Solar Energy UK
Solar Energy UK is a non-profit trade association representing 433 member organisations across the UK solar and energy storage value chain, funded by tiered membership fees and delivering policy advocacy, market intelligence via SolarPulse, industry events, and workforce development.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Solar Energy UK does
Solar Energy UK is the primary trade association for the United Kingdom's solar and energy storage value chain, founded in 1978 as the Solar Trade Association and renamed in 2021 to reflect its broadened remit. Incorporated as Solar Trade Association Limited, a non-profit, it is funded primarily by tiered membership fees from over 433 member organisations — ranging from SMEs to global enterprises — structured into six annual fee bands from £1,440 (turnover under £2m) to £16,680 (turnover £100m+), plus VAT. The association is governed by a member-elected board and operates with a small central team of 1–10 staff led by CEO Chris Hewett.
Its core deliverables span policy advocacy, market intelligence, events, and workforce development. Policy work is conducted through direct engagement with DESNZ, NESO, and Ofgem on planning, grid connections, and network charging reform. The SolarPulse platform provides members with market intelligence and industry data. An annual events calendar — including the Energy Storage Summit, Solar & Storage Live, and the UK Solar Summit — drives member networking and a material share of revenue through sponsorships and exhibitions. Workforce development is delivered through the Solar Careers UK programme, targeting a projected sector workforce of 43,000 by 2035 versus ~20,000 today. Co-founding the Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) with Solar Power Europe extends its influence into European ESG and supply-chain traceability standards.
The association represents the full value chain — utility-scale developers and asset owners (EDF Renewables, Lightsource bp, Statkraft, Recurrent Energy), fund managers (NextEnergy Capital, Schroders Greencoat), distributors (Segen), installers (1,200+ affiliate rooftop installers), manufacturers, and specialist legal and biodiversity firms. Sponsor and board members include Lightsource bp, SolarEdge, Segen, IG Renewables, RWE, Anesco, Pinsent Masons, and Viridian Solar. Its stated sector objective is to help deliver 60 GW of UK solar capacity by 2030, supported by a planning pipeline of 27 GW ground-mounted solar and 63 GW commercial-scale battery storage projects.
Solar Energy UK firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Solar Energy UK
- Legal name
- Solar Trade Association Limited
- Website
- https://solarenergyuk.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Solar Energy UK is a non-profit trade association representing 433 member organisations across the UK solar and energy storage value chain, funded by tiered membership fees and delivering policy advocacy, market intelligence via SolarPulse, industry events, and workforce development.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Solar Energy UK industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Solar and Energy Storage Trade Association
- NAICS
- Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Solar Workforce, Training & Safety Services (Installer Training, Certification, EHS) (EUAMABAO), Solar Distribution & Wholesale Supply (Channel, Procurement, Logistics) (EUAMABAK)
Keywords
Where Solar Energy UK is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Solar Energy UK business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership fees: Funded largely by membership fees from over 400 member companies ranging from SMEs to global brands across the solar and energy storage value chain
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Tier 1 – Turnover under £2m: £1,440/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Tier 2 – Turnover £2m-£10m: £3,890/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Tier 3 – Turnover £10m-£25m: £6,780/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Tier 4 – Turnover £25m-£50m: £9,280/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Tier 5 – Turnover £50m-£100m: £13,000/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Tier 6 – Turnover £100m+: £16,680/year |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Solar Energy UK product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Solar Energy UK is a trade association that represents companies across the UK solar photovoltaic and energy storage value chain. It sells corporate membership tiers, an industry data and market-intelligence platform, a jobs/careers board, and a programme of conferences, exhibitions, and policy/research publications. Its core service to members is collective representation to government and regulators on solar and storage policy, supplemented by networking, training, and market-intelligence resources.
Product overview
Solar Energy UK is a trade association representing the entire solar and energy storage value chain in the UK, serving over 400 member organizations. Rather than offering a single unified product, the organization provides a portfolio of membership services, market intelligence through SolarPulse, industry events and conferences, research publications, and workforce development initiatives. These offerings collectively support policy advocacy, industry growth, networking, and knowledge sharing across the rooftop and utility-scale solar sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SolarPulse: Market intelligence platform for the solar and storage industry.
