United Kingdom Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Market Outlook 2025÷2034 - Single User

This market report offers an incisive and reliable overview of the photovoltaic sector of the country for the next long-term period, 2025 ÷ 2034. The United Kingdom (UK) is an island country located off the northwestern coast of mainland Europe. The UK comprises the whole island of Great Britain—which contains England, Wales, and Scotland—as well as the northern portion of the island of Ireland. The name Britain is sometimes used to refer to the United Kingdom. The capital is London, among the world’s leading commercial, financial, and cultural centres. The country has a total area of approximately 248,532 square kilometres (95,960 sq mi), comprising the island of Great Britain, the northeastern one-sixth of the island of Ireland (Northern Ireland) and many smaller islands. This makes it the 7th largest island country in the world.

The UK offers prosumers some of the widest possibilities in Europe through financial incentives such as the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), a sort of market-based mechanism that replaced the feed-in tariff or direct subsidies, but also by allowing prosumers to make the best use of their assets, providing their flexibility to the energy system. The UK's residential solar market is currently in a state of rapid growth. This growth is being driven by a number of factors, including rising electricity prices, the desire for energy independence, the increasing availability of financing options, and the growing popularity of solar battery storage systems. The current cumulative installed PV capacity in the UK grew up from 2.8 GW in 2013 to over 17.6 GW at the end of 2024.  The country is among the best performers in Europe in the share of installed small-scale solar generation capacity (<1 MW). Current government plans and legislative changes show firm intentions to continue the existing support and increase solar self-consumption and the number of prosumers.

The report provides a complete picture of the market situation, dynamics, current issues and future prospects. You will find more than 120 pages of valuable information in this unique, in-depth analysis of the UK photovoltaic market will receive an overview of how the military conflict in Ukraine and the European Union's decision to make a significant reduction of Russian gas and other energy commodities import will impact it. With comprehensive market data, this report brings clear and concise insights to help investors in their decision-making process. As 2023 and 2024 were challenging years for the photovoltaic industry, the time for making the right decisions during 2025 and the next few years is limited. A fast-changing market environment requires relevant and accurate information. For your convenience, we offer the opportunity for orders with customized report content. Reasons to buy this market report are, but are not limited to:

• Overview of the UK political and economic environment
• Solar resource potential of the UK
• Financial Model and Analysis of 50 MW Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Plant investment in the United Kindgom (IRR, WACC, Payback, NPV, Cash Flow, etc.)
• Over 55 charts, tables and maps
• Overview of the UK Photovoltaic Market Development 2014 ÷ 2034
• Grid-connected photovoltaic installations
• Future market trends and planned photovoltaic projects for 2025 ÷ 2034
• Market prices of fully permitted and operational photovoltaic projects
• UK legal and energy regulatory framework for renewable projects
• Key companies and competitive landscape in the photovoltaic sector
• Review of most relevant financing and supporting incentives
• SWOT Analysis (detailed in 5 pages)

