More than 200 homes damaged by solar panel fires in a year
Safety concerns mount as increasing numbers of UK homes have devices installed. Faulty solar panels triggered 212 rooftop fires last year, new figures show, raising concerns about the technology’s expansion across the UK.
A leading insurer has found that fires involving solar panels were up 37pc in 2025, damaging 102 homes as well as other hospitals, schools and retailers.
QBE, the commercial property insurer behind the research, found that fires were most often caused by faulty installations with substandard fittings and poor connections.
Adrian Simmonds, the risk manager at QBE, also warned that the rate of fires was rising at more than double the rate of installations.
Solar panel installations rose by 52pc between 2022 and 2025, compared with an increase of 133pc in solar panel fires over the same three-year period.
“Poor cabling and connectors are the leading cause, with fires often spreading to the wider building,” said Mr Simmonds.
“It is clear installation quality and fire safety are not keeping pace with the speed of deployment. Safe solar panel installation and maintenance are essential to reducing the number of fires.”
The findings raise fresh concerns over Ed Miliband’s rapid net zero expansion in recent years, as the former energy secretary pushed for a fourfold increase in solar output by 2035.
Safety concerns mount as increasing numbers of homes have devices installed
Faulty solar panels triggered 212 rooftop fires last year, new figures show, raising concerns about the technology’s expansion across the UK.
A leading insurer has found that fires involving solar panels were up 37pc in 2025, damaging 102 homes as well as other hospitals, schools and retailers.
QBE, the commercial property insurer behind the research, found that fires were most often caused by faulty installations with substandard fittings and poor connections.
Adrian Simmonds, the risk manager at QBE, also warned that the rate of fires was rising at more than double the rate of installations.
Full story here.
Terry Shipman
| #
I wouldn’t have the things on my house if they were GIVEN to me.
Reply
John V
| #
I’ve read about how installing the panels risks damaging your roof, and, when you need your roof reshingled, the roofing company won’t touch the panels, you need to pay another company to take the panels off an then reinstall them after the roof work is complete. That’s a lot of potential for damage.
Reply
Carbon Bigfoot
| #
As an owner of 32KvA solar system and a Professional Engineer I was fortunate to have a pre-fab metal accessory-use building/roof to install the 36 solar panels to eliminate any fire hazard. I was able to take advantage of the USA 30% tax benefit making it a financial no-brainer. System is EG4 Electronics and has two inverters, four batteries and a Grid Boss Micro-Grid interconnection device. The system is backed up by two propane-fired Emergency Generators. One an antique 1953 Onan 37KVA 208/3/60 and 14KW 240/160 Generac. Each serve different functions. Since installation Grid-assist Bi-directional meter has sent 3.4 MWhs back to the Grid and banked 1:1 KWh for future use if need be.
Policy makers in my state Pennsylvania are functionally illiterate, so while they continue their mental midget circus I’ll have power. If I don’t like the Net Energy agreement with my utility I’ll use the excess power to mine Bitcoin.
Terry I haven’t paid an electric bill since commissioning. We engineers design workable systems and safety is paramount.
Reply