Here Comes the Sun – much like the legendary Beatles song, the government is sending a message that will be passed down to future generations. In what is being hailed as a “rooftop revolution”, the government is implementing further steps to secure solar power as a key component in tackling the energy and climate crisis. 

Friday 6 June marked the release of significant news for property developers and, indeed, future owners of new build homes. The government has confirmed that developers will be required to install solar panels on the vast majority of new homes, unleashing a “rooftop revolution”. This will be welcome news for many future homeowners, not least because of the savings in energy costs that will follow. It is projected that, on average, a typical home with solar panels would save around £530 a year, as opposed to a similar home without them. 

This announcement comes as residential developers are already preparing for the many far-reaching changes which are being brought in as part of the Future Homes Standard in the autumn, now only a few months away.

The government has explained that new Building Regulations will require developers to install solar panels unless the circumstances render solar power impractical (such as where buildings are covered by shade), but these exceptions are expected to be rare and solar panels will be “almost universal”. There will be a transitional period for developers to adjust to the new regulations, which are not just limited to solar panels but also include new rules on heat pumps and improving standards of energy efficiency. 

The technical changes to the Building Regulations, along with detailed guidance, are still in development ahead of final publication in the autumn. Some interested parties have expressed concerns that the cost of installing solar panels will disproportionately impact smaller developers. The Home Builders Federation has called for a cost cap to be inserted to the scheme to offset these unintended consequences and there has also been disquiet about an increase in burdensome paperwork.

Despite these concerns, this development has been welcomed in the industry as an inevitable step forward. The appetite for solar power is increasing, with the number of solar panel installations in the UK rising to over 1.7 million in April 2025, a 6.8% increase from the previous year. However, solar power remains only the UK’s sixth largest source of electricity, behind gas, wind, imports, nuclear and biomass. In the context of 2022 being the UK’s hottest year on record, emissions from residential buildings making up 20% of greenhouse gas emissions and the UK’s commitment to its Net Zero target, perhaps this push for mandatory solar panels marks the government finally seeing the light and legislating to secure brighter days ahead.