The latest solar PV installation figures released by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) reveal that the domestic market has hit 1.3GW.
The installation numbers show that almost half a million UK homes are now fitted with a solar array. The milestone has been achieved off the back of steady installations in the 0-4kW segment, with an average of 7.77MW installed every week since September.
The Solar Trade Association welcomed the milestone, noting that now half a million homes are less exposed to large and unpredictable energy bill increases.
STA CEO Paul Barwell explained: “Barely a day goes past without widespread anger about ever-rising energy bills. Nearly half a million UK homes are now much less exposed to frustrating energy bill rises because they have chosen to go solar. It's a particularly clever choice right now because the returns are excellent. People who are fed up with their energy supplier could do no better than to switch to supplying themselves with solar power on their roof.
“The more people that invest in solar power today, the quicker the price comes down tomorrow. We need to keep going down this path until solar power is cheaper than retail electricity prices and everyone can have access to cheap, green power and stable energy bills.”
The STA holds an ambition of seeing one million solar roofs installed in the UK by 2015. In order to hit that ambition the domestic sector would have to double installation rates. To help spur the growth, the STA is developing its own online platform called YourRoof.Info. The website is designed to provide the public with independent advice from experts and includes a calculator tool that allows householders to estimate their returns from investing in solar.