The number of solar panels installed in homes across England has seen a decline in the first six months of 2024, with 63,000 panels installed compared to over 83,000 in the same period last year, according to new analysis from sustainable energy experts Solar Together.
However, Solar Together predicts an uptick in the adoption rate for the remainder of the year, influenced by improved economic conditions and a more stable political landscape. The new government has already indicated its plans to ‘unleash a solar rooftop revolution’ and streamline the process for installing solar panels on both new and existing homes.
Solar Together is a group-buying initiative that allows households to purchase solar panels and battery storage systems at more competitive prices, helping to overcome the common obstacle of high upfront costs. In 2023, Solar Together was responsible for 10% of MCS-certified solar panel installations in England.
The analysis shows that Maldon in Essex had the highest proportion of solar panel adopters in the first half of 2024, with over 1% of households installing solar panels during this period. Through its scheme in Essex, in partnership with Essex County Council, Solar Together has helped nearly 2,500 households to install solar panels more affordably and with less stress, including almost 300 in 2024 so far.
Other areas with significant solar panel adoption in 2024 include The Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, The Isles of Scilly off Cornwall, Boston in Lincolnshire, and Westmorland and Furness in Cumbria. Nearly 1% of households in these areas have installed solar panels in the last six months.
Winchester tops the list among cities for the highest proportion of residents installing solar panels this year. This analysis follows a Solar Together study from the previous year, which found Winchester to be the English city with the highest proportion of ‘green energy champions’ – households that have either adopted renewable energy sources or electric vehicles. Cornwall was identified as the county with the highest share of green energy champions.
Recent findings from Solar Together also reveal that 35% of energy-conscious consumers in the UK are likely to transition to renewable energy within the next five years. However, there is a prevalent view among UK households that there should be more government incentives to encourage investment in renewable energy at home, with 90% of energy consumers supporting this sentiment.
George Frost, UK Country Manager at iChoosr, which delivers the Solar Together group buying initiatives, stated: “While 2024 has so far seen a small drop in the number of households across England installing solar panels, we expect to see a sharp rise in activity across the rest of the year. With the cost-of-living crisis subsiding, economic growth prospects improving, and the incoming government putting a green energy revolution at the heart of its plans, the ingredients are there for a real uptick in solar panel installations across the rest of the year and beyond.”
He added, “With energy prices now more stable – and inflation having fallen significantly from where it was just 18 months ago – coinciding with improved political stability brought about by the election, the number of households installing solar panels is likely to rise in the coming months. The new government has not only brought in new measures to support the renewable energy industry as a whole, but also changed the overall mood regarding solar power – and this optimism is likely to bring about a greater urgency amongst both businesses and households to make the switch. Historically, many individuals interested in pursuing renewable energy sources have cited costs and a difficulty in knowing where to start as barriers to kicking off the process. But with the support that’s now available to households around the country, including schemes like Solar Together, many more households are now able to go about the process in a much more simplified and stress-free manner.”
iChoosr has been working with UK councils since 2015 on its Solar Together schemes to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy across the country. To date, Solar Together has facilitated more than 33,991 installations, which are expected to prevent over 690,000 tonnes of carbon emissions over the next 25 years.
*analysis collated from MCS data
