The UK has experienced a significant surge in rooftop solar power installations in 2023, surpassing the total installations for the entire year of 2022, according to data from MCS.
The figures show that a total of 138,336 solar photovoltaic installations have been registered since December, slightly exceeding the 137,926 recorded throughout the previous year.
These statistics specifically refer to installations with a capacity of 50kW and below, commonly found on residential buildings, schools and small businesses.
A typical domestic installation typically has a capacity of around 4kW.
The current trajectory suggests that the UK may surpass the all-time installation record of 203,120, established during the peak of the Feed-in Tariffs regime in 2011.
This government scheme was discontinued at the end of 2019, with the rationale that it had successfully met its goal of reducing photovoltaic energy costs.
This rapid growth in solar installations is highlighted by the fact that more than half of the capacity installed over the past four and a half years has been added in the last 13 months.
Ian Rippin, Chief Executive of MCS, said: “Small-scale solar provides home and business owners with energy independence and security against ever-increasing electricity costs.
“There is still more work to be done to make the transition to low carbon technology even easier for UK consumers, but 2023 is already the most successful year in our history for solar installations on the roofs of homes and businesses.”
Solar Energy UK Chief Executive Chris Hewett said: “The reasons behind the extraordinary place of rooftop solar deployment are simple. Power from the grid remains expensive, whereas solar is cheap, paying back in a handful of years in most circumstances.
“It’s one of the best investments that home and small business owners can make. Coupled with growing concern over climate change and record temperatures around the world, it’s no wonder that so many people have taken the plunge to decarbonise.”
