UK Solar in 2026
Installations climbing steadily through 2026
- South West
- 17,539 installations in 2026, taking the South West to 271,400 installations in total — up 13% since last July.
- South East
- 22,628 installations in 2026, taking the South East to 305,101 installations in total — up 14% since last July.
- East of England
- 18,109 installations in 2026, taking the East of England to 241,195 installations in total — up 15% since last July.
- East Midlands
- 15,981 installations in 2026, taking the East Midlands to 182,606 installations in total — up 17% since last July.
- North West
- 15,927 installations in 2026, taking the North West to 186,253 installations in total — up 16% since last July.
- Wales
- Wales recorded the fastest growth of any UK nation or region, with installations up 18% since last July.
- Scotland
- Solar installations in Scotland increased by 14% since last July.
- North East
- Solar installations in the North East increased by 11% since last July.
UK solar · January to July 2026
The headline numbers
According to DESNZ, nearly 172,000 solar systems were installed across the UK between January and July 2026. July alone accounted for almost 28,000 installations, which is the third-highest monthly total ever recorded.
Rooftop growth
What stands out is where that growth is coming from. More than 19,800 of July’s installations were rooftop systems. That’s over 70% of the month’s total. Put another way, a rooftop solar system was being installed somewhere in the UK roughly every two minutes.
Record numbers of families are installing solar panels to generate clean, homegrown power, helping them cut their energy bills.
Regional solar data
Where the South West sits in the new regional data
First regional breakdown
This is the first time the government has published a regional breakdown alongside the national totals, so it is worth a closer look.
The South West recorded 17,539 solar installations in the 12 months to July 2026, a rise of 13% on the previous year. That takes the region’s cumulative total to 271,400 installations; second only to the South East, which has 305,101.
The top five regions by cumulative installations, according to DESNZ, are:
| Past 12 months | Cumulative total | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| South East | 22,628 installations in the past 12 months | 305,101 in total | +14% |
| South West | 17,539 installations in the past 12 months | 271,400 in total | +13% |
| East of England | 18,109 installations in the past 12 months | 241,195 in total | +15% |
| North West | 15,927 installations in the past 12 months | 186,253 in total | +16% |
| East Midlands | 15,981 installations in the past 12 months | 182,606 in total | +17% |
Elsewhere
Elsewhere, Wales saw the fastest growth of any nation or region at 18%, with Scotland up 14% and the North East up 11%.
What this means locally
Two things are worth noting for anyone in Devon, Cornwall or Dorset. First, the South West has one of the largest installed bases in the country, which means there is now a deep pool of local experience. Lots of installers, electricians, scaffolders and surveyors who have fitted thousands of systems on the kind of housing stock found across the region. Second, the 13% growth rate is slightly below the national pace, so despite the strong starting position there is still plenty of headroom on South West roofs.
What is driving the growth?
Why homes rather than solar farms are driving the growth
It is easy to assume that headlines about solar growth are really about large ground-mounted solar farms. The July data says otherwise: rooftop solar systems made up more than seven in ten installations.
Several things are pushing in the same direction:
- Lower upfront cost
- VAT on the installation of solar panels and batteries in homes is currently 0%, which takes a meaningful chunk off the upfront cost.
- Battery storage
- Battery storage has become a standard part of a home installation rather than an optional extra, allowing households to use more of what they generate and to take advantage of cheaper overnight tariffs.
- Electricity economics
- And electricity prices, while below their 2022-2023 peak, remain high enough that a well-designed system on a suitable roof pays for itself well within its working life.
New solar rules
Plug-in solar arrives too
On 27 August 2026 the government also confirmed new rules allowing ‘plug-in’ solar systems of up to 800W to be sold in the UK. These are small panels that plug into a standard socket rather than being wired into the consumer unit, and are aimed mainly at renters and flat-dwellers who cannot install a conventional rooftop array.
They are a welcome addition, but they are not a substitute for a full installation. An 800W plug-in kit will generate a fraction of what a typical 4 kW rooftop system produces, and it cannot be paired with a battery in the same way. For a home with a suitable roof, a properly designed and MCS-certified installation remains the way to make a real dent in energy bills.
Thinking about solar in Devon?
What this means if you are thinking about solar in Devon
The national picture is clear: more households than ever are choosing solar, and the South West is one of the regions leading the way. If you have been weighing up an installation, a few practical points follow from the data.
- Lead times
- Demand is high, so lead times can stretch. It is sensible to get a survey booked sooner rather than later, particularly if you want a system in place before the darker months.
- 0% VAT
- The 0% VAT rate on domestic solar and battery installations offers a significant saving, but it is a temporary government policy. It is currently scheduled to run until 31 March 2027, after which VAT is due to return to 5% unless the government extends or changes the scheme.
- Local housing
- Regional growth is being driven by ordinary homes, not just new-builds or large estates. The housing stock across Plymouth, South Hams, Torbay, Exeter and the wider county includes a great deal of south-facing roof space that is well suited to solar.
Based on the scheduled end date of 31 March 2027. Book a survey now to give yourself the best chance of completing before the rate changes.
Find out what your roof could generate
If you would like to know what a system could generate on your roof, get in touch with the Simple Solar team for a free, no-obligation survey.