Manchester Solar Guide: The Solar-Clad CIS Tower, Garden-Suburb Streets & 10 Verified Installers
10 MCS-certified firms for Didsbury, Chorlton, Levenshulme, Wythenshawe, Moston and the rest of the city.
Manchester had about 552,000 residents at the 2021 Census, almost a tenth more than in 2011, and a housing stock that runs from city-centre flats to Victorian terraces in Levenshulme and interwar semis in Burnage. Its best-known solar roof is a wall: since 2005 the CIS Tower has carried 575.5 kW of photovoltaic cladding, and the city council has a 2038 target to be zero carbon.
This guide covers Manchester City Council’s area. Modelled for the city, a 4kW roof gives 3,444 kWh a year, and every unit you use rather than buy saves 26.49p at the North West cap. Six of the ten MCS-certified firms below have addresses inside the city; the other four sit just over the boundary in Salford and Trafford.
At a glance: Manchester solar installers compared
| Company | Accreditation | Services | Coverage | Years | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar Panels Funded | MCS network | Quote matching, solar PV, battery, panel cleaning, funding guidance | Manchester, Didsbury, Chorlton & M8–M40 | — | One enquiry → multiple local quotes |
| Green Orb Eco Solutions Ltd | MCS (NAPIT), TrustMark, BUS | Solar PV, battery, heat pumps, boilers | Ardwick (M12), ~1 mile | Since 2020 | Solar with a battery or heat pump in one package. |
| Aftex Ltd T/A Solaris World | MCS (NAPIT), TrustMark, HIES | Solar PV, inverters, battery | Roundthorn, Wythenshawe (M23), ~6 miles | — | A home-focused solar and battery quote in south Manchester. |
| Independent Solar Consultants Limited | MCS (NAPIT), TrustMark | Solar design, PV sizing, QA checks | Swan Street (M4), under 1 mile | Since 2024 | A second opinion on system size or an existing quote. |
| JST Electrical Services Ltd | MCS (NICEIC) | Solar PV, electrical | Levenshulme (M19), ~4 miles | Since 2010 | An established local electrician in the Levenshulme area. |
| AMS Solutions (UK) Ltd | MCS (NAPIT) | Commercial solar PV, EV charging | City centre (M2), under 1 mile | Since 2013 | Schools, offices and other non-domestic buildings. |
| Sureserve Group Ltd | MCS (NICEIC) | Solar PV, insulation, retrofit | Sharston (M22), ~6 miles | — | Tenants and owners in landlord or council-run schemes. |
| Energy Gain UK Ltd | MCS (NICEIC), RECC, ISO 9001 | Commercial solar PV, maintenance | Trafford Park (M17), ~3 miles | Since 2008 | Larger roofs, workshops and home businesses. |
| One Energy Projects Limited | MCS (NAPIT), SolarEdge, Tesla | Solar PV, battery, EV, remedial work | Stretford (M32), ~3 miles | Since 2020 | Repairs or upgrades to an ageing system. |
| Total Carbon Savings Ltd | MCS (Simply Certification), BUS | Solar PV, battery, heat pumps, insulation | Exchange Quay, Salford (M5), ~2 miles | Since 2023 | Households checking grant eligibility alongside solar. |
| Thermatic Homes Ltd | MCS (NICEIC), BUS | Solar PV, solar thermal, heat pumps | Salford Quays (M50), ~2 miles | Group since 1971 | Social-housing and ECO-funded upgrades. |
MCS numbers checked 13 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 Manchester by the numbers
These numbers are modelled for central Manchester. A 4kW array angled at 35° and pointing south is estimated to give 3,444 kWh a year, peaking at about 438 kWh in May and dropping to 111 kWh in December.
- 3,444 kWh / yearEstimated output of a 4kW roof system in Manchester
- 26.49p per kWhPrice-cap unit rate for Manchester’s region (North West), Oct–Dec 2026, vs 26.32p GB average
- £365–£545 off your billIf you use 40–60% of what the panels make at home
- + £180–£270 export incomeThe rest sold at 13p/kWh on an open Smart Export Guarantee tariff
At the North West cap that is worth around £635–£725 a year, recovering a £6,490 install in about 8.9–10.2 years. The city’s yield is level with Bury’s, a little behind Bolton and Atherton, and ahead of Oldham on the Pennine edge.
