Home energy guide
Wind turbine or solar panels: which is better for your home?
For almost every UK home, solar wins on cost, simplicity and payback. Wind only gets a look-in on exposed rural or coastal sites with room for a mast, where its winter output can nicely complement solar.
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Work out your own numbers with the wind turbine calculator →
Side by side
Solar costs about a fifth as much (around £7,600 against £35,000 for a 6 kW turbine) and pays back in 9–12 years. A turbine saving about £650 a year takes around 54 years. Both have 0% VAT when fitted in a home until 31 March 2027, then 5% (HMRC). Both can earn Smart Export Guarantee payments (Great Britain only, up to 5 MW).
See the numbers
| Solar (4.5 kWp) | Wind (6 kW pole) | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | About £7,600 | About £35,000 |
| Typical saving or payback | Payback 9–12 years | About £650 a year in GB (£800 NI); about 54 years simple payback |
| Planning | Usually permitted development | Required in Wales and NI; complex in England and Scotland |
| Funding | 0% VAT; SEG export payments | 0% VAT; SEG export payments; no specific funding scheme |
| Moving parts | No (inverter about 12 years) | Yes, needs servicing |
At 5% VAT the same jobs would cost about £7,980 and £36,750.
Summer sun, winter wind
Solar is predictable and follows the sun: lots in summer, little in winter. Wind depends hugely on your site, but it tends to blow harder in winter, just when homes (especially ones with heat pumps) use more power.
That's the best argument for wind: it can fill the winter gap solar leaves. We haven't found an official UK figure for how small-turbine output splits across the seasons.
See the numbers
UK solar output ranges from about 859 kWh per kWp a year in Glasgow to 1,122 in Plymouth (PVGIS).
Space and siting
- Solar needs an unshaded roof or patch of ground. EST says a 4.5 kWp system takes about 20–30 m², around 12 panels. East and west roofs work too, making 15–20% less than south (see east-west solar).
- Wind needs exposure and height. EST says turbines are less suited to built-up or sheltered areas, which rules out most homes. A pole turbine needs open land, clear of buildings and trees.
Bang for your buck
Over 20 years, solar saves roughly twice what it costs. A turbine saves only about a third of its price. Export income would improve both.
See the numbers
Ignoring maintenance and price changes: solar at £7,600 paying back in about 10 years saves roughly £760 a year, about £15,200 over 20 years. A turbine saving £650 a year saves £13,000 over 20 years, about 37% of its £35,000 cost. The "£760 a year" is our own derivation (EST's cost divided by a 10-year payback), not an EST figure.
Upkeep
Solar panels have no moving parts; EST says the inverter usually needs replacing after about 12 years. Turbines have spinning parts, bearings and brakes, and need regular servicing. Ask installers for a written maintenance plan and price.
When wind makes sense
- exposed rural or coastal land with room for a mast;
- high winter electricity use, like a heat pump or farm buildings;
- solar already fitted and no more roof space;
- off-grid homes that need power all year.
When solar wins
Pretty much everywhere else, including towns, suburbs and sheltered countryside. Our roof turbine guide explains why small turbines on houses rarely work.
Why not both?
On a windy rural site, solar plus a turbine plus a battery can spread your generation more evenly through the year. Start with solar, as it's cheaper, then think about wind if your winter use and site justify it. Check planning first (see the wind planning guide).
Run your own numbers
Compare your site in the solar calculator and the wind turbine calculator, and read our solar payback guide and wind payback guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is wind or solar better for a house?
For most UK homes, solar. EST puts a 4.5 kWp solar system at about £7,600 with 9–12 year payback, against about £35,000 for a 6 kW pole-mounted turbine saving about £650 a year.
Does wind work better in winter?
Wind is generally stronger in winter, when solar output is lowest, which is why wind can complement solar on exposed sites.
Can I have both wind and solar?
Yes. Both can be connected with a battery, and both can earn Smart Export Guarantee payments in Great Britain.
Which needs planning permission?
Solar usually does not. Wind turbines need permission in Wales and Northern Ireland, and the rules are complex in England and Scotland.
Related guides
- Small wind turbine payback (UK and Guernsey)
- How much does a home wind turbine cost?
- Planning permission for home wind turbines
- How windy does your site need to be for a wind turbine?
- Are roof-mounted wind turbines worth it?
- All home-energy calculators
Sources (checked 27 October 2026 unless stated)
- Energy Saving Trust: Wind turbines: cost, savings, planning, funding, unsuitable sites
- Energy Saving Trust: Solar panels: £7,600, 20–30 m², east-west 15–20% less, inverter 12 years, 9–12 year payback
- EU JRC PVGIS 5.3 (queried 27 Oct 2026 for our solar guide): regional kWh per kWp
- HMRC VAT Notice 708/6: energy-saving materials: 0% to 31 Mar 2027
- Ofgem: Smart Export Guarantee
- Seasonal split of small wind output: not verified
- 20-year comparison: our derivation from EST figures