New Uswitch analysis of government data has revealed the UK’s top-performing local authorities for renewable energy generation per household, with Moray in Scotland emerging as the national leader.
Table 1: Top ten local authorities with the largest renewable energy capacity in megawatts per 1,000 households
| Rank | Local authority | Capacity in megawatts per 1,000 households |
| 1 | Moray | 47.4 |
| 2 | North East Lincolnshire | 41.4 |
| 3 | Boston | 32.0 |
| 4 | East Lothian | 27.3 |
| 5 | Highland | 26.3 |
| 6 | Lancaster | 23.1 |
| 7 | Dumfries and Galloway | 18.9 |
| 8 | North Norfolk | 18.8 |
| 9 | Argyll and Bute | 17.3 |
| 10 | East Suffolk | 15.8 |
Moray leads the UK with 47.4 MW per 1,000 households, followed by North East Lincolnshire at 41.4 MW. Other notable regions include Boston (32.0 MW), East Lothian (27.3 MW), and Highland (26.3 MW).
Scottish local authorities rank highly, reflecting a mix of strong investment and favourable conditions for wind power, such as higher wind speeds and suitable terrain. The data highlights how both geography and different local approaches play a role in shaping the UK’s renewable energy landscape.
Areas with the most solar and wind power
The UK regions with the highest solar, onshore, and offshore wind capacity per household (excluding other renewable sources due to data limitations).
Solar photovoltaics: East Cambridgeshire leads with 4.4 MW per 1,000 households, followed by South Cambridgeshire (4.3 MW). Pembrokeshire and Torridge each generate 4.0 MW, with several rural areas making strong gains in solar capacity.
Onshore wind: Highland tops the list with 18.3 MW per 1,000 households, followed by Dumfries and Galloway (13.1 MW) and South Ayrshire (12.7 MW), showcasing Scotland’s dominance in wind energy.
Offshore wind: North East Lincolnshire leads with 40.4 MW per 1,000 homes, followed by Moray at 35.0 MW. Other key contributors include Boston and East Lothian, highlighting the importance of coastal regions in offshore wind generation. North East Lincolnshire’s growth is driven by major projects like the Hornsea Wind Farm series, Hornsea One and Two, with capacities of 1.2 GW and 1.4 GW respectively. They are the largest offshore wind farms in the world as part of Ørsted’s East Coast Hub in Grimsby.
Table 2: Top ten local authorities with the largest growth in renewable energy capacity over 5 years (2018–2023)
| Rank | Local authority | Change in capacity over 5 years |
| 1 | North East Lincolnshire | 1017 per cent |
| 2 | Boston | 985 per cent |
| 3 | East Lothian | 734 per cent |
| 4 | Inverclyde | 608 per cent |
| 5 | Rugby | 444 per cent |
| 6 | Aberdeen City | 437 per cent |
| 7 | Sutton | 273 per cent |
| 8 | Hammersmith and Fulham | 263 per cent |
| 9 | Spelthorne | 262 per cent |
| 10 | Barnet | 215 per cent |
North East Lincolnshire leads with a 1,017 per cent growth in renewable energy capacity from 2018 to 2023, followed by Boston (985 per cent) and East Lothian (734 per cent). Urban areas like Sutton, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Barnet also show substantial increases, reflecting rapid growth in both rural and urban renewable energy generation.
Table 3: Five-year change in renewable energy types (2018–2023)
| Renewable energy type | 5 year change (2023-2018) |
| Offshore Wind | 80.20 per cent |
| Municipal Solid Waste | 37.10 per cent |
| Photovoltaics | 24.30 per cent |
| Anaerobic Digestion | 19.70 per cent |
| Onshore Wind | 15.00 per cent |
| Sewage Gas | 8.60 per cent |
| Plant Biomass | 2.70 per cent |
| Hydro | 0.70 per cent |
| Animal Biomass | 0.00 per cent |
| Landfill Gas | -0.30 per cent |
| Wave/Tidal | -52.00 per cent |
Methodology & Sources
We took UK government data on renewable energy generation for the last 10 years and used it to calculate:
- The overall change in renewable capacity from 2014-2023.
- The top local authorities by renewable capacity (2023)
- The top local authorities by increase/decrease in renewable capacity (2018-2023)
- The biggest types of renewable energy generation in the UK by capacity (2023)
- The local authorities with the most solar and wind capacity (2023)
Where local authority changes had taken place in the period covered data from the old authorities was grouped into the relevant new authority to allow for comparisons.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/regional-renewable-statistics
