Loose connections, damaged or faulty wiring are among the leading causes of solar panel fires, according to new analysis from insurer QBE. Freedom of Information requests to the UK Fire Service have seen an increase in the number of fires in solar installations, with incidents recorded in homes.
According to an analysis by QBE Insurance, the number of fires involving solar panels in Britain has increased by 60% between 2022 and 2024, outpacing the number of new installations. The business insurer has revealed that the UK fire brigade attended 171 incidents involving a solar installation in 2024, up from 107 in 2022 and 128 in 2023.
QBE obtained the data through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, with 37 of the UK’s 49 fire services providing data. The insurer said this suggested the number of solar panel-related fires could be “much higher” than reported in its analysis.
FOI data seen by pv magazine reveal that London will be the region with the most fire incidents involving PV systems in 2024, accounting for 41 incidents – 24% of the total.
Residential installations were responsible for the majority of fire incidents involving solar panels, with 97 recorded in 2024. This was followed by commercial properties (27), ground installations (17) and industrial properties (10).
Only 20 fire departments responded with data on where solar panel fires started in 2024, but of the recorded fires, 21 fires started at the inverter, 20 at the panel, 16 at DC cabling or connectors, and 12 were battery fires.
The increase in the number of fire incidents coincided with an increase in the deployment of PV systems, but the QBE analysis suggests that the growth in the number of fires is greater than that of new installations. UK government data recorded 1,309,447 PV installations in 2022, up from 1,697,231 installations in 2024 – a 29.6% increase in installations over the period.
In a press release, Adrian Simmonds, practice leader for property risk solutions at QBE Insurance, described solar energy as an “essential part of the UK’s clean energy transition”, but warned that the pace of implementation is a “cause for risk management concern”.
“Our analysis shows that the number of fires involving solar panels has increased twice as fast as new installations over the past two years. Safe installation and maintenance of solar panels are essential to reducing fires.”
Simmonds added that QBE recommends property owners carry out formal risk assessments, work with certified installers and ensure regular inspection and cleaning to reduce the risk of fire.
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