Blog Post 1 July 2025

What do people think about solar power?

What do you think about solar power?

The UK saw an average of 17,000 monthly solar panel installations between May 2024 to April 2025. So, we wanted to get to know what the country really thinks about solar panels.

We’ve revamped our solar panel calculator, making it easier for you to find out whether solar is right for you. To find out what the country thinks about this renewable energy source, we ran a representative survey via YouGov of over 2,000 UK adults*, asking:

Have you thought about getting solar panels?
If so, what are the reasons you want them?
Is there anything stopping you from getting them?
Have you been targeted by solar panel adverts recently?

The results showed people that solar panels are a great way to cut energy bills. But there were also concerns about how effective they are. Some people were also worried about being scammed by solar panel deals and knowing which installers to trust.

Keep reading to find out what people say about solar.

Why do people want solar panels?

People install solar panels for many reasons, but the driving factor for people who answered our poll was clear: lower energy bills. In fact, 71% of people said it would be a reason to go solar.

There’s good reason for this. The potential savings of installing solar panels can make a big difference to your energy bills. For example, if you live in Manchester, you could save £360 by installing solar panels.

You can also cut your carbon footprint at the same time: that same scenario in Manchester would reduce your CO₂emissions by 750kg a year.

Many of our poll respondents saw ‘environmental impact’ as a reason for getting solar panels, especially the younger respondents. Over half (56%) of 18-24 year olds said the environment was a motivator, compared to 37% of respondents aged 55 and over.

Solar panel survey results - 59% of people said if money were no object, they would install solar panels.

What concerns do people have about solar panels?

Surprisingly, even if money was no object, 41% people didn’t say they’d get solar panels. And despite the opportunity for free, green electricity, people still had some concerns about the cost and effectiveness of this renewable technology.

Over two in five (44%) of those who hadn’t thought about or hadn’t switched to solar already, said it was because it’s expensive. And for 38%, it wasn’t a financial priority right now.

Right now, getting solar panels can be a significant investment: it costs about £6,100 to get them installed. However, there might be financial support available depending on where you live.

Once you have solar panels, there are ways of making them more cost effective. Getting a solar panel battery is something 46% of respondents would like to do if money was no object. A battery lets you store energy to use when your system isn’t generating electricity.

You can also sign up for the Smart Export Guarantee. This will make sure you get paid for any excess electricity you export back to the grid.

Based on the Manchester scenario, you could expect to your solar panels to pay for themselves within 12 years.

With money no object, people also thought about installing other renewable technologies.

Can solar panels generate enough electricity?

Almost two-thirds (62%) of respondents thought that solar panels were effective at generating energy. But that still leaves a third who either think they’re not effective or don’t know.

Respondents in Scotland and the north of England were less likely to think solar panels were effective. When aligned with Global Solar Atlas’ PV power potential map, these two areas rank quite low too.

PV power potential looks at:

amount of sunshine
shading from nearby terrain
average air temperature

Generally, this might indicate a bias where how naturally ‘sunny’ an area is, is tied to how effective people think solar panels are.

However, respondents in the east of England were least likely to think solar panels despite having a higher PV potential. On the other hand, respondents in Northern Ireland were more switched on to how effective solar power is, even with a lower PV potential.

Avoiding solar panel scams

Over three in five (61%) had concerns about the trustworthiness of solar panel installation offers and quotes. Retired people were most likely to have concerns – they were also the group most likely to have encountered solar panel adverts.

Those who answered ‘Yes I have been targeted’ to ‘have you ever been targeted by adverts to install solar panels, via post, social media platforms, on the street or on the phone?’

All responses	31%
Retired people	38%

Those who were ‘concerned’ about the trustworthiness of offers to install solar panels and the accuracy of quotes provided?

All responses	61%
Retired people	73%

That’s where independent, impartial advice can help. Having more confidence in renewable technologies like solar panels can help you make the right choice for your home. And 36% of respondents said that reliable, independent advice would make them more likely to consider installing solar panels.

Go Renewable, created by us and MCS, can help people find what types of renewable technologies are right for your home. Finding MCS-certified installers can also give you peace of mind when considering solar panels.

Read our advice about avoiding energy scams.

*All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2087 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 16th – 19th May 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).