2025 was a record year for certified renewable installations in UK homes and small businesses, with 369,000 installed in a single year, according to data from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).
This progress was driven by just three technologies – solar panels, heat pumps and battery storage:
- Rooftop solar surpassed the long-standing record set in 2011 by 31%, totalling 267,032 in 2025.
- There were over 60,000 certified heat pump installations in 2025, the most ever for a single year.
- Battery storage saw more than 40,000 certified installations last year, almost doubling the previous record.
That equates to one every 90 seconds, according to data from MCS, the UK’s quality mark for small-scale renewables. This is a 34 percent increase on 2024 and brings the total to 2.4 million certified installations since MCS started recording figures in 2009 – with more than a quarter of these completed in the last two years alone.
The estimated annual generation – which is the amount of energy capable of being generated by installations delivered in 2025 – was 1.8 billion kWh. That is enough to power the London Underground network, including Overground lines and associated offices, for an entire year1. It brings the total installed capacity across all MCS installations since 2009 to more than 10 GW.
Modern Eco-Friendly Home with Solar Panels (Image: D. Goug/Pexels)
Installation numbers are rising right across the UK, with Cornwall, Somerset, and North Yorkshire seeing the highest volume in 2025. When looking at the volume of installations as a proportion of households, Welsh local authorities are leading the way – with Isle of Anglesey, Ceredigion, and Gwynedd making up the top three2.
A key driver for the record uptake, particularly in solar, has been installations on new build properties. 28 percent of all installations were on new builds – rising to more than 36% when just looking at solar. Following details announced in the Warm Homes Plan last month, which stated solar is set to be mandated on new homes, this demonstrates the opportunity within the housebuilding market – for installers, manufacturers, housebuilders, and the wider supply chain.
“It’s great to see the record-breaking uptake of small-scale renewables across the UK, and these figures are only set to increase following the release of the government’s Warm Homes Plan” said Ian Rippin, CEO at MCS. “This represents a fantastic opportunity for the sector to grow, but it’s critical that as more people invest in home-grown energy, high-quality, certified installations continue to underpin consumer confidence.”
Read more: Renewable Energy Magazine