Sources: output from the EU’s PVGIS 5.3 model (SARAH-3 data) for Manchester, 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 Manchester
This guide covers the residential districts of Manchester City Council: M8 (including Crumpsall), M9, M11, M12 (including Ardwick), M13, M14 (Rusholme, Fallowfield and Ladybarn), M15, M18, M19 (Levenshulme and Burnage), M20 (Didsbury and Withington), M21 (Chorlton-cum-Hardy), M22 (Wythenshawe, Northenden and Sharston), M23 (including Brooklands) and M40 (Moston, New Moston, Newton Heath, Collyhurst and Miles Platting). Six installers below have city addresses, in the centre, Ardwick, Levenshulme, Sharston and Roundthorn. Four are just outside the city boundary: Total Carbon Savings and Thermatic Homes are in Salford, near the Quays, and Energy Gain UK (Trafford Park) and One Energy Projects (Stretford) are in Trafford, all within about three miles of the Town Hall.
DidsburyWithingtonChorlton-cum-HardyLevenshulmeBurnageFallowfieldRusholmeWythenshaweNorthendenMostonNewton Heath
Postcode sectors from Streetlist (M14, M19, M20, M21, M22, M40); wards for firm postcodes from postcodes.io. Distances are straight-line from Albert Square.
Planning and grid connection in Manchester
- Around 35 conservation areasThe council’s index lists about 35, from Castlefield, Ancoats and Albert Square in the centre to garden suburbs such as Chorltonville, Victoria Park, Whalley Range and Didsbury St James. Permitted development is narrower in these areas, so check with the council before fitting panels that face the street.
- 847 listed buildingsWikipedia’s lists count 15 Grade I, 81 Grade II* and 751 Grade II entries in Manchester. Panels on a listed building normally need listed building consent, and the council keeps a street-by-street register.
- Article 4: HMOs, not roofsA city-wide direction in force since 2011 removes the right to turn a family house into a small HMO, and was aimed at areas such as Fallowfield and Withington. Another covers some office-to-home conversions. We found no Article 4 direction that restricts solar panels.
- Renting and flatsCensus 2021 found 37% of households owned their home, 32% rented privately and about 29% rented from a social landlord, and 28% lived in purpose-built flats. Tenants need their landlord’s agreement, and flat owners usually need the freeholder’s.
- SP Electricity North WestThe city’s network operator was Electricity North West until 4 August 2025, when it was renamed SP Electricity North West after the ScottishPower takeover. Your installer tells it about a typical home system once it is connected (G98); bigger inverters or battery setups need its consent beforehand (G99).
Sources: Manchester City Council (conservation areas index, Article 4 directions, Census 2021 housing summary, grants and loans page, climate change action plan 2025–30, Bicker Fen solar news); Wikipedia (listed buildings in Manchester, CIS Tower); GMCA (Warm Homes: Local Grant area-based and GM-wide schemes, Solar Together 2019); ScottishPower; Greater Manchester Community Renewables; Carbon Co-op; edie.
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 Manchester homeowners with MCS-accredited installers from its network, so one enquiry brings back several quotes.
Because few home-focused installers have workshops inside the city boundary, it can draw on firms across Greater Manchester, and flag early whether a terrace in Levenshulme or a semi in Chorltonville falls inside a conservation area.
Get your free Manchester quote →
Best for One enquiry → multiple competitive quotes from vetted MCS-accredited installers.
Green Orb Eco Solutions Ltd
MCSNAPITTrustMarkBUS registered
Green Orb Eco Solutions was incorporated in October 2020 and sells 3kW, 5kW and 10kW solar packages, which it advertises from £4,500, alongside battery storage, air-source heat pumps and boilers. Its website shows PAS 2030 and TrustMark logos.
Its MCS listing shows 5.0 from six Google reviews, one of them for external wall insulation. The MCS address is in Ardwick, but its website and Companies House give the Ivy Business Centre in Failsworth (M35 9BG, Oldham borough), so ask which office will handle your job.
