Energy is on everybody’s mind in Britain. These interesting UK solar panel statistics & facts show how a bright sunny day could power the country.
UK Solar Panel Statistics & Facts
- Around 900,000 British homes have solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in use. (The Solar Trade Association)
- Solar panels cost, on average, £6,500. (Money Saving Expert)
- The cost of installing solar panels decreased by 82% in the last decade. (International Renewable Energy Agency)
- However, for most people (61%), money is still the biggest reason they aren’t buying and installing solar panels. (The Eco Experts)
- Solar panels can help save money; average homes could save between £90 and £270 annually using 250W solar panels. (Greenwatch)
- Solar panels operating under the Smart Export Guarantee can pay themselves back in 16 years. (Greenwatch)
- A survey showed the younger generations favour solar panels; 75% of Generation Z said they are likely to purchase solar panels compared to 58% of Baby Boomers and 50% of the Silent Generation. (The Eco Experts)
- Small-scale PV systems comprise 90% of total 1,007,427 installations. (Greenwatch)
- Solar energy accounts for around 4% of Britain’s total electricity generation. (The Switch)
- Britain would need to cover 12% of its landmass with solar panels to power the whole country. (Finder)
- Cornwall is the best place for solar power in the UK, with over 8,000 solar sites. (The Eco Experts)
- Energy creation can vary; research showed that between April and June 2017, 6% of Britain’s total electricity came from solar, but between October and December, it was just 1.5%. (The Switch)
- The cumulative installed capacity of solar panels increased from 95 megawatts in 2010 to 13,965 megawatts in 2021. (Statista)
- On average, you would need 16 panels to power your house with a 4kW solar panel system. (Greenwatch)
- The solar panel industry contributed £1.86 billion in turnover in 2019. (Statista)
- 25C is the optimum temperature for solar panels to operate. (The Eco Experts)
- An average UK home with a solar PV system could reduce carbon emissions by 1.2 to 1.7 tonnes yearly. (The Energy Saving Trust)