So far in 2025, the UK has experienced record-breaking solar panel installations and solar energy generation, driven by high energy prices and government incentives.
Some Key Statistics for 2025
Installations: Over 120,000 certified solar panel systems were installed in the first six months of 2025, a 36-37% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Nearly 100,000 of these were domestic systems.
Total Capacity: As of April 2025, the UK had a total operational solar capacity of 18.1 GW across approximately 1,780,000 installations.
New Capacity Added: The UK is expected to add between 3 GW and 3.5 GW of new solar capacity in 2025 alone. Over 2 GW of new capacity was completed in the first half of the year, a record start to the year for a decade.
Energy Generation: The first half of 2025 saw record solar generation of 9.91 TWh, a 32% rise. Solar energy accounted for 11.6% of UK electricity generation in May 2025, a record monthly share.
Market Share: Around 1.6 million homes in the UK now have solar panels, representing about 5.5% of households.
The surge in installations is attributed to:
Lower energy bills: Solar panels can significantly reduce household electricity costs.
Government Initiatives: Schemes like the Future Homes Standard (making solar mandatory on new homes from 2027) and the 0% VAT rate on installations have made renewable technology more accessible. The government also published a “Solar Roadmap” in June 2025 to accelerate deployment.
Falling Costs: The average cost per kW of a home solar installation has been trending downwards since mid-2023.
Energy Independence: Homeowners and businesses are increasingly seeking ways to achieve energy independence and protection from volatile energy prices.
Conclusion
For a typical 4kW residential solar panel system in 2025, the average installed cost is around £6,500. Prices can vary based on system size and location, generally ranging from £3,000 to £25,000. For more information on solar panel installations and potential savings, visit the Energy Saving Trust. Official data and statistics on solar deployment are available from GOV.UK.