Record year for renewables with one installed every 90 seconds

February 5, 2026

2025 was a record year for certified renewable installations in UK homes and small businesses, with 369,000 installed in a single year.

The record-breaking year was fuelled by 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% 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 year. It brings the total installed capacity across all MCS installations since 2009 to more than 10GW.

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 three.

A key driver for the record uptake, particularly in solar, has been installations on new build properties. 28% 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, house builders and the wider supply chain.

Ian Rippin, CEO at MCS, said:

“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. 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.”

Government funding played a role in boosting installation numbers last year, with 27% of all installations funded – either wholly or in-part – by a Government initiative. This is particularly true for heat pumps with the success of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). 43% of certified heat pumps installed in 2025 were delivered under the BUS, with a 95% satisfaction rate according to outreach conducted by MCS.

As demand for renewables continues to rise, there is also a growing need for certified installers to deliver these installations to industry-recognised standards. The number of MCS certified installers increased by 7% over the course of 2025, reflecting an industry that is growing as the UK continues its drive towards net zero and more people seek out the benefits of home-grown energy.

Ian Rippin continued:

“We look forward to building on this growth further with the rollout of our redeveloped installer Scheme, which puts consumer protection and quality at the heart of MCS. We take our responsibility of being the sole certification scheme for Government clean heat measures very seriously and are proud of the role that MCS certified installers are playing in the UK’s transition to net zero.”

Minister for Energy Consumers Martin McCluskey said:

“A record year for installations shows our plans are working to help families keep their homes warm for less with low-carbon technologies. Our £15 billion Warm Homes Plan will now make sure everyone can access cheaper bills with heat pumps, solar panels and batteries – including free clean energy tech for low-income households and low or zero interest loans for homeowners.”

Chris Hewett, CEO of trade association Solar Energy UK, said:

“A smaller-scale renewable energy system installed every 90 seconds is an extraordinary signal of how quickly the UK public is embracing clean, home-grown energy. That pace is only going to pick up with the introduction of interest-free loans and grants for solar power, heat pumps, battery storage and insulation under the Government’s Warm Homes Plan, combined with forthcoming rules that will all but require solar power on new homes and buildings in England. The industry will ensure that we have the skills base, supply chain and standards in place to deliver.”

Charlotte Lee, Chief Executive at HPA UK, said:

“2025 marked another record year for heat pump installations, progress that can only be viewed as positive. With the Government’s Warm Homes Plan now published, confirming a £2.7bn budget for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme up to 2029/30 and setting out an ambition to install 450,000 heat pumps per year by 2030, the future growth for the sector provides a huge opportunity. Crucial to this is the swift publication of the much-anticipated Future Homes Standard, which will accelerate demand and shore up supply chains to enable sustained sector growth. With the market expected to grow exponentially, installation standards and quality must remain high, and we will continue to work with and support MCS during the transition to MCS 2025.”

mcscertified.com