Solar on British roofs is having its biggest year ever. According to Solar Energy UK, 229,164 small-scale systems had been certified under MCS by mid-September 2026. That is already more than the old 2011 peak of 203,697, and not far off the full-year record of 269,195 set in 2025.
The numbers at a glance
- 229,164 MCS-certified rooftop installs so far in 2026 (to mid-September)
- 269,195 installs in the whole of 2025, the previous annual record
- About 300,000 is the industry’s expectation for the full year of 2026
- 28,861 installs in March 2026, the busiest month on record
- 21,200 installs in all of 2020, so this is a huge jump in a few years
More milestones
The UK passed two million certified small-scale systems in April 2026. The first million took from 2009 to 2019. The second has taken less than seven years. Solar Energy UK says three million could be within reach in about three years.
Solar is also now a real part of the grid: it supplied 14.4% of Great Britain’s electricity in July 2026, up from 9.6% a year earlier, and set a generation record of 14.4 GW in May.
What it means for you
More installers, more choice and a more mature industry. It also means it pays to pick a company you can trust to still be around in ten years’ time, which is exactly why we are building The Solar Family the local, family-run way.
Thinking about solar, a battery or an EV charger? Book a free chat and survey and we will talk it through with you, no pressure.
Figures are the latest available at the time of writing (November 2026) and are for general information only, not financial or tax advice.