Solar panels for commercial property, FAQs

A typical SME install ranges from £20,000 (small office, ~25 kW) to £225,000 (light industrial, ~250 kW). Cost per kW is typically £900-£1,300 below 100 kW, falling to £750-£950/kW above 200 kW. After 100% AIA tax relief, effective net cost for limited companies is roughly 75% of headline price.

5-8 years for most UK SMEs. Daytime-occupied sites with high baseload (manufacturing, retail) hit the lower end. Office-only sites with moderate weekend usage run 7-9 years. Adding battery storage can extend payback by 2-3 years but lifts annual savings 25-40%.

Yes, most SMEs we work with don't pay any capex up front. Asset finance over 5-7 years is cash-flow positive from month one (the finance payment is less than the bill saving). PPA options have zero capex and start saving from day one. We model both options for every SME quote.

Not necessarily for installs below 17 kW per phase. For larger systems, three-phase supply is generally required. Many small SMEs have single-phase supplies that limit practical PV to about 13 kW, a three-phase upgrade may be needed for larger systems and we factor this into the feasibility study.

100% AIA means the full capex is deducted from taxable profits in year one, up to £1m per year. For a profitable limited company at 25% corporation tax, an £80,000 install delivers £20,000 of tax relief, net cost £60,000. Similar reliefs apply for unincorporated businesses on cash basis.

Solar improves EPC rating, typically lifts a band C to a B, or a band D to a C. Useful for landlords who must comply with MEES (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards), currently requiring band E or above, rising to band C by 2027 and band B by 2030 for non-domestic property. Solar is a recognised contribution.

Yes, most SME installs include a touchscreen lobby display showing live generation, lifetime kWh, and CO2 saved. Some clients put the data on their website footer or invoice template as a customer-facing trust signal. Web/app dashboards are standard.

From contract to commissioned: 8-16 weeks for sub-100 kW SME installs. Physical install: 1-4 weeks. DNO connection: typically the long pole, 4-8 weeks for G98 (sub-100 kW), 6-18 months for G99 (above 100 kW). We submit DNO application before the survey to compress timelines.

Three options. (1) Owned system: relocate (15-25% of original cost) or sell with the building (PV adds 5-15% to commercial property value). (2) PPA: contract continues at the original site or transfers with sale. (3) Asset finance: settle the finance balance and sell the system with the building at agreed value.

Increasingly yes, if you supply FTSE 250 customers, sit in their CDP Supply Chain disclosure, or have a green clause in any contract. SECR (Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting) applies to large companies; smaller SMEs aren't directly required but their customers may flow requirements down. Solar is the cleanest Scope 2 reduction available.

Both work. Adding now: marginal cost is lower because design, switchgear, and installation are bundled. Adding later: you can wait until you have a year of generation data to size the battery accurately. We design every PV system to be battery-retrofittable so the door isn't closed if you choose to wait.

You can, but green tariffs are typically 5-15% more expensive than standard, and the 'greenness' is contested (most rely on REGOs which are widely regarded as a weak certification). On-site solar is locked-in cost reduction and indisputable Scope 2 reduction. Many SMEs run a green tariff alongside on-site solar for the residual grid imports.