Solar records and dry fields: Britain’s sunniest spring ever has silver linings and hidden risks

A play of unrelenting sunshine has turned Britain’s skies into an improbable state successful efforts to decarbonise.

As nan UK basked successful its sunniest outpouring successful its history, star powerfulness besides reached grounds highs.

According to information study performed by Carbon Brief, successful nan first 5 months of nan year, star powerfulness generated 42 per cent much power than nan aforesaid play past year, marking a 260 per cent summation successful nan past decade. 

In April and May, star powerfulness accounted for much than 10 per cent of each energy generation, too.

The UK’s sunniest outpouring since records began

Spring 2025 was officially nan sunniest since UK records began successful 1910.

From 1 March to 31 May, nan state recorded 653 hours of sunshine, 43 per cent supra nan 1961-1990 mean and surpassing nan erstwhile spring grounds group successful 2020, according to nan Met Office.

It’s a inclination that shows nary motion of slowing.

“Seven of nan apical 10 sunniest springs connected grounds for nan UK since 1910 person occurred since nan twelvemonth 2000,” Met Office intelligence Emily Carlisle said successful a statement.

According to Carbon Brief, nan elevated sunshine levels boil down to a operation of earthy variability, altered upwind patterns and quality power from aerosol pollution.

Whatever nan cause, nan unusually agleam conditions person had immoderate unintended benefits.

The other sun boosted nan capacity facet of solar installations, a metric showing really overmuch energy star panels make compared to their maximum potential.

Extra sun meant little emissions and less state imports

The jump successful star output has besides had an effect connected nan climate.

All nan further star energy generated truthful acold this twelvemonth has saved nan UK an estimated £600 cardinal (€710 million) successful state it would different person to import. That overmuch state amounts to astir 6 cardinal tonnes of carbon dioxide if burned, aliases astir 2 per cent of nan UK’s full yearly emissions.

While nan green energy boost is significant, star remains only nan sixth-largest root of energy successful nan UK this year.

In 2025, star electricity accounted for 7.6 terrawatt hours (TWh), a portion utilized to measurement large-scale electrical power output. That puts it down state (37TWh), upwind (33TWh), imported power (18TWh), atomic (15TWh) and biomass (8.0TWh).

More star panels, much potential

Sunshine wasn’t nan only facet down nan star surge.

In 2024, nan UK’s installed star capacity roseate to 20.2 gigawatts – astir adjacent to nan magnitude of power that 38 cardinal star panels tin produce. That full is up from 17.9 nan erstwhile year, acknowledgment to falling prices and renewed argumentation support.

The assemblage is expanding rapidly, too.

According to Carbon Brief, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has approved astir 3 gigawatts of caller star capacity astatine large-scale sites since taking agency past July.

By 2030, nan UK hopes to person astatine slightest 45 gigawatts of star capacity, portion of charismatic ambitions to go a ‘clean power superpower’ pinch astatine slightest 95 per cent of its powerfulness coming from sources specified arsenic solar.

Long term, UK leaders opportunity this will forestall value shocks, revitalise manufacturing and spare early generations from base nan load of ambiance costs.

All this sunshine has hidden costs

Despite nan metallic lining for star power, acheronian clouds loom complete nan UK.

This outpouring was not only nan sunniest connected record. It was besides nan driest successful 50 years, leaving galore farmers hopeless for rainfall during cardinal planting and increasing months, and threatening crop yields and nutrient prices.

The barren conditions are apt to persist.

The Met Office has warned that nan UK is now doubly arsenic apt to acquisition a hotter-than-average summer. The heightened conditions could strain emergency services, harm roadworthy surfaces and summation nan consequence of heat illness, peculiarly for older group and those pinch pre-existing wellness conditions.

Extreme power is besides affecting nan country’s surrounding waters.

UK seas are presently experiencing an unusualmarine heatwave, pinch aboveground temperatures rising good supra average. Long-term, events for illustration these could disrupt marine ecosystems and fisheries.

UK prepares for a star powered future

Despite nan challenges, analysts opportunity star will proceed to play a captious domiciled successful cutting emissions, particularly arsenic fossil fuels are phased retired of nan UK’s powerfulness mix.

This year, nan National Energy System Operator (NESO) hopes to run nan grid without fossil fuels for short periods, putting nan spotlight backmost connected star powerfulness again.

While it whitethorn beryllium weather-dependent, pinch nan correct infrastructure and nan correct conditions, experts opportunity star powerfulness tin beryllium 1 of nan UK’s astir powerful friends successful nan modulation to cleaner energy.