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Great Britain’s power network achieved a fresh milestone for solar output during a period that also saw carbon-free electricity hit an all-time peak, based on figures from the National Energy System Operator (NESO).
According to NESO data, photovoltaic generation surpassed 15 GW for the first time on 23 April. The operator’s GB Generation mix dashboard showed 15,147 MW of solar power at 11:30 that morning, marking the first breach of the 15 GW level in a dataset that records output every 30 minutes since 2009. At noon, solar reached a peak of 15,158 MW, accounting for 42% of the total generation mix of 36.4 GW.
This solar record was a standout event in a robust week for UK renewable energy, which also included a new zero-carbon milestone for the country’s grid. NESO operated the transmission system with 98.8% zero-carbon sources between 15:30 and 16:00 on 22 April, beating the earlier record set on 1 April. Gas-fired generation dropped to an all-time low, contributing just 1.2% of the energy mix at both transmission and distribution levels, the grid operator reported.
The record-breaking April for solar comes as NESO gears up for a summer of reduced electricity demand, partly due to growing solar capacity. Periods of excess power have become more frequent on Great Britain’s grid, a trend increasingly influenced by weather conditions, NESO noted. According to the operator’s Summer Outlook report, solar irradiance has become the primary factor, surpassing low consumer demand and wind generation.
In response, NESO plans to revise its Demand Flexibility Service, which compensates households and businesses for boosting electricity usage when supply is abundant. Currently a merit-based auction for securing extra power during peak demand, the service will become bidirectional for summer 2026 by adding the option to increase demand. Other adjustments include lowering capacity thresholds and modifying rules to enable smaller generators and renewable projects to take part.
Consumers and companies can join the flexibility market through energy suppliers and third-party applications. NESO anticipates that these expanded demand-side measures will work alongside existing balancing tools, such as the Balancing Mechanism market.
Matt Parry, head of energy demand and power at the UK renewable association REA, praised the new records but urged the government to take further action. The REA advocates for additional deployment via a salary sacrifice program for home energy upgrades, modeled on the electric vehicle incentive scheme. Under that program, employees can lease an electric car using their gross salary, lowering income tax payments.
Parry also called for more demand-side flexibility and urged the government to ensure its upcoming eighth round of contracts-for-difference auctions is heavily weighted toward fast-to-deploy renewables like commercial solar. By reinforcing the UK’s commitment to additional renewable capacity, the country can permanently sever the connection between international gas prices and electricity costs, Parry stated.
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