Best for Solar with a battery or heat pump in one package.
Aftex Ltd T/A Solaris World
MCSNAPITTrustMarkHIES
Solaris World is a domestic solar installer that fits panels with an inverter and optional battery, puts up its own scaffolding and offers a 10-year product warranty. It says it covers the North of England from Middlesbrough to Leicester and from Hull to Blackpool, and lists PV*SOL, Open Solar and Checkatrade approvals.
There are no reviews on its MCS listing, and its website gives no address. A solar directory lists it at Upper York Street, Wakefield, so the Roundthorn unit may be a depot rather than its head office; we also couldn’t match the trading name to a Companies House record.
Best for A home-focused solar and battery quote in south Manchester.
Independent Solar Consultants Limited
MCSNAPITTrustMark
Independent Solar Consultants was incorporated in April 2024. It offers rooftop PV sizing, Smart Export Guarantee and finance advice for homeowners, design checks and post-installation quality reviews, plus commercial work, and says it has offices in Manchester and London.
It is a young firm with no reviews on its MCS listing. Swan Buildings is a shared address that other solar brands also use, and the site reads more like a consultancy than a workshop, so ask who will carry out the installation and who signs the MCS certificate.
Best for A second opinion on system size or an existing quote.
JST Electrical Services Ltd
MCSNICEIC
JST Electrical Services is an NICEIC electrical contractor that has been registered at the same Levenshulme address since August 2010, according to Companies House, and holds MCS certification for solar PV.
We found no website and no reviews, and its listed phone number has a Rochdale code. Ask for recent solar references and a written specification before you commit.
Best for An established local electrician in the Levenshulme area.
AMS Solutions (UK) Ltd
MCSNAPIT
AMS Solutions was incorporated in 2013 and lists commercial solar installation and EV charging among services that also include fire safety and facilities management. Its MCS address is on Mosley Street in the city centre.
It shows 5.0 from six Google reviews on its MCS listing, one praising a 44-panel school array. Its website doesn’t mention domestic solar, and its phone number and site details point to Bolton, so check that it takes on house roofs.
Best for Schools, offices and other non-domestic buildings.
Sureserve Group Ltd
MCSNICEIC
Sureserve is a national group, headquartered in London, with an MCS-listed base at Sharston. It covers solar PV, insulation, renewable heating, retrofit planning and compliance, and describes itself as the partner of choice for housing associations and local authorities.
It has no reviews on its MCS listing and doesn’t market to private homeowners. It is most likely to reach you through a council or housing-association retrofit programme rather than a direct enquiry.
Best for Tenants and owners in landlord or council-run schemes.
Energy Gain UK Ltd
MCSNICEICRECCISO 9001
Energy Gain UK was incorporated in August 2008 and says it has completed more than 2,600 commercial solar installations since then, including rooftop, ground-mounted and carport systems. It is a Solar Energy UK member and was appointed to the Fusion21 renewables framework in February 2024.
Its MCS listing shows 4.6 from 54 Google reviews, which mention a factory roof job and help with an inverter warranty claim. Its website describes commercial work only, so ask whether it will quote for a house before booking a survey.
Best for Larger roofs, workshops and home businesses.
One Energy Projects Limited
MCSNAPITSolarEdgeTesla Powerwall
One Energy Projects was incorporated in March 2020 and is registered at its Stretford unit, with its head office in Birkenhead. It describes itself as a commercial and domestic installer of solar PV, battery storage and EV charging, and also offers health checks and remedial work on existing systems, such as panel replacements and inverter upgrades.
Its MCS listing shows 5.0 from a single Google review, written by a trade partner. Most of its website covers commercial projects, so ask for examples of recent home installs.
Best for Repairs or upgrades to an ageing system.
Total Carbon Savings Ltd
MCSSimply CertificationBUS registered
Total Carbon Savings was incorporated in November 2023 and focuses on home energy upgrades: solar PV, battery storage, air-source heat pumps, boilers, insulation and EV chargers across the North of England and Wales. It works with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, ECO4 and Warm Homes grant routes, and offers finance as a credit-broker introducer.
