Solar power supplied a record share of Great Britain's electricity generation in July, accounting for 14.4% of total power produced during the month, according to figures released by Solar Energy UK based on data from the National Energy System Operator (NESO).

The figure surpassed the previous monthly record of 12.4%, set in May, and marked a significant increase from July 2025, when solar accounted for 9.6% of electricity generation. Overall, solar generated 3.2 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity during July.

The record comes as the UK's solar sector continues to expand. During the first half of 2026, 142,536 solar installations were registered across the country, making it the strongest first half of any year since government subsidies for new installations ended. Most of the new systems were installed on residential rooftops, driven by the low cost of solar power and its ability to reduce household energy bills. According to Solar Energy UK, commercial rooftop installations at sites such as supermarkets and warehouses would further increase deployment, although many are not captured in official figures because they fall outside the planning system.

On 12 July, during warm and sunny weather following a heatwave, solar power supplied 18.8% of Great Britain's electricity generation, narrowly below the all-time daily record of 19.5% set on 24 May. According to NESO, solar accounted for 44% of electricity generation between 10:30 a.m. and midday that day, reaching a peak output of 15,427 MW. The current instantaneous generation record remains 16.3 GW, achieved at 12:30 p.m. on 23 April.

Commenting on the latest figures, UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks said the record demonstrates the continued growth of the country's solar sector, arguing that increasing domestic electricity generation will improve energy security, reduce long-term energy bills and support skilled employment across the country. He also highlighted the government's decision to reduce VAT on energy bills to provide additional support for households this winter.

Chris Hewett, Chief Executive of Solar Energy UK, said solar power has evolved from a niche technology into "a mainstream player", providing affordable, reliable and domestically produced electricity. Julian Leslie, Director of Strategic Energy Planning and Chief Engineer at NESO, added that the new records reflect the rapid expansion of solar generation, noting that renewables now produce around 60% of Great Britain's electricity, compared with just 3% in 2000.

Separate annual statistics released for 2025 also confirmed continued growth in the sector. Solar generation increased by 34.2% compared with 2024, supported by higher sunshine levels and additional installed capacity. The year also saw the commissioning of the 373 MW Cleve Hill solar farm in Kent, currently the largest solar project in the UK.

According to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), solar PV accounted for just 1% of the UK's renewable capacity before the introduction of the Feed-in Tariff scheme in 2010. By the end of 2025, it represented more than one-third of total renewable capacity, despite the subsidy programme closing to new applicants in 2019.

Overall, renewable sources generated 52.1% of Great Britain's electricity in 2025, marking only the second year on record in which renewables supplied more than half of annual electricity generation. DESNZ also reported that installed generation capacity increased by 2,639 MW during the year, the third-largest annual increase on record.

The latest statistics also highlight the growing role of battery energy storage systems (BESS). According to the report, utility-scale battery storage, first deployed in 2018, generated more electricity than pumped-storage hydropower for the first time in 2025.

BloombergNEF estimates that the total cost of battery energy storage systems fell by around 40% between 2017 and early 2025. Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that lithium-ion battery costs declined by 90% between 2010 and 2024, alongside improvements in battery lifetime and energy density.

Solar Energy UK estimates that the combined solar and battery storage sectors contributed almost £1.9 billion in gross value added (GVA) to the UK economy in 2024 and supported around 20,000 jobs. By 2035, the association expects the sectors to generate £3.5 billion annually, support nearly 43,000 jobs and reach 90 GW of installed solar capacity alongside 50 GW of battery storage.