Harnessing the power of the sun is nothing new in the UK but with the release of the government’s Solar Roadmap, “to make the United Kingdom a clean energy superpower”, the opportunities are set to soar.
Here’s what to expect in the coming years and how we can help you make the most of the energy transition.
The Journey of Solar in the UK - So Far
Solar panel installation in the UK began gaining momentum in the 2000s, with significant growth after the 2010 introduction of the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) scheme. This government-led scheme offered financial incentives for the uptake of renewable and low-carbon electricity generation but was closed to new applicants in 2019.
The market then saw ups and downs with policy changes, but installations have steadily increased as the technology has improved and prices dropped, leading to today's widespread adoption across UK homes and businesses:
- Solar panel installations reached 45,000 homes between January to March 2025, which is an increase of 28.6% compared to the same period last year.
- Great British Energy committed to installing solar panels on 200 schools and 200 NHS sites.
- In the UK's industrial and manufacturing sector, almost half (48%) of businesses are adopting solar installations as a part of their net zero plans and energy saving measures.
- In 2025, the UK generated over 14 billion kilowatt-hours of solar electricity - enough to power more than 5 million homes.
- Renewable energy combined made up half of our electricity for the first time in 2024 and greenhouse gas emissions fell by 3.6% last year. The Carbon Brief called this our “cleanest ever” year for electricity generation.
The Future of Solar - Our Solar Roadmap
The UK government published their Solar Roadmap on the 30th June 2025, announcing that “Solar is at the heart of our mission to make the United Kingdom a clean energy superpower”.
Chris Stark, the Head of Clean Power 2030 described the energy transition as a “once-in-a-generation increase” which will only be possible with “industry and government working in partnership to grow solar at pace”.
To grow from our current 18GW of solar power generation to 45-47GW by 2030, there are a number of practical actions within the roadmap and we’ve summarised them below:
Housing
To “unleash a rooftop revolution”, on June 6th 2025, the government confirmed that rooftop solar will be mandated for new homes, as part of the Future Homes and Buildings Standards (FHBS). There will be limited exceptions to this, such as for homes surrounded by trees or with lots of shade overhead.
The government has also promised to consider adopting balcony solar power for those living in flats, already a common solution across Spain and Germany.
Car Parks
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) opened a call for evidence in May 2025 on mandatory installations of solar canopies on new outdoor car parks, along with opportunities to extend this to existing car parks above a certain size.
The call closed in June and the responses are still being analysed.
Water
Also in June, Lincoln Jopp, Conservative MP for Spelthorne, delivered an adjournment debate to the House of Commons focused on floating solar PV (FPV).
With Queen Elizabeth II reservoir in Walton-on-Thames already pumping out 5.8 million kilowatt hours a year, the potential impact of growing our floating solar farms in the UK is significant and the Solar Roadmap mentions that it “will consider further support”.
You, Veolia & the Solar Power Revolution
Going solar will not only help you achieve your sustainability goals and play your part in our crucial journey to net zero by 2050, but you’ll also be investing in a cost-efficient, sustainable energy solution that can achieve significant cost savings and heavily reduce the impact of energy price fluctuations on your operations.
At Veolia, we know that there’s no one-size-fits-all energy solution as well, so we can work with you to develop an energy plan that truly works for your business, big or small.
Here’s a snapshot of some of the solutions we’ve already been working on with our customers:
Brownfield
The expansion of solar farm plans across the UK has split public opinion. Some welcome the government’s commitment to ending our reliance on fossil fuels whilst others fear the impact on our countryside and agricultural land.
Utilising brownfield is one unique way to mitigate these concerns, such as we’ve done on a restored landfill. In 2023, we transformed the Ockendon former landfill in Essex into a solar farm, capable of generating electricity equivalent to the demand of over 15,000 homes.
Solar Car Parks
Working in partnership with 3ti solar car park specialists and Eastbourne District General Hospital (EDGH), we installed the UK’s first solar car park to deliver renewable energy for a hospital in the UK.
2,412 solar panels across eight canopies that cover 400 car parking spaces provides the hospital with 1,000 MWh of solar-generated electricity annually, lowering CO₂ emissions by 222 tonnes in the first year alone.
Rooftop Solar
We’re working with a number of other hospitals through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to install rooftop solar panels, as part of holistic energy projects.
At University Hospital of Hartlepool, we’re installing both roof and ground mounted solar arrays which will produce over 1MWp of renewable electricity for the hospital, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 320 average UK homes.
How Can Veolia Help You?
The UK Government’s Clean Power 2030 action plan committed to a target of 95% of Great Britain’s electricity generation being produced by clean sources, with no more than 5% coming from unabated gas and to be used only when essential.
Whether you already know exactly how you’re going to incorporate renewable energy into your business’s net zero plans and energy saving measures or are looking for some advice on how to adapt to the energy transition, we can help.
Our Solar PV solutions include:
- Feasibility assessments - for those of you who aren’t sure what solutions are available to you just yet.
- Design and mounting options - we can also liaise with Historic England for conservation purposes on your behalf if your buildings are historic or listed.
- Grid connection - we will take care of dealing with your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) and
- Installation and commissioning - We offer a complete design, build, own and maintain service and can also arrange a
- Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) so you can go solar without any upfront investments or additional expenses.
- Ongoing maintenance - to keep you up and running.
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