On the next pages, you will see the full table of contents of this report. To order this report, click on the button "ADD TO CART". If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to call us on ++44 203 807 0079 or write an e-mail to orders@renewablemarketwatch.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
FOREWORD 8
1 METHODOLOGY AND LIMITATIONS 10
1.1 Research Methodology 10
1.2 Limitations 12
2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 13
2.1 Historical and Current Development Overview of Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Market in the United Kingdom 13
2.2 United Kingdom Solar Resource Potential 13
2.3 Key Stakeholders Affecting Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Market Development in the United Kingdom 14
2.4 Market Drivers and Constraints 15
2.5 Feed-in Tariff, Auctions and Net Metering Support Scheme for Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Plants in the United Kingdom 15
2.6 Recent and Pending Changes in Renewable Energy Law in the United Kingdom 15
2.7 Market Forecast Summary 16
3 UNITED KINGDOM POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT. PEST ANALYSIS 17
3.1 Basic Country Data 17
3.2 Political Climate and Ruling Party 21
3.3 GDP and Economic Growth 21
3.4 Taxes 25
3.4.1 VAT 25
3.4.2 Income and Corporate Taxes 25
4 WESTERN EUROPE POWER MARKET 26
4.1 General Electricity Market Information 26
4.2 Photovoltaics (Solar PV) in Energy Sector 32
4.3 Single Electricity Market 36
5 WESTERN EUROPE PHOTOVOLTAIC (SOLAR PV) POWER MARKET 39
5.1 Market Overview 39
5.2 Cumulative Installed Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Capacity and Revenue 40
5.3 Annual Installed Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Capacity 41
5.4 Future Development Trends 42
6 UNITED KINGDOM POWER MARKET 43
6.1 Electricity Transmission and Distribution 43
6.2 Electricity Consumption and Generation 44
6.3 Electricity Imports and Exports 46
6.4 Electricity Prices for Businesses and Households 48
6.5 Renewable Energy Sources (RES) Targets 50
7 UNITED KINGDOM PHOTOVOLTAIC (SOLAR PV) POWER MARKET 52
7.1 Why Invest in Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power in the United Kingdom? 52
7.2 United Kingdom Solar Resource Potential 54
7.3 Licensing Period Duration 55
7.4 Regional Substation Capacities for Solar PV Power Projects in the United Kingdom 55
7.5 Overview of Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Market in the United Kingdom 55
7.6 Market Structure Analysis 57
7.7 Investment Trends and Development Roadmap 57
7.8 Competitive Environment in Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Market 57
7.9 Profiles of Key Players and Investors in Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Market 59
7.10 Cumulative Installed Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Capacity and Revenue 60
7.11 Annual Installed Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Capacity 62
7.12 Market Prices for Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Projects in the United Kingdom in Development, Ready to Build and Operational (Grid Connected) Condition 62
7.13 Key Cost Structure Elements of Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Plant in the United Kingdom 63
7.14 Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) for Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power in the United Kingdom 63
7.15 Key Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Projects in the United Kingdom Under Development 64
7.16 Mergers and Acquisitions 68
8 DRIVERS AND CONSTRAINTS OF THE PHOTOVOLTAIC (SOLAR PV) MARKET IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. SWOT ANALYSIS 70
8.1 Market Drivers 70
8.2 Market Drivers Explained 70
8.3 Market Constraints 70
8.4 Market Constraints Explained 70
8.5 SWOT Analysis 71
9 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF THE PHOTOVOLTAIC (SOLAR PV) MARKET IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 74
9.1 Financing Options of Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Projects in the United Kingdom 74
9.2 Financial Model and Analysis of 50 MW Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Plant Investment in the United Kingdom (IRR, WACC, Payback, NPV, Cash Flow, ETC.) 79
10 TECHNOLOGY ANALYSIS 83
10.1 Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Technology Overview 83
10.2 Technology Trends 84
11 EUROPEAN RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY LANDSCAPE 88
11.1 RES Regulations and EU Directives 88
11.1.1 Precedent EU Regulations 88
11.1.2 Most recent EU Renewable Energy Policy Developments 88
12 UNITED KINGDOM RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (RES) LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK 90
12.1 Main Laws and Regulations 90
12.2 Support Schemes 91
12.3 Green Certificates Trading 92
12.4 Recent and Pending Changes in Renewable Energy Law in the United Kingdom 93
12.5 Zoning, Planning and Construction-Related Authorizations 93
12.5.1 Zoning Plans Procedure 94
12.5.2 Building Permit (Construction License) Procedure 94
12.6 Environmental-Related Authorizations 95
12.6.1 Natura 2000 Network 95
12.6.2 Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Joint Implementation (JI) 96
12.7 Energy Law Authorizations 97
12.7.1 Power Generation Licensing 97
12.7.2 Grid Interconnection 99
12.7.3 Power Off-Take 99
12.7.4 Feed-in Tariff, Auctions and Net Metering Support Scheme 100
12.7.5 Green Certificates (Guarantees of Origin) 101
12.8 Future Market Pricing Mechanisms 101
13 KEY STAKEHOLDERS AFFECTING PHOTOVOLTAIC (SOLAR PV) POWER MARKET DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 102
13.1 Government Stakeholders 102
13.2 Non-Government Stakeholders 106
13.3 Electricity Generation, Transmission System Operator (TSO) and Distribution System Operators (DSO’s) 106
14 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 112
15 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 115
16 REFERENCES 117
17 DISCLAIMER 119
APPENDIX I. SOLAR RESOURCE MAPS OF EUROPE AND UNITED KINGDOM 120

Map 1: Where is United Kingdom on the European Map 17
Map 2: United Kingdom Road Network 18
Map 3: United Kingdom Administrative Regions Map 20
Map 4: United Kingdom Electricity Grids Network 44
Map 5: Solar Resource Map of United Kingdom 53
Map 6: Solar Irradiation and Solar Electricity Potential for Optimally Inclined Photovoltaic Modules in the United Kingdom 54
MAP 7: United Kingdom Natura 2000 Areas Map 96
MAP 8: Solar Irradiation and Solar Electricity Potential for Horizontally Mounted Photovoltaic Modules in the United Kingdom 120
Map 9: Solar Irradiation and Solar Electricity Potential for Horizontally Mounted Photovoltaic Modules in the United Kingdom 120
Map 10: Solar Irradiation and Solar Electricity Potential for Optimally Inclined Photovoltaic Modules in Europe 121

