Renewable Energy Installations Soar in the First Half of 2023

Renewable energy installations are soaring in the UK, with heat pumps and solar panels leading the way.

More renewable energy installations were fitted in the first half of 2023 than in any other six-month period before, according to industry standards body MCS, with heat pumps and solar panels being the most popular technologies. Over 20,000 households installed solar panels every month, and heat pumps reached a record of 3,000 monthly installations. June 2023 alone saw more renewable energy installations than in any six-month period in recent history, with battery technologies particularly popular. This 

Wales has taken the lead in renewable energy installations per household, overtaking Scotland for the first time since 2021.

Despite Scotland having around twice the number of households, MCS and housing data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) shows that a higher proportion of Welsh homes are reaping the benefits of renewable technologies.

As of April 2023, the proportion of renewable energy installations across the UK was:

• 7.24% in Wales
• 7.23% in Scotland
• 5.52% in England
• 4.19% in Northern Ireland

More needs to be done to reach current net zero targets.

Ian Rippin, chief executive of MCS, commented: "As the cost of energy continues to rise, more people are turning to renewable technology to generate their own energy and heat at home. We need to continue to support this expansion to meet our shared national ambitions to reach net zero by 2050."

"More consumers have the confidence to invest in small-scale renewables now than ever before, but we need to make that transition even easier."

Conclusion

The boom in renewable energy installations is a positive sign that the UK is moving towards a more sustainable future. However, more needs to be done to reach current net zero targets. The government can support this by providing financial incentives for people to invest in renewable energy technologies and by making it easier for people to install these technologies.

You can view the latest MCS figures in full here