Best Time to Buy Solar Panels in the UK

Practical advantages of January–March installation:

1. Capture the full summer peak: Installing in February means your first full generation month is March — you capture the entire high-output period (April–September). Installing in July means you miss the best half of the year.

2. Shorter installer wait times: The solar industry is quietest in winter. Wait times for surveys and installation drop from 4–6 weeks (summer) to 2–3 weeks (winter).

3. Potential winter discounts: Some installers offer lower prices in their quiet season to keep teams busy. Savings of 3–8% are not uncommon in January–February.

4. Scaffolding availability: Scaffolding companies are less busy in winter, so scheduling is easier.

5. Panels still generate in winter: Even a January installation starts producing immediately — less than summer, but every kWh counts.

Source: UK solar installer seasonal pricing data.

Many homeowners wait for 'the right time' to install solar. Here is what waiting actually costs:

Lost savings per month of delay (4kW system): - January: £20 lost - February: £25 lost - March: £50 lost - April: £70 lost - May: £85 lost - June: £90 lost (peak month — worst time to delay) - July: £85 lost - August: £75 lost - September: £55 lost - October: £35 lost - November: £25 lost - December: £20 lost

Annual total: ~£635 lost per year of delay

Waiting 6 months (January to July) costs approximately £340 in lost generation. Waiting a full year costs £635. These are savings you will never recover.

The bottom line: Unless solar panel prices are actively falling faster than your lost savings (they are not — prices have stabilised since 2023), there is no financial benefit to waiting.

Source: Monthly generation estimates from PVGIS; Ofgem Q1 2026 pricing.

Solar panel prices dropped 90% between 2010 and 2023. Many homeowners wonder if they should wait for further drops.

The current situation (2026): - Panel prices have stabilised — the dramatic drops are over - Manufacturing costs are near the floor for silicon-based technology - Any further drops will be gradual (1–3% per year at most) - Meanwhile, electricity prices remain high (24.5p/kWh)

The maths: - If you wait 2 years and panels drop 5%: you save £300–£400 on installation - But you lose 2 years of savings: £1,270 lost - Net result of waiting: £870–£970 WORSE off

Waiting for cheaper panels is almost always a losing strategy when electricity prices are high. The savings you miss while waiting exceed any realistic price drop.

Exception: If a genuinely new technology (perovskite panels, for example) is imminent, it might justify a short wait. But no such technology is expected to reach mainstream UK residential market before 2028–2030.

Source: BloombergNEF solar price forecasts; IRENA renewable cost data.