Issued by: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Households across the UK continue to embrace solar power as the government accelerates its clean power mission.

• 269,000 solar installations completed in 2025 – the highest total ever recorded in a calendar year and 37% larger than the year before

• 23,000 new solar installations in April 2026, with more than half installed on homes – showing households are turning to homegrown energy following the war in Iran

• 9 of the 10 strongest months for solar deployment on record have happened within the last year

Households across the UK continue to embrace solar power as the government accelerates its clean power mission to reduce Britain’s exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets following the outbreak of the war in Iran.

New government data published today shows that 2025 was the strongest year on record for solar deployment, with 269,000 installations completed across the UK. Around 255,000 of these were rooftop solar - meaning at least 95% of all new solar was installed on homes, businesses and other buildings. This equates to a new rooftop solar installation every 2 minutes throughout 2025.

April 2026 figures published today also confirm that 9 of the 10 best-performing months ever recorded have occurred in the past year, with nearly 23,000 new installations in the last month alone - and more than 1 in 2 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 from the government today show that the cost of acquiring and installing solar PV has decreased by up to 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 said:

"As we face a second fossil fuel crisis in 5 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."

Businesses and public services are also embracing Britain’s solar revolution - cutting costs and strengthening energy security.

Numatic International, the maker of Henry the Hoover, has launched a new solar park expected to supply around 20% of its Somerset factory’s electricity demand.

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has installed rooftop solar expected to cut bills by around £9,500 a year, while Wren Kitchens is building what is set to become the UK’s largest factory rooftop solar array.

These installations build on the success of Great British Energy’s solar scheme, with a further 100 schools and colleges set to receive rooftop solar this year.

Notes to editors

• Solar deployment stats: Solar photovoltaics deployment: [https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/solar-photovoltaics-deployment]

• Solar costs data: Solar photovoltaic (PV) cost data: [https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/solar-pv-cost-data]

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