Brits cash in on £100m solar payments as UK heatwaves send solar demand soaring
British households have earned nearly £100m from selling their spare solar power through Octopus over the past year
More than 400,000 households are now on Octopus’s export tariffs, with 825 GWh of power fed back to the grid over the last 12 months – equivalent to a gas plant's annual output
Demand for Octopus-installed solar panels jumped 34% during the heatwave months of May, June and July compared to the same time last year
London, 13 August 2026 – As the UK swelters through its fifth heatwave of the year, with temperatures forecast to hit 38°C today, more Brits than ever are turning the sunshine into cash.
Octopus has paid out nearly £100 million to households over the past year for the solar power they have exported to the grid – an average of £244 per home.*
As temperatures remain high, more Brits are looking to get solar panels of their own. Almost 74,000 people enquired about installing solar with Octopus during the heatwave months of May, June and July – up 34% on the same period last year.
The hottest day of the year so far, 26 June, was also one of the busiest for solar enquiries, with interest that day 50% higher than the monthly average.
Batteries are booming too.
Over the same period, battery-only installations from Octopus rocketed 630% year-on-year, as households increasingly look to store cheap electricity and sell surplus power back to the grid when wholesale prices are higher.
And it’s not just households benefiting.
Octopus's export tariff customers have fed more than 825 GWh of surplus solar power into the grid over the past year – equivalent to the annual output of a medium-sized gas plant.
Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at Octopus, said: “Over 400,000 UK households on Octopus tariffs are already generating their own clean energy, and that number just keeps climbing.
“The more we make use of our homegrown green energy sources, the less we rely on fossil fuels, and the more secure our energy system becomes."
The solar boom comes as clean energy plays an increasingly important role in powering Britain. Rooftop and ground-mount solar generated a record 14.4% of the country's electricity demand this year** – helping to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, cut emissions and build a more energy-secure Britain.
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
* From 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026, Octopus paid out £99,235,326 to 405,233 customers on its export tariff – an average of just over £244 in export earnings per household.
** National Energy System Operator, Great Britain’s Monthly Energy Stats, July 2026
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About Octopus Energy Group
Octopus Energy is a global clean energy and technology business, driving the affordable, green energy system of the future. Under its own retail brand, Octopus delivers world-class customer service and cutting-edge energy products to 11 million households globally.
The company is driving the electrification of heat and transport through smart tariffs and innovative clean tech, with operations spanning 27 countries and the entire energy value chain. It operates a £8.5 billion renewables portfolio as well as thriving EV leasing, heat pump, and solar businesses.
Backed by pension funds, investors and energy giants, Octopus Energy Group businesses deliver cheaper, greener energy and cutting-edge tech to countries and customers worldwide. For more information, check out our website.