm that installs domestic solar, Tesla Powerwall 3 batteries and EV chargers and maintains existing systems. It is a Tesla Powerwall Certified Installer.
It shows 4.9 from 15 reviews on its MCS listing. The company was incorporated recently, so check how its warranties are backed.
Best for A family firm for a Powerwall install.
Lux Property Services Ltd
MCSNICEIC
Lux Property Services is a Hoddesdon firm certified for solar PV and battery storage.
It shows 4.8 from 83 reviews on its MCS listing, but we couldn’t find a website describing its solar work, so ask for examples of domestic installs.
Best for A well-reviewed firm worth a comparison quote.
Everyone’s Energy UK Ltd
MCSNAPITHIESTrustMark
Everyone’s Energy is a Hertford installer that does all its installation work in-house, fits Tesla Powerwall 3 batteries and has local pages for Essex and Hertfordshire towns.
Its MCS listing shows 5.0 from 163 reviews, and it is HIES-accredited and CHAS-registered.
Best for Buyers who want in-house installers and HIES protection.
Sharp Heating & Plumbing Ltd
MCSIAARECCCHAS
Sharp Heating & Plumbing publishes fixed-price solar packages from £5,995 installed, using Aiko and Jinko panels with Fox ESS, Sigenergy and Tesla Powerwall 3 batteries, and also fits heat pumps.
It shows 4.7 from 36 Google reviews and is a RECC member.
Best for Buyers comparing fixed package prices.
Solar Green Ltd
MCSNICEIC
Solar Green works from Nash Hall in High Ongar, south-east of Harlow, with MCS certification for solar PV, batteries and solar thermal.
It shows 4.5 from eight reviews. Its website wouldn’t load when we checked, so ask for details of recent domestic work.
Best for Homes on the Ongar side of Harlow.
SAS Solar Ltd
MCSNAPIT
SAS Solar is a solar-specialist trading name near Bishop’s Stortford, certified for solar PV and battery storage.
It has no website or published reviews that we could find, so ask for references before booking.
Best for Homes on the Stortford side of Harlow.
Climate Force Ltd
MCSNAPITRECC
Climate Force has a roofing and construction background and more than 15 years’ experience. It says it has installed 2,500 panels and 250kWh of batteries, using Sigenergy, Tesla, EcoFlow, Solarwatt, SolarEdge and Bauder in-roof systems.
It shows 5.0 from 22 reviews on its MCS listing and is a RECC member. At about ten miles it is the furthest firm here.
Best for In-roof panels and roofing work together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is grant funding available for solar in Harlow?
Yes, in principle. Harlow households sit within HEAT Essex, the county programme for the Warm Homes: Local Grant, and solar PV is one of the upgrades on offer. Homeowners, landlords and tenants may all apply; each home gets an EPC check and a survey, and receiving benefits isn’t a requirement. Because the scheme reported being temporarily oversubscribed in October 2026, a wait is likely.
Do I need covenant consent to put solar on a former council house in Harlow?
Usually not. Most homes built by the Harlow Development Corporation or sold by the council carry restrictive covenants that the council administers, but it says roof-mounted solar panels don’t need covenant permission unless the property is in a conservation area. Church Langley homes, built by Croudace, aren’t covered by the council’s covenant scheme.
Can I fit solar panels in Old Harlow?
Only with planning permission if they face the road. An Article 4 direction in force since 1 June 2012 covers parts of Bury Road, New Road, the High Street and Old Road among other streets, and requires permission for putting up or replacing solar panels on a roof visible from the road. Panels that can’t be seen from the road aren’t caught by it.
Are there other parts of Harlow with extra restrictions?
Yes. Harlow has 10 conservation areas, including Churchgate Street, Mark Hall North, Harlow Garden Village Estate and Tye Green, and 179 listed buildings, among them The Lawn. Mark Hall North’s Article 4 direction controls alterations to the front roof, and Churchgate Street has one from March 2026, so check with the council before fitting panels on the front of a house there.
What has Harlow Council done on climate change?
Harlow Council made its climate emergency declaration in 2019 and is working towards net zero by 2040, a decade earlier than the national goal. Five council-owned buildings already carry solar panels.
How much solar power will a Harlow roof produce?
Harlow’s figure from PVGIS is about 4,049 kWh annually for 4kW of panels on a south-facing roof at 35°, a little above Chigwell and slightly below Brentwood. Expect a peak of about 492 kWh in July and a low of about 139 kWh in December.
How much could a Harlow household save?
In Harlow, electricity this October–December costs 26.61p per kWh under the Eastern cap. When 40–60% of the electricity from 4kW of panels is used in the home and the surplus earns 13p, the benefit is around £745–£855 a year, so a £6,490 system pays back in 7.6–8.7 years.
Final Thoughts
In Harlow, check three things before booking surveys: whether you are in Old Harlow or another Article 4 area, whether your home is in a conservation area or listed, and, for former council homes, whether covenant rules apply. For most homes, roof panels can go ahead under permitted development.
Get at least three quotes and compare each installer’s output estimate with the 4,049 kWh figure above.
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.