Engineering news
Published yesterday (30 April), government data showed that more than 27,000 solar installations were completed, the highest number since 2012. The increase was mainly driven by rooftop solar, with two-thirds of installations being made on homes.
A government announcement said that households were “embracing” the renewable power source amid volatility in fossil fuel prices following the outbreak of the Iran war.
The Future Homes and Building Standards, coming into force in 2027, will make renewable electricity generation – likely to be mostly from solar panels – a functional requirement for new-build homes.
The government also highlighted the roll-out of low-cost plug-in solar panels, which are expected to be available within months, and its approval of Springwell Solar Farm in Lincolnshire, which will be the largest ever power-producing solar farm in the UK.
Energy secretary Ed Miliband said: “The numbers speak for themselves – the highest monthly installation of solar in over a decade, rising capacity and more than 2 million solar installations now powering homes across Britain.
“This is our clean energy mission in action – helping families weather global energy shocks, bringing bills down, and getting Britain off the fossil fuel rollercoaster.”
Solar capacity increased by 11.7% over the past year, adding 2.3 gigawatts to the energy mix. Generation increased by 37% in 2025 to a record 20 terawatt hours (TWh), and a record share of 6.9% of overall electricity generation.
Domestic installations peaked in 2012 thanks to the Feed-in Tariff scheme, which launched in April 2010. The scheme, which paid homeowners and businesses for generating renewable electricity, was cut back two years later.
Reacting to the new figures, Jess Ralston, head of energy at non-profit organisation the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said: “The head of the International Energy Agency and the British public seem to be on the same page, clearly viewing net-zero technologies like solar as the solution to energy bill volatility and protection from what have essentially been back-to-back oil and gas crises.
“They are voting with their feet on accelerating the clean transition through electrification – the logical way to shield households from oil and gas prices soaring as a result of conflict thousands of miles away.”
Solar is not the only renewable technology thriving in the UK. Recent statistics showed that renewables generated over half of the country’s electricity for the second year running, accounting for a record 52.5% in 2025. Wind generation also broke previous records, increasing by 4% and contributing a record 87.1 TWh, with a record share of 30%.
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