CORNWALL is leading the rest of the country in the installation of solar panels, with one in eight homes in the county now possessing the energy-saving equipment.

Energy experts at E.ON UK have analysed government data to determine which locations have the highest rates of residential solar panel adoption across the country.

A remarkable one in eight homes across Cornwall now has solar panels, with 31,024 systems across approximately 250,500 households. This corresponds to an adoption ratio of roughly 12 per cent, indicating a significant regional commitment to decentralised renewable energy generation.

A spokesperson at E.ON UK commented on the findings: “This data shows the locations with the strongest commitment to renewable energy through solar adoption. Cornwall leads the UK in total solar panel installations with 31,024, reflecting a strong overall uptake, while South Cambridgeshire, with nearly 18 per cent of households equipped, demonstrates how rural communities can achieve exceptionally high adoption rates.

“With households driving much of the current growth, there’s a major opportunity for businesses to follow suit. If every business in Cornwall were fitted with solar panels, the energy produced could power the equivalent of 130.12 per cent of homes in the region, according to our research. In Somerset, that figure rises to 160.77 per cent, showing significant potential for commercial sites to boost local renewable generation.

“Expanding solar adoption across both households and businesses will be key to making the energy transition affordable, sustainable and secure. As technology becomes more accessible and installation costs continue to fall, the path to energy independence is opening for more communities. By investing in solar installations across homes and workplaces alike, we can accelerate the UK’s move toward a cleaner, self-sufficient energy future that brings lower bills, stronger local infrastructure and greater energy security for everyone.”

With numbers rising, some are still hopeful that there is more to come, with the Local Government Association (LGA) even arguing that all new homes should be required to have solar panels installed to meet green targets, according to a new report from the Local Government Association.

According to the organisation, currently, 60 per cent of new homes built do not have rooftop solar panels, with 40 per cent having them installed. While this means more new homes have solar installed than in previous years, the report says making this a requirement would increase that number and have a positive impact.

A spokesperson from the LGA said: “Requiring new builds to have solar power would decrease carbon and costs for households, with an estimated saving of £440 per year, the report highlights, helping meet green targets and saving residents money.”

The recommendation was part of a suite of policy and funding interventions, to increase retrofitting, finance and legislative changes, set out in the LGA’s report - “Empowering local climate action: Advice to government”.

The LGA said councils are central to delivering clean energy, reducing emissions, and supporting households through the transition to net zero but lack the necessary funding and policies from government.