UK Solar Output Surpasses 2024 Total
The amount of electricity produced from solar installations in the UK since the start of the year has topped the 2024 total, the Financial Times has reported, citing analysis of data from the University of Sheffield.
The total amount of electricity generated by solar panels from January this year to August 16 stood at 14.08 TWh, the FT reported, adding this was some 30% more than generation in the same period of 2024. The publication noted that the amount was enough to power 5.2 million homes for a period of one year.
Of course, the problem with solar is that it cannot power even one home for a period of a week, much less a year, due to its complete weather dependence. Battery storage has been hailed as a solution to this weather dependence problem, but in view of its costs and land footprint, battery storage is still a fraction of what is needed to offset periods when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing.
“Despite the UK’s reputation for gloomy weather, solar has been unstoppable in 2025, thanks to a powerful combination of very sunny weather and record capacity on the system,” one analyst from climate advocacy Ember told the Financial Times.
The publication, for its part, pointed out a half an hour on July 8 when solar generation was so abundant, it could cover 40% of the whole country’s demand for electricity, according to the National Energy System Operator. Both the half-hour record and the overall strength in generation were attributed to sunnier than usual weather.
The Labour government of Keir Starmer wants to boost the country’s solar capacity to between 45 GW and 47 GW by 2030 as part of plans to generate as much as 95% of the UK’s electricity from non-hydrocarbon energy sources.
By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com
The amount of electricity produced from solar installations in the UK since the start of the year has topped the 2024 total, the Financial Times has reported, citing analysis of data from the University of Sheffield.
The total amount of electricity generated by solar panels from January this year to August 16 stood at 14.08 TWh, the FT reported, adding this was some 30% more than generation in the same period of 2024. The publication noted that the amount was enough to power 5.2 million homes for a period of one year.
Of course, the problem with solar is that it cannot power even one home for a period of a week, much less a year, due to its complete weather dependence. Battery storage has been hailed as a solution to this weather dependence problem, but in view of its costs and land footprint, battery storage is still a fraction of what is needed to offset periods when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing.
“Despite the UK’s reputation for gloomy weather, solar has been unstoppable in 2025, thanks to a powerful combination of very sunny weather and record capacity on the system,” one analyst from climate advocacy Ember told the Financial Times.
The publication, for its part, pointed out a half an hour on July 8 when solar generation was so abundant, it could cover 40% of the whole country’s demand for electricity, according to the National Energy System Operator. Both the half-hour record and the overall strength in generation were attributed to sunnier than usual weather.
The Labour government of Keir Starmer wants to boost the country’s solar capacity to between 45 GW and 47 GW by 2030 as part of plans to generate as much as 95% of the UK’s electricity from non-hydrocarbon energy sources.
By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com
Solar Stocks Score Major Gains on Trump Policy Clarification
U.S. solar equities surged on Monday after the Treasury Department issued updated guidance on renewable energy tax credits, delivering long-awaited clarity for developers and investors. The decision provided relief to residential solar providers, which had faced months of uncertainty over whether new federal rules would complicate access to subsidies.
Shares of Sunrun gained nearly 9% on Monday, after sealing 5-day gains of nearly 30%, making it the strongest performer in the sector. SolarEdge is sitting on 5-day gains of nearly 22%, still tracking upward momentum on Monday, while First Solar has risen ~18% in five days. Embattered Enphase Energy is up some 3% on Monday, with five-day gains of ~9%.
The rally marked one of the largest single-day gains for clean energy stocks this year, reversing part of the heavy losses suffered during the first half of 2025.
The Treasury guidance removed the long-standing “5 percent safe harbor” rule that allowed projects to qualify for credits once a small portion of construction had begun. Instead, the new rules impose stricter thresholds for large-scale utility projects. However, the department confirmed that residential and other small distributed systems would remain eligible under existing terms, protecting the business model of companies like Sunrun. Projects that had already started construction under the old rule are also grandfathered in.
Analysts quoted by The Wall Street Journal said the policy clarification helps remove a major overhang from the sector, though they cautioned that other restrictions, such as limitations on the use of Chinese-made solar equipment, remain unresolved and could become a risk depending on enforcement.
The rally follows months of volatility for solar stocks after earlier cuts to climate-related tax credits triggered sharp underperformance against oil and gas benchmarks. In July, clean energy shares fell to multi-year lows as investors questioned the durability of policy support, underscoring how sensitive the sector remains to changes in federal incentives. Monday’s gains suggest markets are now recalibrating those risks in light of clearer Treasury guidance.
By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com
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