Solar power generation in the UK has reached a new high in 2025, marking the strongest year on record for the technology, according to energy think tank Ember.
A record-breaking year
In the first half of 2025, solar output surged by 32%, producing 9.91TWh of electricity. Records were broken for five consecutive months beginning in March, while July 8 saw a new peak of 14GW delivered to the grid, 44% higher than the annual maximum of recent years.
This sharp growth stems from ideal weather conditions and a boom in solar installations. More than 2GW of new solar capacity was added in the first six months alone, almost matching the total for 2024 and pushing the UK’s operating capacity beyond 22GWp.
Household panels
Domestic installations reached their highest level in a decade, with 120,000 certified household systems installed between January and June, a 37% year-on-year increase. Falling costs and rising energy bills have fuelled this trend, while larger rooftop systems are becoming more common.
The South West leads the way
The fastest adoption rates in the UK are in the South West, where about 8.5% of households now have solar panels. Specialists like https://redbridgeandsons.co.uk/solar-pv-panels/solar-panel-installation-burnham/ are at the forefront of growth, carrying out solar panel installation Burnham to the east and Weston in the west, with others operating all the way to Penzance.
Importantly, solar is proving to be an effective partner to wind power. Ember notes that the two sources have complemented each other this year, reducing reliance on gas, which provided only 21% of electricity generation this June.