Chart 1: United Kingdom Real GDP Growth for the Period 2014 - 2034 in % (including forecast) 22
Chart 2: United Kingdom GDP Growth Compared to EU-27 for the Period 2014 - 2034 in % (including forecast) 23
Chart 3: Corporate Tax Income in Selected Western European Countries 25
Chart 4: Physical Energy Flows Values in GW in Western Europe in 2024 28
Chart 5: Breakdown of Electricity Production by Source Type in the EU-27 in 2024 (in %) 30
Chart 6: Average Base Load Electricity Price in Selected European Countries (€/MWh): 2014 - 2024; Renewable Market WatchTM 31
Chart 7: Forecast for RES Generation Capacity by Source Type in the EU to 2030 (in GW) 32
Chart 8: New Installed and Decommissioned Power Capacity by Source Type in the EU in 2024 (MW) 33
Chart 9: Age of Power Plants in Europe in 2024 34
Chart 10: Share of New Power Generation Capacities Added in the EU-27 in 2024 (MW) 35
Chart 11: Annual Installed Power Generating Capacity (MW) and Renewable Share (in %) 2014 - 2024 in the EU 36
Chart 12: Number of Filled Patents for Solar PV Technologies in Western Europe Countries 2014 - 2024, EPO PATSTAT 39
Chart 13: Cumulative Installed Capacity of Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Plants (in MW) in Western Europe 2014 - 2034, including forecast 40
Chart 14: Cumulative Revenue of Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Plants (in Millions USD) in Western Europe 2014 - 2034, including forecast 41
Chart 15: Annual Installed Capacity of Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Plants (in MW) in Western Europe 2014 - 2034, including forecast 42
Chart 16: United Kingdom Power Market Structure 44
Chart 17: Share of RES electricity from Total Installed Power Capacity in the United Kingdom in 2024 47
Chart 18: United Kingdom Total Annual Electricity Consumption (in TWh) 2014 - 2024 48
Chart 19: United Kingdom Power Generation Capacity Breakdown by Source (Fuel) Type in 2024 49
Chart 20: Electricity Imports and Exports in the United Kingdom 2014 - 2034 (in a million kWh), including forecast 51
Chart 21: United Kingdom Targets for Renewable Energy Sources by 2030 (in %) set by National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP) 53
Chart 22: Chart: Number of Filled Patents for Solar PV Technologies in the United Kingdom 2014 - 2024, EPO PATSTAT 61
Chart 23: Cumulative Installed Capacity of Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Plants in the United Kingdom (in MW) 2014 - 2034, including forecast 64
Chart 24: Cumulative Revenue of Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Plants in the United Kingdom (in Millions EUR) 2014 - 2034, including forecast 65
Chart 25: Annual Installed Capacity of Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Plants in the United Kingdom (in MW) 2014 - 2034, including forecast 66
Chart 26: Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) for Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power and Other Renewable Technologies in the United Kingdom by 2030 (in €) 68
Chart 27: United Kingdom SEFF Structure 80
Chart 28: Cumulative Cash Flows and Break-Even Point of 50 MW Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Plant Investment in the United Kingdom 87
Chart 29: Photovoltaic (Solar PV) System Price Evolution (€/Wp) 2004 - 2024 90
Chart 30: Market Shares by Sales of the Distribution System Operators (DSOs) in the United Kingdom in 2024 114

Table 1: Electricity Prices for Businesses and Households 52
Table 2: Support Schemes for RES Generation in the EU Countries and the United Kingdom 54
Table 3: Market Prices for Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Projects in the United Kingdom for 2025 - 2034 in Development, Ready to Build and Operational (Grid Connected) Condition (2025 Update) 67
Table 4: Key Cost Structure Elements of Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Plant in the United Kingdom in 2025 68
Table 5: Database with Major Operational, Under Construction and Planned Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Projects in the United Kingdom 70
Table 6: Key Financial Parameters of 50 MW Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Plant Investment in the United Kingdom 85
Table 7: Key Financial Viability Indicators of 50 MW Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Plant Investment in the United Kingdom (IRR, NPV, Payback, Benefit-Cost) 85
Table 8: Project Costs and Savings (Income) Summary of 50 MW Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Plant Investment in the United Kingdom 86
Table 9: Yearly Cash Flows of 50 MW Photovoltaic (Solar PV) Power Plant Investment in the United Kingdom (Pre-tax, After-tax, Cumulative) 87
Table 10: Crystalline Module Price Trend in 2025 91