Its MCS listing shows 4.3 from six Google reviews; most are positive, but one complains about a boiler job and unanswered grant and invoice questions. Its registered office is in Burnley, so confirm who will survey and fit your system.
Best for Households checking grant eligibility alongside solar.
Thermatic Homes Ltd
MCSNICEICBUS registered
Thermatic Homes is part of the Thermatic group, founded in 1971 and headquartered at Sovereign Enterprise Park. It provides installation, repair and maintenance to the social housing sector, and its MCS listing covers solar PV, solar thermal and heat pumps.
It shows 3.8 from 25 Google reviews on its MCS listing. Customers praise the standard of work, while two one-star reviews are about van driving rather than installations. Most of its work is for social landlords, so private buyers should ask whether it takes direct orders.
Best for Social-housing and ECO-funded upgrades.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there grant funding for solar in Manchester?
Yes, potentially. The GMCA runs a GM-wide version of the Warm Homes: Local Grant, applied for through its Retrofit Portal, and solar PV and batteries are both on the list. Owner-occupiers can receive full funding up to £15,000 per measure type, £30,000 in total, if the home is EPC D–G and the household has income under £36,000, lives in an eligible low-income postcode or receives means-tested benefits. The page shows no open or closed status and no phone line, only an email address. A separate area-based scheme lists Manchester’s delivery body as “to be appointed”.
Will I need permission for panels in Chorltonville or Didsbury?
Possibly. Chorltonville, Didsbury St James, Victoria Park and Whalley Range are among roughly 35 conservation areas in the city, where panels facing a road may need planning permission, and Manchester has about 847 listed buildings, which need listed building consent. The city-wide Article 4 direction from 2011 deals only with houses becoming HMOs, so it doesn’t stop a Fallowfield or Withington owner adding panels.
Is Manchester sunny enough for solar?
More than its rainy reputation suggests. In PVGIS, a 4kW array on a south-facing Manchester roof comes out at about 3,444 kWh annually, practically identical to Bury’s 3,443 kWh, slightly under Bolton’s 3,481 kWh and above Oldham’s 3,346 kWh. The best month is May, at around 438 kWh, while December manages only about 111 kWh.
How much could panels save on a Manchester bill?
Under this quarter’s North West price cap a Manchester home pays 26.49p per unit. Let the household use 40–60% of the electricity from a 4kW roof, sell the leftover at 13p, and the panels return around £635–£725 each year, so a £6,490 installation is paid back in about 8.9–10.2 years.
What solar projects does Manchester already have?
The CIS Tower’s 575.5 kW of solar cladding has fed the grid since November 2005, producing around 180,000 kWh a year. The city council has also signed a 15-year power purchase deal with a new solar farm at Bicker Fen in Lincolnshire to cover most of its electricity. Locally, Greater Manchester Community Renewables has funded panels on eight primary schools through community shares, and the Carbon Co-op runs the Levenshulme area-based retrofit scheme.
Can I get panels if I rent or live in a flat?
With 32% of Manchester households renting privately and over a quarter living in purpose-built flats, this comes up often. A tenant needs the landlord’s consent, and a leaseholder usually needs the freeholder’s. Under the GMCA grant, a landlord’s first property can be funded in full, but the landlord must back the GM Good Landlord Charter.
Why are some installers based in Salford or Trafford?
Several of the stronger firms we could check sit at Salford Quays, Trafford Park and Stretford, in neighbouring boroughs but within about three miles of Albert Square. Inside the city, several MCS listings have no website or reviews, or share a serviced office address, so we preferred firms whose details we could confirm. Four of the ten mainly serve businesses or social landlords, so ask each one whether it takes private home orders and how quickly it can return for repairs.
Final Thoughts
Before you collect quotes, check whether your street is in one of Manchester’s conservation areas and, if your household income or postcode qualifies, whether the GMCA grant could pay for the panels.
Get at least three quotes, ask each installer to confirm its address and who will do the fitting, and compare their output estimates with the 3,444 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.