British households are turning to solar panels at a pace as energy costs continue to climb and global instability fuels concerns about future price shocks.
New research commissioned by Good Energy reveals that 91% of UK adults are concerned geopolitical instability will continue to drive up long-term electricity prices.
While just 15% UK households currently have solar panels installed, more than half (51%) say recent geopolitical instability has increased their interest in installing solar in the next one to two years.
This rising anxiety comes against a backdrop of already‑stretched household budgets. As a result, solar power is increasingly being viewed as a practical response to price pressure rather than a purely environmental choice.
More than a third (38%) of households say solar could reduce their bills within the next one to two years, compared with just 24% who believe switching supplier would deliver similar savings.
Long‑term bill reductions (46%) and greater energy independence (32%) emerge as the strongest motivations for those considering installation.
Good Energy is already seeing this shift in sentiment translate into action, it said. The company has recorded a 91% increase in solar panel sales in the first quarter of this year, with March becoming the most successful month for installations in the company’s history.
This momentum has continued in Q2 to date, with domestic customer sales at record levels. This surge is also reflected online, with search interest in solar panels increasing by 104% since January.
At the same time, households are increasingly pairing solar with battery storage to maximise the value of the energy they generate. Good Energy’s latest data shows that batteries were included in 78% of total solar and storage sales in May (month-to-date), rising steadily from 62% in January.
Standalone battery adoption is also growing, accounting for over a quarter of monthly sales in March and April, as more households look to store energy for use during peak pricing periods and reduce reliance on the grid.
Neighbour influence is playing an increasingly important role in accelerating uptake. The research suggests a growing “Solar Street Effect”. Four in ten households (39%) say they are more likely to consider home upgrades such as solar panels if their neighbours have already done so.
Despite this rising demand, barriers remain. Nearly one in three (30%) adults still lack confidence in how solar panels work, indicating that education and accessibility will be key to scaling adoption further.
Carl Hogg, Managing Director at Good Energy, said:
“In the current climate, one thing that households are looking for is certainty around their electricity bills. Solar is one of the few ways people can take a bit more control, generate their own power and reduce their exposure to those global shocks. We have seen this reflected in demand, with a 91% increase in sales from February to March this year.
“We are also seeing how much influence neighbours have. Once a few homes on a street install solar, others start to look into it seriously. It makes it feel more normal and more achievable.
“There is still a gap when it comes to understanding how it all works, and that is something the industry needs to keep improving. But the shift is clear. For many households now, they are conscious about securing energy independence.”
