Parents and campaigners are becoming increasingly concerned about the dangers of solar panels installed on school roofs after multiple reports of fires linked to the devices.
Town hall officials in Suffolk have switched off 80 solar panel systems at schools across the county after three fires broke out in less than a year.
In Northumberland, another 81 systems were disconnected after a fire in a primary school last summer.
Similar blazes in which solar panels were identified as potential factors have also been reported in Shropshire, Nottinghamshire and London over the past two years.
The most recent fire broke out at Sidegate Lane Primary School, Ipswich, on June 24, when the school was evacuated after a staff member smelled smoke.
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Suffolk Fire and Rescue said a full investigation was not required ‘as it has been confirmed beyond reasonable doubt that the cause was a solar panel on the roof’.
The panel had been installed in 2012 as part of a council programme, meaning it was well within the typical 25 to 30-year lifespan of modern systems.
On June 25, Suffolk County Council announced it would temporarily turn off all systems installed in schools between 2011 and 2016.
The council’s spokesperson said there was ‘no conclusive evidence’ linking the school fires to the panels. ‘However, the involvement of solar panels in each case has prompted this precautionary action,’ they added.
‘We were already in the process of carrying out a review of all solar panels and have accelerated the work that was already underway.’
Solar panels were also considered a possible cause of the fire at Brooklands Primary School in nearby Brantham at the start of the Easter holidays, though the cause was officially recorded as ‘undetermined’.
Similarly, solar panels were suspected of causing a fire at East Bergholt Primary School in August 2025.
The incidents have prompted scrutiny of the government’s plans to install solar panels at more than 250 schools and colleges across England.
Under a scheme by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), solar panels had been installed in over 100 schools in March 2026.
The move to renewable energy is part of the government’s 10-year plan to improve the conditions of schools and colleges.
The government claims that educational institutions will save up to a combined £220,000,000 over the lifetime of the solar panel.
A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said: ‘The risk of fire from solar panels is very low – much lower than household appliances such as cookers.
‘Safety is our top priority and we work closely with industry to ensure solar panels meet the highest standards.
DESNZ, which is led by Ed Miliband, said that none of the schools affected by fires were installed as part of the Great British Energy programme, a scheme intended to reduce energy bills so schools spend more on resources.
A spokesperson for the Green Party also told Metro this week that the risk of fire from solar panels is ‘tiny’, but admitted that ‘ageing and poorly-installed systems’ are ‘repeatedly causing problems.’
However, at a time when climate change has seen wildfires break out across the country and red weather warnings be introduced last month, the spokesperson said getting rid of the solar panels would not be the right move.
‘With wildfires raging across the UK because of climate change, we need to speed up, not slow down, our progress towards renewable energy,’ they added.
‘Pausing the roll-out of solar panels would be a serious own goal for the government, and mean schools pay more for their energy for years to come.’
The National Education Union acknowledged that while incidents such as those in Suffolk and Northumberland are rare, the fact that they are happening at all is a cause for concern.
They added: ‘Solar panels do, however, lower carbon emissions, bring down energy bills, and are a key measure in combating the climate crisis.
‘It is, of course, important that all solar panels are properly installed and maintained to prevent any issues that may arise.’
Energy expert Tony Slade told the BBC that it was unlikely the panels themselves had caught fire as they were mostly made of glass.
He said that fires were more likely caused by incorrectly sized or damaged wiring, or problems with the device that converts the power generated by the panels.
He explained that high air temperatures could impact solar panel systems, but most ‘should have an ambient air temperature rating normally greatly in excess of expected.’
He said: ‘Until the cause of the fires is established, the [Suffolk County Council’s] move is sensible.
‘However, this is not a renewable energy problem, but potentially one of electrical system specification, installation, and maintenance.’