What Solar Panels Actually Cost
A solar cost needs both a statistic and a unit. This page leads with the published median, labels the mean separately, and keeps every figure in pounds per kW rather than turning it into a whole-system quote.
Latest DESNZ financial year · 2025/26
Cost per kW for the 0-4 kW band
Median
£1,780 per kW
The middle published installation: half cost less per kW and half cost more.
Mean
£2,008 per kW
Every published installation contributes, including unusually costly work.
0-4 kW
Median £1,780/kW
Mean £2,008/kW
10-50 kW
Median £1,262/kW
Mean £1,344/kW
4-10 kW
Median £1,697/kW
Mean £1,770/kW
Annual mean and median cost history
The two statistics remain separate because the mean is pulled towards higher-cost installations. Neither line is an installation quote.
View exact annual figures
| Financial year | Published median | Published mean |
|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | £1,780/kW | £2,008/kW |
| 2024/25 | £1,884/kW | £2,110/kW |
| 2023/24 | £2,263/kW | £2,392/kW |
| 2022/23 | £2,250/kW | £2,372/kW |
| 2021/22 | £1,732/kW | £1,893/kW |
| 2020/21 | £1,500/kW | £1,699/kW |
| 2019/20 | £1,481/kW | £1,647/kW |
| 2018/19 | £1,667/kW | £1,806/kW |
| 2017/18 | £1,698/kW | £1,825/kW |
| 2016/17 | £1,667/kW | £1,840/kW |
| 2015/16 | £1,665/kW | £1,807/kW |
| 2014/15 | £1,904/kW | £2,028/kW |
| 2013/14 | £1,897/kW | £2,049/kW |
The domestic-only series is separate
The domestic-only series covers 2 financial years and is kept off the longer annual mean-and-median axis.
- 2024/25
- Mean £2,173/kW
- 2025/26
- Mean £2,096/kW
Basis, coverage and source
Prices are pounds per kW of Declared Net Capacity, not a price for one installation. Bands use Declared Net Capacity (DNC), not Total Installed Capacity (TIC). The two capacity bases are not interchangeable.
Nominal prices in each financial year, not adjusted for inflation. No deflator is applied. Reference periods are financial years running from April to March.
MCS-certified installations only; DIY and non-certified work are absent.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Solar photovoltaic (PV) cost data, Declared Net Capacity · Open Government Licence v3.0
Frequently asked questions
How much do solar panels cost per kW in the UK?
The latest DESNZ median and mean are shown at the top of this page for each published size band. They are pounds per kW of Declared Net Capacity, not a whole-system quote.
Why does the median lead?
The median is the middle published installation and is less affected by a small number of unusually costly projects. The mean remains visible and separately labelled because it answers a different question.
Are historic solar costs adjusted for inflation?
No. DESNZ publishes nominal prices for each financial year. This page applies no deflator and does not compare the cash figures as though their purchasing power were unchanged.
Does the dataset cover every solar installation?
No. It covers MCS-certified installations. DIY and other non-certified work are absent, so the figures are not presented as a census of all solar work.
Related reading
Written by
Rob Gibbs
Hi, I'm Rob, and I run Energy-Review.co.uk. I initially started this project in 2018 when I was looking to switch energy suppliers and found there wasn't a website that provided simple, data-backed reviews on all the suppliers available. Since then, I have spent a lot of time (too much, some may say!) looking at all publicly available data about each supplier and writing reviews using this information. These reviews are updated as regularly as possible, and any data is backed up by a source where necessary. I have also started writing guides on various energy-related topics, which hopefully you will find useful. If you find any issues, please use our contact form to let us know.