Britain continues to break clean power records  

28 May 2026

The UK recorded its highest ever level of solar deployment in 2025, with 269,000 installations completed, according to new government figures.

Around 255,000 of those installations were rooftop systems on homes, businesses and other buildings, accounting for about 95% of all new solar capacity added during the year. The data suggests a new rooftop solar system was installed roughly every two minutes in 2025.

The news comes as households across the UK continue to turn to solar power to mitigate the effects of volatile fossil fuel markets following the outbreak of the war in Iran. 

Figures for April 2026 also confirm that nine of the ten best-performing months ever recorded have occurred in the past year, with nearly 23,000 new installations in the last month alone – more than one in two of those being rooftop solar on homes, showing households are increasingly choosing to generate their own power. 

The milestone follows the UK surpassing 2 million total solar installations for the first time in March 2026, across homes, communities and solar farms nationwide. It also comes as new annual figures show that the cost of acquiring and installing solar PV has deceased by as much as 9%.  

The surge reflects growing government investment in solar power to deliver clean energy and help lower bills, with rooftop solar saving families up to £480 a month. This includes: 

  • Consenting Springwell Solar Farm, the largest power-producing solar farm in UK history. 
  • Driving forward with the rollout of “plug-in” solar panels (low-cost panels that families can put on their balconies or outdoor space) to be available in shops within months and save people money on their bills.  
  • Ensuring solar panels are fitted on new homes in England as standard. 

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband says: 

“As we face a second fossil fuel crisis in five years, Britain is taking back control of their energy by generating more clean power than ever before. Record-breaking solar growth means greater energy security, lower exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets which we can’t control. This is what our clean power mission looks like: backing homegrown energy, giving people more control over their bills, and building a stronger, more resilient energy system for the future.” 

Beyond households, uptake is increasing among organisations and public services. Numatic International has opened a solar park expected to provide around 20% of electricity demand at its Somerset factory. The Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has installed rooftop solar expected to reduce energy bills by about £9,500 a year, while Wren Kitchens is developing what is expected to be the country’s largest factory rooftop solar installation.

The expansion also builds on schemes linked to Great British Energy, which is supporting rooftop solar installations in education settings, with 100 further schools and colleges scheduled to receive systems this year.