While the new Labor government has pledged to “unleash a solar roof revolution”, Solar Together’s analysis shows that uptake of solar panels across England has fallen so far in 2024.
According to the figures, England installed 63,000 solar panels in the first half of 2024, compared to more than 83,000 installations in the first half of 2023.
Solar Together is a group purchasing initiative that was responsible for 10% of MCS certified solar panel installations across England by 2023. The program, which is implemented with input from the local government, leverages the collective purchasing power of residents to reduce initial installation costs. .
The group’s analysis found that Maldon in Essex was the area with the highest proportion of solar panels in the first half of 2024. The Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, the Isles of Scilly near Cornwall, Boston in Lincolnshire and Westmorland and Furness in Cumbria also saw high levels of adoption. Nearly 1% of households in each area have installed solar panels in the past six months.
However, the combination of the pro-solar government and easing economic tension will lead to a rapid increase over the rest of the year, according to the group.
George Frost, UK country manager at iChoosr, which runs the Solar Together group’s procurement initiatives, said: “With the cost of living falling, economic growth prospects improving and the new government putting a green energy revolution at the heart of its policies, the plans the ingredients are present for a real increase in the number of solar panel installations during the rest of the year and beyond.”
He pointed out that energy prices have stabilized just as the new government has “not only introduced new measures to support the renewable energy industry as a whole, but also changed the general mood towards solar energy.”
“This optimism will likely lead to greater urgency for both businesses and households to make the switch. Historically, many people interested in pursuing renewables have cited cost and the difficulty of knowing where to start as barriers to getting the process started,” he added.
“Many more households can now carry out the process in a much simpler and stress-free way.”
In its first few weeks in power, the new Labor government has made solar energy a priority. The ministers want to introduce solar-related standards for new-build homes from next year. To ease the adaptation process, there are plans to re-examine the rules on where and how high on buildings solar panels can be placed and the restrictions on listed buildings.
Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, said: “We will encourage builders and homeowners in whatever way they can to deliver this win-win technology to millions of addresses across Britain so that people can provide their own electricity, pay their bills and help fight climate change at the same time.”
