Spring Solar: Why Now Is the Best Time
Is spring a good time to install solar panels?
Spring (March–May) is the best time to install solar panels in the UK. Installing in spring means: you capture the full summer generation peak (May–August, which produces 60–70% of annual output), installer availability is good (not yet peak season), and your first electricity bill reduction arrives within weeks. Every week you delay into summer costs roughly £15–£20 in missed generation.
Why Spring Is Optimal for Solar Installation
- Capture the full summer peak — installing in March means your system generates from April onwards, capturing 100% of the high-output spring/summer months
- Good installer availability — spring is busy but not peak. Wait times: 2–4 weeks (vs 4–8 weeks in July/August)
- Weather improves — longer days and milder weather make installation smoother and faster
- Immediate savings — your first reduced electricity bill arrives within 4–6 weeks of installation
- 0% VAT still applies — currently confirmed until March 2027
- Daylight hours increasing — March has 12 hours of daylight, rising to 16+ hours by June. Your panels start earning immediately.
- Spring cleaning bonus — new clean panels produce maximum output from day one
What You Gain by Installing This Spring
March installation vs waiting until autumn:
| Install Date | Months of 2026 Generation | 2026 Savings | |-------------|--------------------------|-------------| | March 2026 | 10 months (March–Dec) | £530 | | June 2026 | 7 months (June–Dec) | £380 | | September 2026 | 4 months (Sept–Dec) | £130 | | January 2027 | 0 months in 2026 | £0 |
Difference between March and September installation: £400 in first-year savings. This is money you can never recover — those sunny spring/summer days are gone.
Over 25 years: A 6-month delay costs approximately £290 in total savings (lost generation in the delay period). Larger delays cost proportionally more.
Source: PVGIS monthly generation data; Ofgem Q1 2026.
Spring Installation Timeline
If you start today (mid-March):
- Week 1: Get 3–5 quotes, schedule site surveys - Week 2–3: Site surveys completed, quotes compared - Week 3: Select installer, sign contract, deposit paid - Week 3–4: DNO notification submitted, scaffolding booked - Week 4–5: Installation (1–2 days) - Week 5: System generating electricity
Your system is live by mid-April — in time for the best solar months.
Total time: 4–5 weeks from first enquiry to generating electricity.
Act now and your panels are producing by the time the clocks go forward.
Source: Typical spring installer timelines.
Spring Solar Checklist
What to do this week:
- Request 3–5 quotes from MCS-certified installers (use our Get Quotes page)
- Check your electricity bill — know your current annual consumption
- Look at your roof — note which direction the main slope faces
- Check for obvious shading — trees, chimneys, neighbouring buildings
- Clear the area beside the house for scaffolding access
- Have your WiFi password ready (for monitoring setup)
- Tell your insurer you are planning to install solar
- Set a decision deadline — give yourself 1 week to compare quotes, not 1 month
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