The UK’s solar adoption continues to surge, but uptake varies significantly across regions.
For solar panel installers, knowing where demand is rising fastest, and what type of systems customers are choosing, can shape your targeting and offering.
Using the latest government data from early 2025, we explore where domestic solar is thriving, where it is accelerating, and how these trends can guide your installer strategy.
Where Is Solar Panel Adoption Highest in the UK?
As of March 2025, there are over 1.5 million domestic solar PV systems across the UK. Yet household adoption rates vary widely, shaped by housing stock, policy awareness, and local infrastructure.
Key Observations:
- South West and Wales: These regions lead in solar per household. High suitability (detached homes, south-facing roofs) and strong environmental awareness contribute to sustained uptake.
- East and East Midlands: Solid, stable growth with no signs of saturation. Ideal for scaling operations with predictable install rates.
- South East: While it holds the highest number of installs overall, a lower per-household adoption rate suggests a significant remaining market. New developments and under-targeted suburbs are key entry points.
Which UK Regions Are Growing Fastest for Solar?
Government installation data from December 2024 to March 2025 reveals that Wales recorded the highest growth rate in domestic solar installs at 4.82%.
Installer Insight:
This growth spans both rural and peri-urban areas, showing that solar is no longer confined to early-adopting cities or high-income postcodes.
Installers active in Wales should emphasise storage-ready systems and highlight cost-saving potential to appeal to both resilience-minded and budget-conscious homeowners.
Are Solar Systems in the UK Getting Larger?
Yes – and the trend is accelerating. The average residential solar system in the UK now stands at 3.61 kW, with some regions seeing even larger average installations.
Top Regions by Installed Capacity:
- South East: 816.3 MW
- South West: 759.6 MW
- East of England: 667.6 MW
Why It Matters:
Customers are thinking ahead. Larger systems reflect a shift toward:
- Higher on-site consumption
- Battery storage integration
- EV charger compatibility and hybrid inverters
Installer Tip: If capacity is increasing faster than the number of installations, it signals that buyers are choosing more robust systems. Ensure your offerings include upgrade-ready designs and highlight long-term savings over initial cost alone.
Solar Without Subsidies – The New Normal
The era of subsidised solar is effectively over. According to UK government figures, more than 5.3 GW of domestic solar capacity now comes from unaccredited systems – not supported by Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs) or the Renewables Obligation (RO).
Key Implications:
- Solar investment is increasingly consumer-led, not subsidy-driven.
- Buyers are motivated by energy independence, bill reduction, and rising grid costs.
- Messaging must shift toward system reliability, payback certainty, and flexibility for future tech (like EVs or smart metering).
Regional Opportunities – What the Data Means for Installers
Beyond total volume, each region presents a different installer challenge and opportunity. Tailoring your proposition to fit the local landscape improves conversion rates, installation efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
1. South West
Mature market | High household penetration | System upgrades
As one of the earliest adopters of domestic solar, the South West continues to lead in household penetration. Many systems were installed over 10 years ago under the Feed-in Tariff scheme.
Installer Tips:
Referrals & loyalty: This region has a high base of satisfied solar users. Tap into it with referral incentives or loyalty servicing plans to encourage ongoing engagement.
Battery retrofits: Many homes generate excess electricity during the day. Battery integration now makes financial sense, especially with flexible export tariffs (e.g. Octopus Outgoing, Agile Export).
Inverter replacements: Target ageing inverters (typically 8–12 years old). Offer maintenance checks and inverter swaps as an upgrade path to keep systems efficient and grid-compliant.
System expansion: For customers who’ve since added EVs or heat pumps, suggest panel additions where roof space allows.
2. Wales
High growth | Low saturation | Rural and suburban spread
Wales recorded the fastest growth in installations (4.82%) between December 2024 and March 2025, driven by uptake in semi-rural and rural communities.
Installer Tips:
Education-first approach: Many homeowners are solar newcomers. Clear, visual guides showing cost savings and payback times without subsidies will boost trust and conversions.
Bundled solar & storage: Offer integrated systems at entry-level sizes (3–4 kW), with the option to add storage later. This appeals to cost-conscious homeowners and helps manage grid limitations in rural areas.
