Durham
Solar panels in Washington, sized to your roof.
A 12-panel roof in Washington makes about 6,050 kWh a year and costs £6,360 installed; a free 30-minute video call sizes it to yours.
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Washington's solar year
PVGIS puts Washington at 952 kWh per kWp a year, 2% above our Durham county estimate. 69% of it arrives between April and September, peaking in May.
Generation per kWp, month by month
Show the monthly figures
| Month | kWh/kWp |
|---|---|
| January | 32.4 |
| February | 50.9 |
| March | 83.1 |
| April | 109 |
| May | 123 |
| June | 112 |
| July | 118 |
| August | 106 |
| September | 89 |
| October | 59.2 |
| November | 40.3 |
| December | 29.2 |
Source: PVGIS v5.2 (European Commission JRC), SARAH3 database, 1 kWp, 14% system loss, 35 degree pitch, due south, checked September 2026.
Our GB average is 925 kWh per kWp a year, the mean of the 85 county PVGIS estimates we publish; at 952, Washington is 3% above it.
How Washington compares
Among the places we publish figures for, Washington is one of 35 Durham towns we track, and it ranks joint 11th of 35 for solar yield. It is a medium town in the House of Commons Library classification, with 51,783 residents, and its roofs see 2.61 peak sun hours a day across the year. That drives the standard 12 panel model to 6,055 kWh of generation, of which around 5,118 kWh is exported at 12p for £614 a year, with £247 saved on electricity you would otherwise buy at 26.32p.
Every figure here assumes a clear, south-facing roof at 35 degrees. Yours will differ, which is what the free design call is for; until then, the calculator below tests panels, batteries and export rates on Washington's own yield.
Sunderland is the planning authority covering Washington, which the House of Commons Library classes as a medium town.
The charger is in the installed price but left out of payback: charging savings depend on your mileage and tariff, which the design call models properly.
Your real roof and usage, worked through on a free 30-minute video call. Use the full form or leave three details below.
Price this for your roof
Three details. We call or text within one working day to book your free 30-minute design call, on video or by phone if you prefer.
Generation is modelled from PVGIS satellite data for Washington's own coordinates (54.90288, -1.51691), using the same 26.32p/kWh import value and £1,000 per kWp installed pricing as every Clearline estimate; the methodology is on our help page.
Who runs the grid in Washington
The distribution network operator (DNO) for Washington is Northern Powergrid, which runs the North East England licence area.
G98 is the simple route. If the inverter, plus any battery, stays at or under 3.68kW per phase, Northern Powergrid only has to be told within 28 days after the system is commissioned.
A bigger inverter or battery output needs a G99 application in advance. Northern Powergrid publishes a guaranteed standard of 45 working days to quote for a low voltage generation connection.
Sources: NESO DNO licence areas (3 May 2024); Northern Powergrid, generation connections page, checked 25 September 2026. G98 vs G99, explained.
Beyond the panels: heating and car charging in Washington
A heat pump in Washington
A heat pump does most of its work from November to February. Over those four months, 12 panels in Washington make about 970 kWh, against 2,920 kWh from May to August, so winter heating runs mostly on grid electricity and the tariff matters more than the roof.
In England, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme pays £7,500 towards an air source or ground source heat pump and £2,500 towards an air-to-air one, with £1,500 more until March 2027 for homes heated by oil or LPG with no mains gas (gov.uk, checked 28 September 2026).
Charging an EV in Washington
A 12-panel roof in Washington makes about 780 kWh in May. A typical home uses around 70 kWh of that in daylight (the calculator's typical-use settings), which leaves most of the month's output for an EV or for export.
Renters and flat owners with private off-street parking can get 75% off a chargepoint and its installation, up to £500 per socket, until 31 March 2027 (gov.uk, checked 28 September 2026). The calculator above adds a 7.4kW smart charger from £1,100 installed.
Installed prices, the same in every town
Every system is designed around your roof on the free call before anything is fitted.
Solar panel servicing and repair in Washington
Faults, servicing and ageing inverters follow the same economics in Washington as anywhere else, and the guides below price them plainly.
Common questions about solar in Washington
What does a solar panel system produce in Washington?
Each kWp of panels in Washington makes 952 kWh a year on PVGIS figures, so a typical 12-panel system produces around 6,050 kWh, from about 190 kWh in December up to 780 kWh in May.
How much are solar panels in Washington?
The price does not move by postcode. At £1,000 per kWp installed, 12 panels (6.36 kWp) come to £6,360 in Washington before a battery. What Washington changes is the return, about 6,050 kWh a year from that system, and your design call prices your actual roof.
Would a system in Washington need approval from the network operator?
Washington is on Northern Powergrid's network (North East England licence area). Systems up to 3.68kW per phase of inverter output follow G98: Northern Powergrid is notified within 28 days of commissioning, with no approval needed first. Anything larger needs a G99 application before installation. Northern Powergrid publishes a guaranteed standard of 45 working days to quote for a low voltage generation connection. Our G98 vs G99 guide explains both routes.
How much can I earn from exporting solar in Washington?
With typical use and no battery, a 12-panel system in Washington exports about 5,118 kWh a year. At 12p per kWh that is roughly £614; a supplier paying more, or a battery that keeps more for the evening, changes the figure. See the export rates table.
Is solar worth it in Washington in winter?
It works, but the year is lopsided. 69% of a Washington roof's output lands between April and September; the four months from November to February give about 970 kWh on a 12-panel system. Payback is worked out on the whole year, not the winter.
How Washington compares with its neighbours
How the towns nearest Washington compare on the same PVGIS settings, closest first.
| Town | kWh per kWp a year | vs Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 952 | this town |
| Birtley | 944 | −8 kWh |
| Shiney Row and Penshaw | 959 | +7 kWh |
| Chester-le-Street | 936 | −16 kWh |
| Fence Houses | 948 | −4 kWh |
| Gateshead | 942 | −10 kWh |
| Sunderland | 977 | +25 kWh |
Each row is a PVGIS v5.2 run at that town's centre with the same settings. Treat gaps of a few kWh as noise and gaps over about 30 kWh per kWp as real differences in sunshine.
Also for Washington: Solar panels in Washington from OVO Solar & Battery
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Reading for Washington homeowners
Sourced, dated and written by us. The same ground we cover on your free call.
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Read the guide →Get my free quote
Takes about two minutes. We call or text within one working day to book your free 30-minute video design call at a time that suits you. We design it around your roof and your numbers, and our MCS-certified, fully insured installation teams install it.