The Largest Solar Farms in the UK: Top 10 Ranked
The UK's biggest solar parks generate enough electricity to power hundreds of thousands of homes. We've ranked the top 10 by installed capacity, with operator, location and megawatt data for each site.
Quick Answer
Cleve Hill Solar Park in Kent is the largest operational solar farm in the UK at 373 MW, more than five times the size of the next biggest site. The UK has over 1,929 mapped solar farms and large solar installations representing 11,523+ MW of total capacity, concentrated in South and East England, the Midlands, and the South-West.
Last updated April 2026
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Open UK solar farms map →Top 10 Largest Solar Farms in the UK
Ranked by installed capacity in megawatts (MW). Combined, these ten sites represent 916 MW, roughly 8% of total mapped UK solar farm capacity, dominated by the Cleve Hill megaproject in Kent. Data sourced from OpenStreetMap contributors.
| Rank | Solar Farm | Capacity | Operator | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Cleve Hill Solar Park | 373 MW | Cleve Hill Solar Park Ltd | Kent |
| #2 | Llanwern Solar Farm | 75 MW | — | Newport, Wales |
| #3 | Shotwick Solar Park | 72 MW | We-Link Energy / Compton Group | Flintshire |
| #4 | DTTC Lyneham Solar Farm | 69.5 MW | Defence Infrastructure Organisation | Wiltshire |
| #5 | Breach Solar Farm | 68 MW | — | Suffolk |
| #6 | Darlington Road Solar Farm | 55 MW | Atrato Onsite / Harmony Energy | County Durham |
| #7 | South Fambridge Hall Solar Farm | 52.5 MW | BayWa r.e. UK | Essex |
| #8 | Chapel Lane Solar Farm | 51.3 MW | Eco Sustainable Solutions | Dorset |
| #9 | Owl's Hatch Solar Farm | 50 MW | British Solar Renewables | Kent |
| #10 | Scottow Solar Power Station | 50 MW | Greencoat Solar | Norfolk |
Capacity figures are nameplate / installed DC capacity where reported. Kent hosts two of the top 10: Cleve Hill (#1) and Owl's Hatch (#9).
Spotlight: Cleve Hill Solar Park (Kent)
Cleve Hill Solar Park on the Kent coast near Faversham is by some distance the largest solar farm in the UK at 373 MW of installed capacity. It was one of the first UK solar projects classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), requiring a Development Consent Order rather than standard local planning approval.
The site pairs solar generation with a co-located 150 MW lithium-ion battery storage system, making it also one of the UK's largest battery storage deployments. Combined, the site exports power to the grid day and night, smoothing the intermittency that has historically been used as an argument against large-scale solar.
At full output Cleve Hill generates enough electricity to power roughly 91,000 homes. For context, that is more than the total number of households in Canterbury.
UK Solar Farm Capacity by Region
Solar farm density reflects both solar yield and land availability. The South-West has the most mapped sites (522) while South / East England leads on total capacity.
| Region | Mapped Sites | Total Capacity | Avg Site Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| South / East England | 301 | 2,955 MW | 9.8 MW |
| Midlands | 412 | 2,866 MW | 7.0 MW |
| South-West England | 522 | 2,788 MW | 5.3 MW |
| North England | 287 | 1,323 MW | 4.6 MW |
| Wales | 206 | 1,117 MW | 5.4 MW |
| Scotland | 173 | 246 MW | 1.4 MW |
| Northern Ireland | 28 | 228 MW | 8.1 MW |
Scotland is under-represented by total capacity because lower solar yield at higher latitudes favours wind over solar utility-scale projects. Northern Ireland has a small but growing market.
When Were UK Solar Farms Built?
New-build utility-scale solar collapsed after subsidy cuts in 2017 and only recovered from 2023 onwards as 2019-launched Contracts for Difference (CfD) auctions began delivering subsidy-free projects. 2025 was a record year with 712 MW of new mapped capacity commissioned.
| Year | Sites Commissioned | New Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 13 | 55 MW |
| 2014 | 12 | 129 MW |
| 2015 | 26 | 184 MW |
| 2016 | 41 | 151 MW |
| 2017 | 14 | 104 MW |
| 2018 | 2 | 8 MW |
| 2019 | 5 | 37 MW |
| 2020 | 6 | 19 MW |
| 2021 | 3 | 55 MW |
| 2022 | 6 | 98 MW |
| 2023 | 15 | 258 MW |
| 2024 | 16 | 316 MW |
| 2025 | 16 | 712 MW |
Only sites with a recorded commissioning date in OpenStreetMap are counted. Actual total build is higher.
How Do UK Solar Farms Compare Internationally?
At 373 MW, Cleve Hill is small by global standards. The world's largest single solar park, India's Bhadla Solar Park, exceeds 2,200 MW. UK solar parks are constrained by higher land costs, denser population, and planning processes that favour smaller projects.
What the UK lacks in single-site scale it makes up for in geographic distribution: nearly 2,000 mapped installations spread across every English region plus Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Combined with rooftop solar on over a million homes, the UK generated roughly 5% of its electricity from solar in 2025. For more on the broader picture, see our UK renewable energy guide or the interactive solar irradiance map by county.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the largest solar farm in the UK?
Cleve Hill Solar Park in Kent is the largest operational solar farm in the UK at 373 MW. It was the first UK solar project classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project and is paired with a 150 MW battery storage system.
How many solar farms are there in the UK?
OpenStreetMap records around 1,929 solar power plants and large solar installations across the UK, representing 11,523+ MW of mapped capacity. The actual number is higher because not every commissioned site has been mapped.
Where are most UK solar farms located?
UK solar farms are concentrated in South / East England, the Midlands, and the South-West, which collectively account for over 70% of installed capacity. These regions combine higher solar yield with suitable lower-grade agricultural land.
How much land does a UK solar farm need?
A typical 50 MW UK solar farm occupies around 150–250 acres (60–100 hectares). Cleve Hill at 373 MW covers approximately 890 acres. Planning guidance favours lower-grade agricultural land; higher-grade farmland installations typically face stronger planning resistance.
Are UK solar farms subsidised?
Post-2025 new-build solar farms are largely subsidy-free, supported through Contracts for Difference (CfD) auctions that guarantee a fixed wholesale price rather than a direct subsidy. Older sites may still receive Renewables Obligation or Feed-in Tariff payments from commissioning years.
Can I visit a UK solar farm?
Most UK solar farms are secured sites with no public access. Some operators run open days, and several sites (particularly those on MoD land or near public footpaths) offer viewing points. The solar farm operator or local authority can confirm access arrangements.
Related Guides
UK Solar Farms Map
Interactive map of 1,900+ UK solar farms with capacity, operator, and commissioning data.
Farm Solar
Farm solar panels: FETF grants, costs, and sizing by farm type.
Commercial Solar
Solar panels for UK businesses: costs, capital allowances, and ROI.
Ground Mounted Solar
Costs, planning permission, and installation for garden solar panels.
Sources
- OpenStreetMap contributors: ODbL-licensed solar plant data
- Solar Energy UK: industry capacity statistics
- DESNZ / BEIS: UK Energy Trends & renewable capacity reports
- National Grid ESO: installed capacity data
Fact-checked by John Rooney, Solar Energy Editor. Editorial policy
John Rooney is the founder of Solar Info and has been covering the UK solar energy market since 2023. He fact-checks all content against official MCS and Ofgem data and maintains relationships with MCS-certified installers across the UK.
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