Cornwall is the UK’s hot spot for renewable energy installations

3 June 2024

Solar PV installation.

 

  • Cornwall has nearly surpassed 38,000 MCS certified renewable energy installations – more than any other local authority in the UK.
  • More than 15%[1] of households in Cornwall have an MCS certified renewable energy installation, including solar panels, heat pumps and battery storage.
  • Cornwall has installed more than 1,800 renewable installations in 2024 so far.

 

When it comes to small-scale renewable energy installations, there’s nowhere quite like Cornwall. According to data from MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme), UK’s quality mark for small-scale renewable energy, Cornwall has nearly 38,000 MCS certified renewable installations – more than any other local authority in the UK. This means that more than 15% of Cornish households have an MCS certified renewable installation, including solar panels, heat pumps and battery storage.

Solar panels are the most popular renewable technology in Cornwall, with over 27,300 MCS certified solar PV installations recorded since 2008. In fact, solar panels account for 72% of all MCS certified renewable installations in Cornwall, which shows that Cornish residents are tapping into the sun’s energy to power their homes.

This trend has continued in 2024, with 65% of all MCS certified renewable installations in Cornwall so far this year being solar panels. This reflects the strength of the domestic solar PV market, driven by increasing demand from homeowners to generate their own home-grown electricity, lower their energy bills, and decrease their carbon footprint.

Heat pumps are also growing in popularity in Cornwall, with 2023 being the best year for heat pumps in Cornwall on record, as well as the first year to surpass 1,500 MCS certified heat pump installations. In the first four months of 2024, Cornwall has installed a monthly average of nearly 150 certified heat pumps, putting the local authority on track for yet another record-breaking year for this technology. Of the 663 MCS certified heat pumps installed in Cornwall so far this year, over 600 are air source heat pumps, showing the widespread adoption of this technology among Cornish homeowners.

Ian Rippin, CEO of MCS, said: “As Cornwall is one of the sunniest spots in the UK, it’s no surprise that more homeowners in Cornwall are investing in solar panels to power their homes with free energy from the sun.”

“But it’s also great to see how the grants and incentives available in Cornwall, like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, continue to play a key role in helping homeowners make the switch to low-carbon heating more accessible and affordable. I look forward to seeing heat pump installations continue to rise both in Cornwall and across the UK.”

The BUS offers homeowners and small business owners in England and Wales up to £7,500 towards the installation of a low-carbon heating system, such as a heat pump. The installation must be MCS certified to qualify for the grant.

MCS holds the most comprehensive repository of data on the uptake of small-scale renewable technologies across the UK on The MCS Data Dashboard. For near-real-time updates on renewable installations, you can sign up for free to The MCS Data Dashboard here.

Click here to find and MCS certified contractor near you.

[1] Uptake figures are estimates based on a flat calculation of “total installations” divided by “total households”.