THE PROPERTY FILTER TAKE
Almost 150,000 certified solar panel installations were logged across the UK between January and June 2026, a 14% rise on last year's record (MCS, 20 August 2026).
Solar is becoming the default on new stock, with an estimated 59% of new homes in the opening quarter of 2026 fitted with certified panels, and 92% of new battery installations going onto homes that already have panels.
Consider getting a solar and battery quote costed against your own bills, and speak to your broker about whether any green mortgage products fit your case.
Almost 150,000 certified solar panel installations were logged across the UK between January and June 2026, a 14% rise on last year's record (MCS, 20 August 2026). MCS certifies small-scale renewables such as solar panels and heat pumps. Behind the count sits a running-cost gap between homes that make their own electricity and homes that do not.
What does solar save, and what does it cost?
Battery storage is moving fastest. MCS logged 36,000 certified battery installations in the first half of 2026, against a 40,000 annual record last year. And 92% of them went onto properties that already had panels.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks, in the 20 August release, put the saving at "up to £550 per year by installing a heat pump, solar PV and a battery together". Read that carefully. It is an "up to", and it assumes all three technologies rather than panels alone. On his number, ten years of it comes to £5,500. The release puts no price on any of the three. So the cost half of the sum is yours to fill in from a real quote. Our free stress test calculator shows whether the borrowing behind an upgrade still clears the rent.
One hard cost number does appear. Households in oil or LPG-heated properties, LPG being liquefied petroleum gas, can now claim an increased Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant of £9,000 towards a heat pump. Our negotiation and finance hub is the place to read up first.
Are new build homes now fitted with solar as standard?
Close to it. An estimated 59% of new homes in the opening quarter of 2026 were fitted with MCS certified solar panels. New builds accounted for 25% of all certified installations this year. The sector is preparing to deliver the Future Homes Standard, an England building regulations change. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set their own building standards, so the timetable differs by nation. Our property investment strategies hub covers that trade-off.
One in three installations this year either went onto a home that already had a certified renewable, or combined more than one technology in a single job. Owners are stacking, not testing. The free property resources hub is a sensible place to sequence the work before you spend.
One note on sourcing: the queued Estate Agent Today report was unreachable, so every figure above comes from the MCS release of 20 August 2026.
Key takeaways
Almost 150,000 certified solar panel installations were logged in the UK between January and June 2026, up 14% on last year's record (MCS, 20 August 2026).
Certified battery installations reached 36,000 in six months, against a 40,000 annual record last year, and 92% went onto homes that already had panels.
An estimated 59% of new homes in the opening quarter of 2026 had certified solar panels fitted, and new builds were 25% of all installations this year.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks put the saving at up to £550 a year for a home fitting a heat pump, solar PV and a battery together, which is £5,500 over ten years on that figure.
The increased Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant for oil or LPG-heated properties is £9,000 towards a heat pump.
Frequently asked questions
How many UK homes had solar panels fitted in the first half of 2026?
How much can solar panels save a household?
What does a solar installation cost?
Does the Future Homes Standard apply across the UK?
Why does certification matter when I commission work?
