Bognor Regis has the potential to become the solar power capital of the UK according to energy company E.ON.

After studying UK weather patterns, the West Sussex town has emerged as one of the UK's sunniest places to live, with 1,902 hours of sunshine every year.

While the sun's rays aren't as strong in the UK as more obvious hot spots around the world, rays here still have as much as 60% of the strength of those at the Equator. And, because energy can be harnessed even on cloudy and overcast days, it makes UK roofs ideal for solar panels.

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Speaking about the UK's solar power potential, Claire Cutler from E.ON's microgeneration team, said: "On an average day in the UK, a house fitted with solar panels can generate the same amount of energy as it takes to make 166 cups of tea, cook 39 jacket potatoes in a microwave, or run the vacuum cleaner for nearly three and a half hours4.

"This just goes to show that if you're in Bognor, Sheffield or Durham then solar power can do a job for you."

Steven Norman, Renewable Energy Consultant at the Met Office, said: "The Met Office is the primary source of weather information across the UK and our figures dating back many years show that the UK is a far sunnier place than people might think. For those wanting to find out more about whether solar energy generation would work in their area, we provide a range of services. This includes data sets and maps on solar radiation for your area."

(CD)