The UK government published its Solar Roadmap on Monday 30 June 2025, a plan of action to support a significant increase in solar deployment and deliver 45 to 47GW of solar by 20301. The document sets out government and industry actions to increase solar panel uptake across the UK2.
The roadmap was developed through industry collaboration led by the Solar Taskforce, of which Ian Rippin, chief executive of the certification body MCS, was a member1. It calls for a "rooftop revolution" throughout the UK, driven by initiatives including the Future Homes Standard and the Warm Homes Plan1. The roadmap states that the solar sector could support up to 35,000 jobs by 2030, double the current number1. The Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA) states that it developed the Solar Road Map report with the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, setting out the steps needed for government and industry to deliver 45 to 47GW of solar by 2030, supporting up to 35,000 jobs and using less than half a percent of total UK land3.
MCS reports that the number of MCS certified solar PV contractors increased by more than 250 per cent in the five years from June 2020 to June 2025, reaching 4,222 in total, and that the start of 2025 showed the best opening quarter for certified solar installations in more than a decade1.
"We welcome the government's Solar Roadmap and were privileged to be a part of the Solar Taskforce that helped to develop it. With the focus being put on a 'rooftop revolution' across the UK, it's crucial that consumers have access to qualified installers who deliver installations to industry-recognised standards, giving them confidence in home-grown energy."
The Energy Saving Trust said households installing solar panels will feel the benefit of notably lower energy bills, and cited its own research that more than half of people in England would consider installing solar panels if money were no object2. Its policy manager, Abigail Ward, said further details on financial incentives are expected in the Warm Homes Plan this autumn2.
Why it matters for households
The roadmap is a statement of intent about how much solar the UK aims to host by 2030, and it places household rooftops at the centre of that target through the "rooftop revolution"1. For a household, the practical relevance lies in what sits behind the installation: the standards installers work to, and the consumer protections around the work. MCS says it is overhauling its requirements for consumer protection, including proposed changes to financial protections, which was the subject of a consultation that closed in May, with the response to be released soon1. The Energy Saving Trust points to lower energy bills as a benefit for households that install solar, while noting that the financial incentives that might support uptake have not yet been set out2. The ECA has separately warned that unsafe "plug-in solar" products must not undermine electrical safety, and that missing electrotechnical expertise threatens delivery of the transition3. The roadmap itself does not, in these accounts, set out household-level payment rates or grant amounts.
What happens next
The response to the MCS consultation on financial protections will be released soon, collating its findings1. Further details on financial incentives are expected in the Warm Homes Plan this autumn2. The ECA states that the Warm Homes Plan was released in January 2026 and that it warned missing electrotechnical expertise, weak apprenticeship support and no installer representation threaten the plan's successful delivery3.
Sources3 cited
- MCS responds to the government’s Solar Roadmap announcement - MCS, mcscertified.com
- Our response to the UK Government's Solar Roadmap - Energy Saving Trust, energysavingtrust.org.uk
- A Safe Transition to Net Zero, eca.co.uk