Heatwave delivers £40m bonus for UK homes with solar panels

30 June 2026

Last week’s heatwave delivered a £40 million windfall to the nearly two million British households with solar panels, reveals analysis by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.

Seven days of hot, sunny weather generated almost twice the amount of electricity as an average British day.

Households with solar panels and a battery produced enough energy to cut their electricity bills and also sell surplus power back to the National Grid through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) scheme. Homes with solar panels can earn around 12p/kWh selling electricity back to the Grid.

The average home generated 15.2kWh of electricity a day during the heatwave. Households used just over 10kWh to power their home on average, saving them £2.49 a day by reducing their energy bills. Nearly 5kWh was exported to the grid a day on average, earning them 55p. Savings added up to £21.27 over the seven days.

Larger households with more solar panels made more from the sunny weather. A home with ten panels saved £24.47 over the week on their electricity bills and exported energy worth £5.37, making them £29.84 in total.

Size of household	Typical annual electricity consumption (current Ofgem TDCVs)	Number of panels	Week’s savings on electricity bill	Week’s earnings from exports	Week’s total
Low usage (Usually a small home, 1-2 people)	1,800kWh	Five	£12.24	£2.69	£14.92
Average usage(Usually 2-3 bed home with 2-3 people)	2,700kWh	Seven	£17.44	£3.83	£21.27
High usage(Usually 4+ bed home, 4-5 people)	4,100kWh	10	£24.47	£5.37	£29.84

Nearly three million households – one in 10 homes (10%) – plan to install roof-mounted solar panels within five years, with two-fifths (40%) saying that rollercoaster energy prices have made them more likely to invest in the technology, reveals Uswitch research.

Based on real customer quotes generated via Uswitch, homeowners seeking to install solar panels have seen savings of around £877 a year, with their quoted upfront costs paid back within nine to 10 years.

Monthly payment plans are an option for households that are hesitant to take the plunge due to the upfront cost. Based on live quotes for a typical eight-panel setup with a battery, households could pay as little as £78 per month across a 15-year contract. Homeowners would also see savings on their electricity bills straight away, potentially wiping out the monthly payment with electricity savings, depending on usage.

Households can now answer a few quick questions about their home and energy use and get personalised quotes from certified solar installers at Uswitch.com. Then, they can book a free online consultation with an installer, at a time that works for them, to ask any questions and get a final design. It’s a simple way for homeowners to take control of their energy bills and future-proof their home.

Ben Gallizzi, energy expert from Uswitch.com, comments:

“Last week’s heatwave left us all hot and bothered, but the extra hours of sunshine delivered one cool benefit for solar panel owners – an extra £21 in their pockets.

“Most people assume solar takes years to pay off. But for many – especially homes with a south-facing roof – solar panels can help you save, or even profit, on your energy bills from day one.

“A solar panel system can cut your electricity bills, and with the Smart Export Guarantee, you can get paid for any surplus energy your panels send back to the grid. Our customers have been offered savings of around £877 a year on their energy bills with solar and a battery.

“Homeowners can compare solar panel installers at Uswitch by entering their address and a few details about their house. They’ll get personalised quotes, including how much they can save, the upfront or monthly cost, and the time it would take to pay back.”