Britain is experiencing a notable increase in commercial solar panel adoption, as businesses, community organisations, and even charities embrace rooftop and ground-mounted solar panel systems at an accelerated pace. A combination of government targets, policy reforms, and incentives is driving this rapid growth.
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Commercial solar panel installation boom
According to data from MCS, as of June 2025, the UK had over 150,000 commercial solar installations. Other data also shows that the total solar capacity reached around 18GW by February 2025 – up from approximately 17GW in early 2024.
For the first time, renewable energy accounted for over 50% of the UK’s power generation. With the UK’s aim of achieving net zero by 2050, using clean energy is a key part of the government’s strategy, and the uptake in commercial solar is welcome news and plays a huge part in power generation.
Commercial solar panel installations also help boost the UK economy, with the commercial solar and storage sectors currently supporting some 20,000 UK jobs. Forecasts suggest growth to over 40,000 by 2035 and £5.1 billion in annual economic contribution.
For businesses, the return on investment averages 5 years, and reduces when considering grants, VAT relief, the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), low-interest green loans, and capital allowance tax breaks.
UK retailers are turning to solar energy
Big retailers are doing their bit to reduce carbon emissions and capitalise on solar energy. Major retailers are scaling up rooftop solar panels. Tesco alone plans solar panel installations at 100 stores, potentially generating up to 20GWh annually, enough to power 300,000 delivery vans. The supermarket giant already has panels on 40 sites.
Other household names, including Marks & Spencer and Britvic, are entering long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and solar roof deals.
How is the UK government helping with commercial solar panels?
The Clean Power 2030 strategy has set out a target of clean sources producing at least 95% of Great Britain’s generation, meaning that by 2030 we expect 5% of generation to come from unabated gas. As part of the Clean Power 2030 strategy, planning reforms, and new regulations from Ofgem, are streamlining permissions and speeding up grid connections, reducing earlier multi-sector bottlenecks. The government is pushing to expand solar from 14–17GW to 45–50GW by 2030, as part of the Clean Power 2030 strategy.
Elsewhere, the government-backed Great British Energy is investing £180 million in solar panels for 200 schools and 200 hospitals, reducing public‑sector energy costs and emissions. Plus, utility‑scale solar projects were granted planning consents in early 2025, a positive sign of commercial-scale deployment.
What are the challenges of commercial solar panels?
Like anything, there are also some challenges with commercial solar panels, and despite strong momentum, hurdles remain:
- Attaining grid capacity targets of reaching 45–50GW by 2030. This will require a significant ramp-up in annual installations.
- Workforce availability, supply-chain resilience, and regional planning coordination continue to pose concerns amid ambitious growth plans.
Commercial solar panel growth
With declining solar panel costs, down approximately 90 % worldwide, and supportive policy reforms, Britain is well-positioned to achieve its solar expansion targets. The wave of corporate and public adoption, alongside soaring grants and investor backing, underscores solar energy’s central role in the UK’s transition toward net-zero and energy security.
If the current course continues, commercial solar panels could become as commonplace across warehouses, retail parks, schools, and hospitals as traditional roofing, driving both economic and ecological benefits.
