Centrica and Push Power have energised a 10 MW solar photovoltaic site near Burton upon Trent. The project, a joint venture between the British Gas owner and the renewable developer, adds enough capacity to power roughly 3,000 homes annually. For UK homeowners, this is an industry milestone. It is also a direct signal that the cost of generating electricity is falling, and that falling cost should eventually reach your bill.
As reported by reNews, the Burton site is part of Centrica’s broader push to expand its renewable generation portfolio. The company already owns a 50% stake in the 49 MW Llangwyryfon wind farm in Wales and has committed to building 900 MW of new solar and battery storage by 2030.
What a 10 MW solar farm means for your electricity bill
Every megawatt of solar on the grid reduces the UK’s reliance on gas-fired power plants, which set the wholesale price for most of the day. Ofgem’s data shows that when solar generation peaks on sunny afternoons, wholesale prices can fall by 20–30% compared to cloudy days. The Burton site will generate about 10,000 MWh per year, roughly the annual consumption of 3,000 typical households. That extra supply pushes the average wholesale price down, which the price cap eventually reflects.
The catch is timing. Wholesale costs make up about 40% of a typical dual-fuel bill, but the cap is adjusted every three months. A new solar farm takes 12–18 months to connect and begin feeding the grid. Homeowners on standard variable tariffs will see the benefit in the cap announcements that follow, but the effect is diluted across millions of customers. Those on fixed-rate deals may wait until their contract ends.
Why this matters for your EPC and rooftop solar decision
If you are considering rooftop solar panels, the Burton project offers a useful benchmark. A 10 MW ground-mount array costs roughly £8–10 million to build, or about £800–1,000 per kW installed. A typical 4 kW rooftop system costs £5,000–8,000, or £1,250–2,000 per kW. Rooftop solar is more expensive per unit of capacity, but it generates power where you use it, avoiding network charges and transmission losses that add about 8–10% to the cost of grid electricity.
The Energy Saving Trust estimates that a south-facing 4 kW system in the Midlands can save a household £200–300 per year on bills, plus earn £100–200 through the Smart Export Guarantee. That is a payback period of 10–15 years, depending on installation cost and your electricity usage. The Burton site, by contrast, sells power wholesale at roughly 5–7p per kWh, half the retail rate, but its scale makes it profitable at that price.
How homeowners can act on this news
First, check whether your electricity tariff already includes a time-of-use component. Octopus Energy’s Agile tariff, for example, tracks wholesale prices every half-hour. On sunny afternoons when solar farms like Burton are generating, wholesale prices can drop to 0–5p per kWh. Shifting washing, drying, and EV charging to those hours can save £100–150 a year.
Second, if you are planning a rooftop solar installation, apply for the Smart Export Guarantee before April 2026, when the current export rate floor of 6p per kWh is under review. Ofgem has signalled it may lower the minimum rate, which would reduce the income from exported power. Installing now locks in the higher rate for 15 years.
Finally, combine solar with battery storage if your budget allows. A 5 kWh battery costs £2,000–3,000 installed and lets you store cheap afternoon solar for evening use, when grid prices are highest. That pairing can cut your annual bill by £400–500 and improve your EPC by one band, typically from D to C on a 3-bed semi.
Centrica’s Burton site is one of dozens of utility-scale solar projects now under construction across the UK. The cumulative effect of these farms is a gradual, structural reduction in the wholesale price of electricity. Homeowners who invest in their own generation and smart consumption habits can capture that benefit twice: once through lower grid prices, and again through self-generated power that bypasses the grid entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not directly. The power is sold wholesale, not to individual households. But more solar on the grid reduces the wholesale price, which Ofgem factors into the price cap. You will see the effect as a slightly lower standing charge or unit rate over time, diluted across all customers.
No. Rooftop solar saves you money by avoiding the retail electricity price (currently 24p per kWh) and network charges. Grid-scale solar reduces wholesale costs but not network charges. Installing now locks in the Smart Export Guarantee rate at 6p per kWh, which Ofgem may lower in 2026.
