Solar Wizard is a free online tool developed by the Centre for Sustainable Energy. It estimates the potential for rooftop solar electricity generation on homes and community buildings across England, Scotland and Wales.

For local authorities, Solar Wizard offers a quick, independent way to assess solar viability at both the household and neighbourhood scale. By using detailed mapping data, it provides building-specific predictions of electricity generation, financial savings, installation costs, and carbon reductions. Crucially, the tool accounts for roof orientation, pitch, and potential shading from nearby trees or buildings, making outputs more realistic than simple ‘rule of thumb’ calculators.

Local authorities can use Solar Wizard in several ways:

• Community engagement: Residents can check their own homes, helping raise awareness and build public interest in solar PV.
• Project identification: Councils can spot clusters of viable rooftops, useful for community energy schemes, schools, or council-owned stock.
• Evidence for planning: Solar Wizard outputs can help identify ‘focus zones’ where solar deployment is most feasible, feeding into local decarbonisation plans or Local Area Energy Plans.
• Investment readiness: The tool provides indicative costs and savings, supporting early-stage business cases and funding bids.

The site also provides guidance on practical considerations: what to expect during installation, issues for renters, how to maximise savings, and considerations for larger-scale projects. This makes it a helpful one-stop resource for both technical teams and the wider public.

While Solar Wizard is not a substitute for detailed feasibility studies or whole-system energy planning, it gives local authorities a reliable, data-led starting point to accelerate solar uptake in their areas.

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