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2025: The Year Solar Went Mainstream by Mark Bramhall

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Overview

I was excited to hear that they’re calling 2025 the year that solar went mainstream. With rooftop installs and solar generation hitting record highs across the UK, I'm taking a look at some of last year’s highlights from our industry and sharing my thoughts on what’s lined up for 2026.

Drone Landscape

2025: The Year Solar Went Mainstream

Record-breaking installs 

Early 2025 saw the UK's strongest start for solar, with a personal best for generation and capacity. This was partly due to the sunniest spring on record. Commercial installations and residential adoption rates both flourished last year. By November 2025 rooftop installs had hit 206,682 certified installations. That’s a record for our sector, pushing the total number of UK small-scale systems to 1.85 million and making it the fifth consecutive year of year-on-year increase in rooftop solar deployments. 1

 

Record-breaking output

2025 also saw the UK solar produce a record-breaking 7.6 TWh of power in the first five months alone. That’s up a whopping 42% compared to the same period in 2024. Our national solar fleet now generates enough energy to power between 4.8 and 5.3 million homes annually (based on average household consumption figures).2  

 

And perhaps my favourite fact - solar output last year helped the UK prevent an estimated 6.61 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions!2 re proud to be able to claim that Plug me in’s solar installs in 2025 will have saved 2,241 tonnes of CO2 last year. 


What’s driving UK solar growth?

There were a number of really positive factors influencing solar success in 2025. Not only did the UK enjoy our sunniest year on record, but we saw solar move up the government’s agenda, with a focus on removing blockers to installs and planning guidance tightened to support faster approval for commercial and rooftop solar. 


This is an area Plug me in has been particularly busy with in 2025 - with 354 installs on commercial and industrial buildings including manufacturing, and warehouses and logistics hubs. 

 

Looking ahead

Looking ahead, government policy is also beginning to reinforce solar’s mainstream role. As part of its proposed ‘zero-bill homes’ strategy, labour has outlined plans which it will announce early this year, to invest billions in upgrading UK homes with clean energy technologies, including rooftop solar.

 

The aim is simple: help households dramatically cut, and in some cases virtually eliminate, their energy bills by combining solar generation with smarter energy systems. While the detail is still emerging, the direction of travel is clear. Solar is increasingly being treated not as a green add-on, but as core national infrastructure - critical to reducing energy costs, improving energy security and protecting households from future price volatility.

 

PMI’s focus for 2026
We’re going into 2026 in a strong position. Backed by our parent company, Calisen, Plug me in is well placed to support the growing demand for solar across commercial and industrial premises nationwide.


Our focus is clear. We see the greatest opportunity in scaling commercial rooftop solar across estates - helping organisations with multiple sites move beyond individual installs and unlock far greater value from their portfolios. That means designing systems that work together, reflect real energy demand and deliver consistent performance across every location.


Just as importantly, we’re focused on long-term partnerships, not one-off installs. For us, solar isn’t a single project - it’s an evolving energy strategy. We work alongside our customers to support funding, system design, installation, monitoring and long-term optimisation, helping them reduce reliance on the grid, cut energy bills and strengthen operational resilience over time.


The hype phase is over. Installing solar is no longer a sustainability tick-box exercise for businesses. What matters now is performance. That means smarter system and monitoring design, better integration of technologies, stronger returns, faster delivery and better outcomes - delivered by experienced partners who stay involved long after installation is complete.


If you’re responsible for multiple sites and want to understand how solar could work harder across your estate, we’d love to talk to you.


Get in touch with the Plug me in team to explore how a smarter, estate-wide solar strategy could support your business in 2026 and beyond. We'd love to hear from you!


Source reference
1 https://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/solar-projects/uk-breaks-yearly-record-for-rooftop-solar-pv-installations
2 https://www.atlanticrenewables.co.uk/contact-us/news-blog/uk-solar-capacity-hits-20-gw

 

Further reading
Powering Profits: How Solar Transforms Warehouses into High-Value, Future-Ready Assets
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Keeping Warehouses Powered Through the Peaks: How Solar and Storage Safeguard Operations Against Grid Instability
In this blog, we explore what’s driving grid instability, why it’s becoming a growing risk for warehouse operations, and how on-site solar and battery storage provide a powerful solution.
From Roof to Revenue: How Warehouses Can Cut Costs and Cash In on Solar
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2025: The Year Solar Went Mainstream by Mark Bramhall
With rooftop installs and solar generation hitting record highs across the UK, I'm taking a look at some of last year’s highlights from our industry and share my thoughts on what’s lined up for 2026.
Meeting Customer Demands for Green Supply Chains: Solar as a Competitive Advantage in Manufacturing
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Sun-Powered Supply Chains: Boost Your ESG Score with Solar
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Don’t Pay for Carbon Twice – How Solar Protects You from CBAM Costs
Carbon now comes with a cost. The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) — coming into force in 2026, with the UK following in 2027 — charges for emissions embedded in imports of high-carbon goods like steel, cement and aluminium. Investing in onsite solar is a smart way to cut emissions, reduce CBAM costs, and stay competitive
From Obligation to Opportunity: How Solar Helps You Meet Net Zero Targets
UK carbon rules are tightening, but onsite solar lets businesses cut emissions, stay compliant, and turn net zero obligations into a competitive advantage.
Rising Energy Costs: Why Solar is the Intelligent Choice for UK Businesses
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