Accessible finance: Leverage interest-free or low-rate finance (where available), or structured Pay Monthly packages to improve affordability.
Rural engagement: Highlight backup power benefits and install resilience (especially in areas prone to outages). Consider marketing through agricultural shows, parish councils or local community centres.
3. East of England
Steady demand | ROI-driven buyers | Reliable install base
This region has stable, evenly distributed demand and a practical buyer profile that prioritises cost-effectiveness and system reliability.
Installer Tips:
ROI-led messaging: Stick to clear economic value: cost per kWh, payback timelines, export earnings. Avoid speculative green claims; this region buys on financial logic.
Preconfigured kits: Use standardised solar packages (3.6 kW, 5 kW) to minimise design time and streamline installations. This suits installer workflows and customer expectations.
Rapid install workflows: Aim for same-day installations by preparing kits in advance and scheduling clean install windows with minimal disruption.
Digital quote tools: Allow homeowners to self-estimate online or book virtual surveys. This speeds up early-stage engagement and appeals to digitally literate households.
4. East Midlands
Large systems | Electrification-minded customers | Futureproof buyers
This region has one of the highest average domestic system sizes in the UK, showing that customers are building with future energy needs in mind.
Installer Tips:
Design for expansion: Recommend larger inverters and allow for future roof-space usage. Over-paneling is becoming more common to maximise daytime generation, especially in winter.
EV/home electrification: Highlight the value of load balancing and off-peak charging using solar. This region is a good candidate for whole-home energy system messaging.
Upselling pathways: Use simple packages that upgrade across time, solar first, storage later, EV-ready next.
Long-term servicing: Offer multi-year maintenance or remote monitoring plans to ensure ongoing performance, especially for higher-value systems.
5. South East
High total installs | Low relative penetration | Missed pockets
While this region has the UK’s highest total install count, its household adoption rate is below average, signalling high untapped opportunity in overlooked postcodes and developments.
Installer Tips:
Smart home messaging: Integrate solar with wider home automation narratives, including heating controls, battery storage, and energy monitoring apps — to raise perceived value.
Postcode-level targeting: Use planning data, past FiT uptake maps or internal CRM tools to identify missed areas, particularly new housing estates and peri-urban towns.
New-build strategies: Position solar as a finishing upgrade for homeowners buying recently built properties. Emphasise roof compatibility and minimal disruption.
Starter systems: Many customers are still solar-curious. Offer scalable kits (e.g. 2.5–3.5 kW) with optional add-ons such as batteries or EV chargers later.
6. London
Lowest adoption | Urban density | High strategic value
London has the lowest domestic solar adoption rate in the UK (1.6%), mainly due to dense housing, limited roof space, and high numbers of renters. However, outer boroughs present clear opportunities.
Installer Tips:
Use local examples: Build trust with London-specific case studies or testimonials. Highlight installations on similar homes nearby to make benefits tangible.
Target outer boroughs: Prioritise areas with higher homeownership and available roof space; boroughs such as Barnet, Bromley, and Croydon show more detached and semi-detached housing.
Compact, high-yield systems: Use smaller, high-efficiency panels to work with limited roof space. Focus on 2–3 panel configurations for small terraces or flats.
Permitted development guidance: Many homeowners don’t realise they don’t need planning permission for most solar installs. Include this education in your quote pack or consultation.
Urban storage solutions: Offer slimline wall-mounted batteries suited for tight indoor spaces. Combine with compact hybrid inverters to reduce equipment footprint.
Summary
Solar installations are rising across the UK, but not all regions are growing at the same pace. Some areas are reaching saturation, while others are only just beginning to pick up speed.
In regions with higher adoption, there’s more interest in system upgrades, battery add-ons and smarter integrations. Areas with steady volume growth are ideal for streamlined, efficient installs. And in newer markets, installers have a real opportunity to lead by offering flexible finance, bundled systems, and clear, confident advice.
Wherever you’re working, understanding these trends helps you stay one step ahead. Whether you’re supplying panels, batteries, inverters or full hybrid systems, tailoring your approach by region can make all the difference.
