The last few months have demonstrated exceptional temperatures and long summer days for the UK, especially in our South West region adding to the case for rooftop solar. Whilst the extreme heat isn’t great for maximising the efficiency of UK solar production, the longer days have seen record solar generation with many homes practically self-sufficient for days at a time, thanks to the powerful combination of solar panels and battery storage systems helping to run fans, air conditioning units and home offices using their own self-generated electricity.
July smashes solar PV generation record
Many people still believe the UK is not sunny enough for solar, however this year Solar PV has contributed record levels of power to fuel the UK; providing 14.4% of all power generated in July 2026, even higher than the previous record breaking month of May 2026, due to the extended daylight hours. These figure represent an increase of almost 5% year on year, according to data from The National Energy System Operator (NESO)
Increased self-reliance
The recent heatwave highlighted the pressure extreme weather can place on the UK's electricity network. As the demand for cooling increased, the temperatures continued to soar, causing grid operators to take emergency balancing measures to keep the power on.
Generating your own solar PV, using what you need to power your home and heat your hot water, whilst storing the excess for later use, is a sure fire way to reduce your electricity bills, but it also improves your own self-reliance.
Many customers now install systems providing “whole-house backup” alongside their battery storage systems, enabling them to keep the power on even in the event of a power cut.
If you are still thinking about Solar PV or battery storage, get in touch to arrange a free, no obligation quote to show you just what your roof could generate.