Solar & Storage Live UK 2026 preview: September 22–24 NEC Birmingham
Solar & Storage Live UK 2026 runs September 22–24 at the NEC Birmingham — the UK's biggest renewable energy event. Expected 15,000+ attendees, 300+ exhibitors. 2026 threads: CfD AR7 winner showcase, UK domestic solar manufacturing scaling, residential battery boom post-FiT, and UK-EU energy trade post-Brexit. This guide previews what to watch.
In 50 words: Solar & Storage Live UK 2026 runs September 22–24 at the NEC Birmingham — the UK's biggest renewable energy event. Expected 15,000+ attendees, 300+ exhibitors. 2026 threads: CfD AR7 winner showcase, UK domestic solar manufacturing scaling, residential battery boom post-FiT, and UK-EU energy trade post-Brexit. This guide previews what to watch.
Solar & Storage Live UK is the largest dedicated solar + battery storage trade show in the United Kingdom — the natural venue for UK solar developers, installers, OEMs, and policy stakeholders to gather annually. This guide previews the 2026 NEC Birmingham edition.
The event
Solar & Storage Live UK 2026 runs September 22–24, 2026 at the NEC Birmingham. Organized by Terrapinn in cooperation with Solar Energy UK.
- 15,000+ attendees expected
- 300+ exhibitors across solar, BESS, EV charging, heat pumps
- Strong UK installer + EPC + developer presence
- DESNZ (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero) participation
- Co-located: EV Charging Live, Smart Grids Live
Four threads to watch
1. CfD AR7 winners — first commercial deployments
The UK CfD Allocation Round 7 (concluded September 2025) awarded ~3.5 GW solar at £50–£68/MWh. Solar & Storage Live UK 2026 will feature the first wave of CfD AR7 winning developers presenting their build-out plans. Lightsource bp, EDF Renewables UK, BSR Power, and Statkraft UK will showcase project pipelines. See UK solar market 2026 for context.
2. UK domestic solar manufacturing
UK solar manufacturing remains small (~1 GW module assembly, ~0.5 GW cell capacity in 2026) but post-Brexit incentives are driving slow scaling. Solar & Storage Live UK 2026 will feature emerging UK module assembly plants and new entrants positioning for UK domestic-content premium in future CfD rounds.
3. Residential battery boom
UK residential battery deployment is accelerating fast — solar + battery is now the default for new UK residential solar installations. Solar & Storage Live UK 2026 will feature dedicated residential storage showcases from Tesla, Enphase, GivEnergy, SolaX, Sonnen, Powervault, and Octopus Energy Generation (vertically integrated). For broader context, see solar battery brands US 2026 ranked (US comparison) and solar Batteriespeicher Germany 2026.
4. UK-EU energy trade post-Brexit
UK is no longer in EU single market, but UK-EU electricity trade remains commercially important. Solar & Storage Live UK 2026 will feature panels on:
- UK-EU interconnector solar export economics
- UK CBAM development (expected late 2026/2027)
- Comparison of UK CfD vs EU NZIA + member state auction frameworks
- Brexit-era trade frictions for UK-EU solar equipment
See EU CBAM impact on solar imports 2026 for the EU side.
Who attends
| Category | Notable participants | |---|---| | UK solar developers | Lightsource bp, EDF Renewables UK, BSR Power, Statkraft UK, Octopus Energy Generation, Greencoat Capital, NextEnergy Solar Fund, Foresight Solar | | Module + inverter brands | Trina (UK distribution), Q Cells, REC, JA Solar, Longi, Sungrow, SMA, Fronius, Enphase, SolarEdge | | UK residential battery | Tesla, Enphase, GivEnergy, SolaX, Sonnen, Powervault, Moixa, Puredrive | | Heat pump + integrated | Vaillant, Mitsubishi, Daikin, Octopus Energy heat pumps | | Government | DESNZ, Ofgem, Solar Energy UK industry body, Renewable UK trade body |
What's new vs. 2025
- CfD AR7 winners showcase (new for 2026)
- Larger residential battery pavilion (~40% more space)
- Dedicated UK domestic manufacturing area (new)
- Stronger UK-EU policy comparison conference track
How Solar & Storage Live UK fits in the European event calendar
| Event | Audience focus | |---|---| | Intersolar Europe (Munich, June) | EU + global solar industry; UK has some presence | | Solar & Storage Live UK (Birmingham, September) | UK industry focus; smaller international presence | | Enlit Europe (Milan, November) | EU utility + grid focus; some UK participation |
If you're UK solar industry, Solar & Storage Live UK is the must-attend domestic event. If you're EU/global, Intersolar Europe is more important.
Practical notes for attendees
- Location: NEC Birmingham, with direct rail link from London (~90 min)
- Hotels: NEC has multiple on-site options + Birmingham city center hotels
- Best for: UK residential + commercial solar installer/developer meetings
- Less ideal for: utility-scale international developers (Intersolar Europe better)
- Registration: free for industry professionals with valid pre-registration
For other upcoming EU/UK events, see Enlit Europe 2026 preview, EU PVSEC 2026 Vienna preview, Hydrogen Technology Expo Europe 2026 preview, plus our exhibitions calendar.
Researched and drafted with AI assistance; reviewed and edited by Pruthvi A.. Browse more solar coverage or BESS coverage. Standards: editorial, AI disclosure.