UK fire services faced a fire involving a solar panel once almost every two days in 2024, marking a 60% increase in the past two years (2022-2024), according to research from insurer QBE.

Data collected from Freedom of Information requests to UK fire services in August 2025 also reveals fires are rising faster than the rate of installations, which QBE says could indicate incorrect installation or maintenance.

The findings come as the UK sees record levels of solar panel installations, driven by commercial demand and government net-zero incentives. As of August 2025, there were 1,834,584 solar panels installed across the UK.

Adrian Simmonds, practice leader for property risk solutions at QBE Insurance, said: “Solar technology is an essential part of the UK’s clean energy transition, but the rapid pace of deployment is cause for concern for risk management. Our analysis shows fires involving solar panel fires have risen at twice the rate of new installations over the past two years. Safe solar panel installation and maintenance are essential to reducing fires.”

Only 37 fire services out of the 49 services nationally were able to provide data, suggesting the number of solar panel fires could actually be much higher than reported. QBE’s research also reveals the majority of incidents involving a solar panel took place in residential buildings.

Improper installation is a frequent cause, with loose connections, damaged wires, or faulty wiring leading to arc faults or other electrical issues. Other factors include component defects, high current, and external factors such as moisture, extreme weather, and dirt or foliage on the panels.

The FoI data suggests that the majority of fires originate in the inverter or on the solar panels themselves. DC cabling and battery banks were the other vulnerable components.

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