It’s a great time to be working in solar energy.
Few sectors can point to the kind of growth currently being experienced across the UK solar market. With government support for plug-in solar, further financial incentives promised for homeowners and July 2026 reportedly marking the biggest month for UK solar installations in 15 years, the market is moving quickly.
And there is plenty more growth to come. The Government’s Clean Power 2030 ambition is for 45GW of installed solar capacity — roughly twice the UK’s current capacity. In a positive vein, it feels like barely a day passes without a new energy focused policy from Andy Burnham.
For the people responsible for commercial growth, this presents an obvious opportunity.
The instinct, understandably, is to capitalise on demand: invest in lead generation, optimise conversion and make the most of a market that is already moving in the right direction.
But there is a danger in focusing too heavily on the sales engine.
When everyone is chasing the same growth opportunity, the businesses that win tomorrow will be those that build preference today.
A powerful brand does not compete with sales. It supercharges it.
That is why, at Wilful PR, we believe solar businesses need to think beyond visibility for visibility’s sake. PR and communications should be working alongside commercial activity — creating the credibility, authority and trust that make sales conversations more effective, while building the reputation that protects and grows market share over the longer term.
Here are five areas solar businesses should be thinking about now.
1. Make PR part of your sales engine
Earned media has traditionally been treated as a brand-building activity, something that can sit slightly apart from the day-to-day demands of sales.
In a rapidly expanding solar market, that is a mistake.
Consistent PR coverage, expert commentary, thought leadership and participation in relevant industry conversations provide something that advertising and owned content cannot replicate: independent validation.
In other words, earned activity should work alongside sales, not sit behind it.
2. Don’t just optimise for search. Earn your AI.
There is another reason maintaining your profile matters.
The way potential customers find and evaluate businesses is changing rapidly. AI-powered search is moving beyond simply matching keywords on a website. Increasingly, people are asking AI tools to recommend companies, identify leading suppliers, explain technologies and find experts.
The answer is influenced by the information that exists about a business across the wider digital ecosystem. That changes the role of PR.
Your website tells the world — and AI — what you say about yourself. But earned media, industry coverage, expert commentary, interviews and credible third-party references help demonstrate what other people say about you.
For solar businesses, that distinction matters. So the question is no longer simply:
“Is our website optimised?”
It is:
“Have we built enough credible evidence around our business for AI — and our prospective customers — to understand why we should be considered?”
3. Look beyond the obvious spokesperson
Every business needs people who can represent it effectively.
But having one highly visible founder, CEO or technical expert is not the same as having a strong spokesperson strategy. Solar is an industry that regularly finds itself at the centre of public and political conversations. Topics are revisited, new technologies emerge and the media agenda can shift quickly.
So businesses need to ask: who is actually equipped to represent us and how can we optimise those voices with PR.
4. Build your bank of trust while times are good
When business is booming, awards, certifications, case studies and testimonials can feel like distractions. But trust is an asset, and like any asset, it is better to build it before you need it.
Independent awards, recognised standards, customer testimonials, case studies and positive endorsements all contribute to the wider perception of a business and create a bank of trust. A good PR agency can take away the heavy lifting required!
5. Don’t let a problem become a crisis
There is an uncomfortable truth about successful sectors: when things are going well, the media start looking for the stories that challenge the comfortable narrative.
A buoyant market attracts attention. The worst time to discover that your crisis communications plan is out of date is when the crisis has already arrived. Our Playbook shares how to prepare and how not to panic!
The Take-Away: The commercial opportunity behind communications
The solar market is expanding. That is an enormous opportunity for the businesses operating within it.
But market growth does not automatically translate into brand growth.
When demand rises, everyone can increase their investment in sales. Everyone can generate more leads. Everyone can compete for attention.
The businesses that create a lasting advantage will be those that also invest in preference, credibility and trust.
That means treating PR not as a communications layer added on top of commercial strategy, but as part of the commercial strategy itself.
The most effective sales strategy is supercharged by a powerful brand identity – enabling conversions today while securing market share for tomorrow.
