United Kingdom Solar Power: Generation, Share and Trend
The United Kingdom generated 19.4 TWh of electricity from solar in 2025, 6.6% of its total, according to Ember. That made it the 20th largest solar power producer in 2025 of the 180 countries with Ember data, comparing each country's latest year. Solar supplied 8.8% of the world's electricity in 2025. These are annual statistics for 2025, with monthly figures through July 2026; they are compiled from national sources and are not real time.
Key Facts
- The United Kingdom generated 19.4 TWh of electricity from solar in 2025.
- Solar supplied 6.6% of the United Kingdom's electricity in 2025.
- The United Kingdom was the 20th largest solar power producer in 2025 among the 180 countries with Ember data, comparing each country's latest year.
- The United Kingdom's solar generation in 2025 was 55% higher than in 2020, when it was 12.6 TWh.
- The United Kingdom's solar generation in 2025 was 158% higher than in 2015, when it was 7.53 TWh.
- 2025 was the United Kingdom's highest year for solar generation in Ember's records, which start in 1985.
- The United Kingdom's solar share in 2025 was below the world share of 8.8%.
- The United Kingdom had 21.7 GW of solar generating capacity in 2025.
Key Figures, 2025
| Measure | Value | As of / source |
|---|---|---|
| Solar generation | 19.4 TWh | 2025 · Ember |
| Share of the United Kingdom's electricity | 6.6% | 2025 · Ember |
| World share of solar | 8.8% | 2025 · Ember |
| Rank by solar generation (each country's latest year) | 20 of 180 | 2025 · Ember |
| Solar capacity | 21.7 GW | 2025 · Ember |
Solar Generation Year by Year
Ember annual statistics, 1985 to 2025Annual statistics through 2025, TWh
| Year | Solar |
|---|---|
| 1985 | 0 TWh |
| 1986 | 0 TWh |
| 1987 | 0 TWh |
| 1988 | 0 TWh |
| 1989 | 0 TWh |
| 1990 | 0 TWh |
| 1991 | 0 TWh |
| 1992 | 0 TWh |
| 1993 | 0 TWh |
| 1994 | 0 TWh |
| 1995 | 0 TWh |
| 1996 | 0 TWh |
| 1997 | 0 TWh |
| 1998 | 0 TWh |
| 1999 | 0 TWh |
| 2000 | 0 TWh |
| 2001 | 0 TWh |
| 2002 | 0 TWh |
| 2003 | 0 TWh |
| 2004 | 0 TWh |
| 2005 | 10.0 GWh |
| 2006 | 10.0 GWh |
| 2007 | 10.0 GWh |
| 2008 | 20.0 GWh |
| 2009 | 20.0 GWh |
| 2010 | 40.0 GWh |
| 2011 | 240 GWh |
| 2012 | 1.35 TWh |
| 2013 | 2.01 TWh |
| 2014 | 4.05 TWh |
| 2015 | 7.53 TWh |
| 2016 | 10.4 TWh |
| 2017 | 11.5 TWh |
| 2018 | 12.7 TWh |
| 2019 | 12.4 TWh |
| 2020 | 12.6 TWh |
| 2021 | 12.1 TWh |
| 2022 | 13.3 TWh |
| 2023 | 13.9 TWh |
| 2024 | 14.8 TWh |
| 2025 | 19.4 TWh |
Annual statistics through 2025, % of generation
| Year | United Kingdom | World |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.0% | n/a |
| 1986 | 0.0% | n/a |
| 1987 | 0.0% | n/a |
| 1988 | 0.0% | n/a |
| 1989 | 0.0% | n/a |
| 1990 | 0.0% | n/a |
| 1991 | 0.0% | n/a |
| 1992 | 0.0% | n/a |
| 1993 | 0.0% | n/a |
| 1994 | 0.0% | n/a |
| 1995 | 0.0% | n/a |
| 1996 | 0.0% | n/a |
| 1997 | 0.0% | n/a |
| 1998 | 0.0% | n/a |
| 1999 | 0.0% | n/a |
| 2000 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 2009 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 2010 | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| 2011 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| 2012 | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2013 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| 2014 | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| 2015 | 2.2% | 1.1% |
| 2016 | 3.1% | 1.3% |
| 2017 | 3.4% | 1.8% |
| 2018 | 3.8% | 2.2% |
| 2019 | 3.8% | 2.6% |
| 2020 | 4.0% | 3.2% |
| 2021 | 3.9% | 3.7% |
| 2022 | 4.1% | 4.6% |
| 2023 | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2024 | 5.2% | 7.0% |
| 2025 | 6.6% | 8.8% |
| Year | Generation | Share | World share | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19.4 TWh | 6.6% | 8.8% | 21.7 GW |
| 2024 | 14.8 TWh | 5.2% | 7.0% | 19.0 GW |
| 2023 | 13.9 TWh | 4.7% | 5.6% | 16.4 GW |
| 2022 | 13.3 TWh | 4.1% | 4.6% | 14.8 GW |
| 2021 | 12.1 TWh | 3.9% | 3.7% | 14.3 GW |
| 2020 | 12.6 TWh | 4.0% | 3.2% | 13.8 GW |
| 2019 | 12.4 TWh | 3.8% | 2.6% | 13.3 GW |
| 2018 | 12.7 TWh | 3.8% | 2.2% | 13.1 GW |
| 2017 | 11.5 TWh | 3.4% | 1.8% | 12.8 GW |
| 2016 | 10.4 TWh | 3.1% | 1.3% | 11.9 GW |
Full year by year history for United Kingdom
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025. World shares are Ember's World totals; ranks compare each country's latest year, which can differ between countries.
Solar Generation Month by Month
Ember monthly statistics through July 2026Monthly statistics through July 2026, TWh
| Month | Solar |
|---|---|
| 2024-08 | 1.84 TWh |
| 2024-09 | 1.22 TWh |
| 2024-10 | 890 GWh |
| 2024-11 | 420 GWh |
| 2024-12 | 250 GWh |
| 2025-01 | 470 GWh |
| 2025-02 | 640 GWh |
| 2025-03 | 1.78 TWh |
| 2025-04 | 2.41 TWh |
| 2025-05 | 2.69 TWh |
| 2025-06 | 2.60 TWh |
| 2025-07 | 2.38 TWh |
| 2025-08 | 2.22 TWh |
| 2025-09 | 1.72 TWh |
| 2025-10 | 860 GWh |
| 2025-11 | 600 GWh |
| 2025-12 | 420 GWh |
| 2026-01 | 490 GWh |
| 2026-02 | 600 GWh |
| 2026-03 | 1.66 TWh |
| 2026-04 | 2.65 TWh |
| 2026-05 | 2.81 TWh |
| 2026-06 | 2.72 TWh |
| 2026-07 | 3.26 TWh |
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of July 2026. Monthly figures for the United Kingdom can differ slightly from the annual totals.