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Solar News
Hand-picked articles about plug-in solar, regulation, and energy policy in the UK.
GOV.UK24 March 2026Government to Make 'Plug-in Solar' Available Within Months
The UK government announced plans to make affordable plug-in solar panels available in retail stores within months, allowing households to cut bills without installation costs. New regulations will also require most new homes to include solar panels and heat pumps as standard.
Solar Power Portal13 May 2026British power prices increasingly independent from gas
Analysis by energy think tank Ember finds that 15% of Britain's electricity generation is now decoupled from gas pricing through Contracts for Difference — with solar settling at £65/MWh in 2025 auctions versus gas averaging £89–108/MWh. Ember projects this independent renewable share will reach 36% by 2030, shielding consumers from fossil fuel price volatility as the UK's clean energy buildout accelerates.
Solar Power Portal11 May 2026Great Britain ranked Europe's second-most attractive market for solar-plus-storage co-location
Aurora Energy Research has ranked Great Britain as Europe's second-most attractive market for co-located solar and battery storage, tied with Bulgaria and behind only Germany. The UK's appeal is driven by its substantial Contracts for Difference pipeline, grid connection delays that make co-location economically advantageous, and strong subsidy support. Europe's co-located renewable capacity is projected to reach 6.3 GW by 2025, while more than 550 GW of renewable and storage capacity is queuing for grid connections in Great Britain alone.
The Guardian9 May 2026Home batteries: a 'gamechanger' for cutting energy bills?
As fuel prices surge and energy costs rise, home battery storage systems are emerging as a potential solution for UK households. The falling cost of batteries could be key to unlocking the greatest savings from green investments like solar panels and heat pumps.
Carbon Brief7 May 2026Analysis: Wind and solar have saved UK from gas imports worth £1.7bn since Iran war began
Since the Iran war began in late February 2026, UK wind and solar have generated a record 21 TWh — displacing around 34 LNG tanker loads of imported gas and saving roughly £1.7 billion. Renewables now produce more than twice as much electricity as fossil fuels, and clean energy has exceeded fossil generation for 15 consecutive months.
Solar Power Portal7 May 2026Sonaura to provide 7MW solar for Bentley Motors Crewe HQ
Bentley Motors has signed a power purchase agreement with Sonaura to build a 7MW solar installation at its Crewe manufacturing HQ, delivering clean power via private wire. The site already hosts 2.7MW of solar carports and rooftop arrays plus 6.6MW of battery storage, as UK business electricity bills have risen up to 30% since late February 2026.
PV Magazine6 May 2026There are now more than 2 million UK solar installations
The UK has reached a milestone of 2,003,000 solar installations with total capacity at 22.1 GW. March 2026 recorded the highest monthly installation volumes since 2012, with residential solar accounting for 66% of new deployments.
The Independent5 May 2026Lidl to sell £400 plug-in solar panels – here's everything you need to know
Lidl and Amazon are preparing to stock plug-in solar panels for around £400, following a UK government regulatory update. The lightweight, foldable kits include a panel and microinverter and require no professional installation — simply position on a balcony, fence, or patio and plug into a standard 3-pin socket. The government estimates typical households could save £70–£110 a year, giving a four-year payback period and roughly a decade of savings over the device's 15-year lifespan.
Solar Power Portal5 May 2026Insurance, fire safety and PPA complexity risk UK's rooftop solar Clean Power 2030 target
Despite record monthly installation figures, three structural barriers are slowing commercial rooftop solar in the UK: inconsistent insurer requirements that lengthen project timelines, fire safety compliance costs under the RC62 standard, and friction in power purchase agreement negotiations caused by lease-length mismatches. Solar Power Portal's in-depth report warns these challenges could jeopardise the government's target of 10 GW of rooftop capacity by 2030, while noting that structural capacity is 'very rarely the genuine limiting factor' on modern commercial buildings.
BBC News4 May 2026Village becomes 'island' amidst solar panels
Residents of Cosheston in Pembrokeshire, Wales, fear their village is being encircled by solar farms after ministers approved 65 new solar parks across Wales — nearly doubling capacity from 900 MW to 2 GW. With three solar installations approved around the village, locals warn of the 'creeping industrialisation of the countryside' as Wales pursues its 100% renewable energy target by 2035.