Solar at the centre of new energy security measures

Solar Energy UK

21 April 2026

Bolstering solar generation is the centrepiece of renewed Government action to reinforce the UK’s energy security.

Announced today by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, the package seeks to reduce the cost of electricity and accelerate the decarbonisation of the power system that would be far less vulnerable to geopolitical shocks.[1] The measures include:

Warm Homes Plan

Regional mayors and local authorities will benefit from £25m of Warm Homes Plan funding for soon-to-be-approved plug-in solar panels, targeted at low-income households. The scheme will pave the way towards the introduction of grants and interest-free loans for broader and more impactful home energy upgrades, including rooftop solar and battery systems.

Those have never been more popular, with installers reporting substantial increases in requests from the public over recent weeks. Even before the Iran War, a record 258,080 smaller-scale solar arrays were installed last year, according to standards body MCS. This year is expected to see even greater numbers.

Solar energy on the public estate

Last year’s Solar Roadmap, which was drawn up between Solar Energy UK and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, states that the Government, “should lead by example and facilitate the installation of solar on all public sector buildings where feasible.”[2]

The Government is now seeking to deliver up to 10 gigawatts of clean generation capacity on the public estate, ranging from brownfield land to hospitals and railway sites, much of which will be from solar energy. The amount is equivalent to the power needed to run 5m homes and represents about two fifths of the UK’s solar generation capacity.

More than a hundred schools and NHS sites are already benefitting from solar and battery installations, thanks to GB Energy funding.[3] A further 100 installations on schools will go ahead on schools and colleges this year, following an investment of £40m – cutting public sector expenditure on energy.

Grid and planning

Further measures announced today include:

• Liberalising planning rules for new substations and for routine, low-impact grid works, which will speed up connections for homes, businesses and large solar arrays alike.
• Plans to allow developers to build their own connections to the grid, cutting delays further.
• Consulting on speeding up initial ground and archaeological surveys for major electricity transmission projects.

The package comes on the back of abolishing the Carbon Price Support mechanism, which successfully drove coal generation from 40% of our power supplies to zero in only a decade.

“Clean energy is cheap and secure energy. The UK simply cannot afford to continue depending on expensive natural gas. That’s why we need to accelerate towards an energy system dominated by renewables, making ourselves invulnerable to the kind of economic shock that is again reverberating around the world,” said Chris Hewett, Chief Executive of Solar Energy UK.

Renewables accounted for 42% of the UK’s electricity last year, the amount tripling in ten years. Under Government Plans, low or zero-carbon power – largely wind, solar and nuclear – will account for 95% of Great Britain’s electricity generation in 2030.[4]

Since privatisation in the 1980s, the money paid to electricity suppliers has depended on the price of the most expensive source. That is natural gas almost all of the time, the key reason why the UK’s electricity prices are so high. In recent months, the number of hours when gas is setting the price has started to fall (down to 67% in March 2026). This is mainly because of the higher proportion of wind and solar generation now feeding the grid. As more and more renewables come on stream, the UK will erode the link between gas and electricity prices, as has already happened in Spain.

Energy markets

In related news, the Treasury is raising the Electricity Generator Levy from 45% to 55% and extending it beyond 2028 – effectively imposing a windfall tax on the renewables sector.[5]

The action will encourage established generators to transfer from the legacy Renewables Obligation system to a new, fixed-price ‘Wholesale Contracts for Difference’ regime, weakening the link between natural gas and the cost of electricity. Assets that move to the new regime will remain in the current level of taxation. A consultation will open later this year, with a voluntary allocation process expected to open next year.

The concept, known as ‘CfD Pot 0’, has been under discussion for some time.

“There is much to applaud in today’s package, which seeks to grow the renewables industry and deliver what we all want: cheaper power. But the Government is giving with one hand and taking with the other. Like any business, the sector needs a reliable and stable market to prosper. By making retroactive changes to long-established systems, I fear that the Government could undermine investor confidence and sacrifice long-term benefits for short-term gains,” said Hewett.

[1] Decisive action to break influence of gas on electricity prices – DESNZ

[2] Solar Roadmap – DESNZ

[3] 100 schools cutting bills with Great British Energy solar panels – DESNZ

[4] Clean Power 2030 Action Plan – DESNZ

[5] Written ministerial statement on the Electricity Generator Levy, 21 April 2026 – Parliament

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Editor’s notes:

For more information or to request an interview, please contact:

Gareth Simkins, Senior Communications Adviser

gsimkins@solarenergyuk.org

news@solarenergyuk.org | solarenergyuk.org

About Solar Energy UK: Solar Energy UK is the largest trade association representing the solar and battery storage sector. It represents over 400 member organisations. Its membership includes companies working across both rooftop and ground-mounted solar – delivering projects that contribute to a clean, secure energy system and help reduce energy bills for homes and businesses.