- Solar Careers UK
Products and services
- Corporate Membership Programme
Quantifiable outcome
- 14.4% of UK's electricity from solar in July 2026 (new monthly record)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Solar Energy UK
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Solar Energy UK technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Solar Energy UK partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Solar Power EuropecoreCo-founded the Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) together to establish ESG standards and end-to-end traceability requirements for the solar supply chain, particularly for European market exports.
- Solar Stewardship InitiativecoreSSI is co-founded by Solar Power Europe and Solar Energy UK to set standards for ESG management and full traceability in solar supply chains, with certification becoming a prerequisite for exports to core European markets.
- Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (Police CPI)coreJointly launched the 'Secured by Design Solar Farm Guide' to protect UK solar energy infrastructure from organised crime, theft, and deliberate interference with a risk-based security framework.
- National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership (NICRP)coreJointly launched the 'Secured by Design Solar Farm Guide' providing security framework for developers, operators, and security professionals involved in solar farm planning, design, and operation.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Solar Energy UK competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Solar Power Europe: Brussels-based solar industry association representing the European solar value chain. Direct counterpart to SEUK at the EU level and co-founder of the Solar Stewardship Initiative; most relevant peer given overlapping mandate, member profile, and policy advocacy role.
- RenewableUK: UK trade association for wind, wave, and tidal energy. Overlapping UK remit and member base; SEUK's Director of Policy (Gemma Grimes) previously led onshore wind policy at RenewableUK, evidencing close ecosystem proximity.
- Energy UK: UK trade association for the wider energy industry (generation, supply, networks). Comparable membership-association model and UK policy advocacy role; competes for member attention across overlapping corporate members.
- Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA): US national trade association for the solar industry. Closest international analogue by structure (membership-based, policy advocacy, market intelligence) and comparable value-chain breadth.
- American Clean Power Association (ACP): US trade association representing wind, solar, and storage companies. Comparable value-chain coverage (renewables + storage) and similar member-led advocacy model, though operating in a larger market.
- European Association for Storage of Energy (EASE): European trade association for energy storage. Highly relevant given SEUK's explicit storage mandate; overlaps significantly on battery energy storage policy and standards work.
Regional players
- Clean Energy Council: Australian peak industry body for clean energy, including solar. Comparable value-chain remit and membership-association model, but operating primarily in Australia rather than competing directly with SEUK in the UK.
- Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA): Canadian solar industry trade association. Closely comparable structure and member-led governance, but focused on the Canadian market rather than the UK.
Broad incumbents
- UK Green Building Council: UK membership organisation for the sustainable built environment. Adjacent in addressing rooftop solar deployment and ESG issues in buildings, and overlapping UK membership base.
Others
- International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA): Intergovernmental organisation supporting renewable energy adoption globally. Not a direct peer but an ecosystem partner given shared mission on solar deployment and policy frameworks that SEUK members benefit from.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Solar Energy UK social profiles
Digital presenceSolar Energy UK financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Solar Energy UK leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Solar Energy UK funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Solar Energy UK M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Solar Energy UK
What does Solar Energy UK do?
Solar Energy UK is a trade association that represents companies across the UK solar photovoltaic and energy storage value chain. It sells corporate membership tiers, an industry data and market-intelligence platform, a jobs/careers board, and a programme of conferences, exhibitions, and policy/research publications. Its core service to members is collective representation to government and regulators on solar and storage policy, supplemented by networking, training, and market-intelligence resources.
Is Solar Energy UK a public or private company?
Solar Energy UK is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Solar Energy UK founded?
Solar Energy UK was founded in 1978. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Solar Energy UK based?
Solar Energy UK is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Solar Energy UK make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership fees.
Who are Solar Energy UK's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Solar Power Europe, RenewableUK, Energy UK, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), American Clean Power Association (ACP) and European Association for Storage of Energy (EASE). Regional players are Clean Energy Council and Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA). UK Green Building Council is listed as a broad incumbent. International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is listed as an others.
Does Solar Energy UK have an API?
No public API is recorded for Solar Energy UK.
What industry is Solar Energy UK in?
Solar Energy UK's product category is Solar and Energy Storage Trade Association. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMABAB, Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System), with a secondary code of EUAMABAO, Solar Workforce, Training & Safety Services (Installer Training, Certification, EHS). Its NAICS code is 221114 and its SIC code is 8600.