UK's Cumulative PV Installations Reach 17.6GW, but Growth Is Slowing [SMM Analysis]

According to the latest data released by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), in November 2024, the UK added 77MW of solar PV capacity, bringing the total installed capacity to 17.6GW.

In 2024, the solar power capacity added in November raised the annual total to 1.17GW, with a total of 1.21GW added over the past 12 months. This growth rate has slowed compared to 2023; in November 2023, 82MW was added, bringing the total new capacity for the first 11 months of that year to 1.35GW.

These latest figures were released following the UK government's launch of the "Clean Energy 2030" plan. The plan aims to accelerate solar deployment to achieve a target of 45GW of installed capacity by 2030, supplying clean energy for the entire year and supplementing with natural gas when necessary. Unlike the trend of small-scale installations in recent years, achieving this target will require more large projects.

In 2023, the UK recorded a total of 196,790 new installation projects. However, as most were small-scale systems, the total installed capacity ranked only fifth in history. In contrast, only 137,000 new installations were recorded in the first 11 months of 2024, making it unlikely for the total installations in 2023 to be surpassed.