Commercial solar costs, and a £0 option
How Much Do Commercial Solar Panels Cost?
Commercial solar panels cost less per kW the bigger the system. Here is what they cost to buy, from a government dataset and two real proposals, then how a solar PPA (a deal where someone else pays for the panels) takes it to nothing up front.
Nothing to pay up front, not even a deposit. Illustrative figures, never a promise.
“I was pretty sceptical initially because you never get anything for free in this life.”
The short answer
What do commercial solar panels cost to buy, and what changes with a PPA?
Commercial solar panels cost about £1,200 to £1,260 per kW installed for a small system of 10 to 50 kW, going by the government's own figures for 2025 to 2026. A kW (kilowatt) is the size of a system, and bigger systems cost less per kW. In our own proposals, Crest Community Centre's 50 kW system is valued at £42,741, and a dairy farm in North Yorkshire's 74 kW system with a 100 kWh battery is valued at £103,052.
A solar PPA (power purchase agreement) is a different way to pay. Our funding partner buys the system. You pay £0 to start, then 16p to 23p for each kWh (the unit on your bill) of its power that you use, fixed for 15 years. The rest of this page shows the figures, what moves the price, and where buying outright is the better deal.
- System size (peak output)
- 50 kWp
- Power it makes each year
- 36,290 kWh
- Fixed price for 15 years
- 18p per kWh (was 37p)
- Saving in year one
- £4,739
- Saving over 15 years
- £131,796
The 15-year figure assumes grid prices rise 5% a year. Your proposal works out your own figures, never a promise.
Free, in writing, no obligation
Your own figures, printed before you decide anything
A proposal prints the value of the system, the buy-out price for every year and your yearly saving. Nothing sits behind a form. Here is Crest's, in our layout. Yours is built in up to 5 working days.
- The system designed for your siteSized to your real usage by the funder's design team, with how much power it should make each year.
- Your fixed price per kWhSet from your usage data. Between 16p and 23p today, and fixed for 15 years.
- Your savingsIn year one and over 15 years, worked out from your own bills. Illustrative, never a promise.
- Your buy-out price for every yearPrinted in full, falling each year to £1 at year 15. So you can see your way out before you sign.
The figures we have
What commercial solar panels cost: one public range and two real proposals
We would rather show real numbers than a price list that does not fit your roof. Here is everything we can stand behind, and what each figure does and does not tell you.
| Figure | What it is | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| About £1,200 to £1,260 per kW | The middle price paid per kW for small solar systems of 10 to 50 kW in Great Britain in 2025 to 2026. Government data (DESNZ), published 28 May 2026. | Third-party, not ours. It covers domestic and non-domestic sites, includes VAT where it applied and leaves out batteries. The government notes non-domestic installs cost less per kW on average, so a commercial roof will often come in under it. |
| £42,741 | The value of Crest Community Centre's 50 kW system, printed in its proposal. It is also the price to buy the system out on day one. | A real charity site in Llandudno Junction, with 81 panels. One site and one roof, so a guide and not a rule. |
| £103,052 | The value of a 74 kW system with a 100 kWh battery, in a proposal for a dairy farm in North Yorkshire. | The battery is a large part of it, added because the farm milks morning and afternoon. Not comparable per kW with the other two. |
Source for the first row: DESNZ, Solar PV cost data 2025/26, on gov.uk. Its two versions of the median for 10 to 50 kW sit between about £1,200 and £1,260 per kW. The data stops at 50 kW, so there is no official figure for larger roofs.
Why we do not print a price per kW of our own
Every system is designed for one site, from its usage data. A figure we made up would only look more exact than it is. Divide Crest's value by its 50 kW and it lands below the government's middle for the 10 to 50 kW band. That fits the trend that bigger systems cost less per kW. The two use different bases, so treat it as a sense check and not a like-for-like match.
What shapes the price
Six things that move what a commercial solar system costs
Two roofs of the same size can cost different amounts. These are the reasons.
System size
Bigger systems cost less per kW. In the government data, the middle price for 10 to 50 kW is about a third lower per kW than for the smallest systems. We write for sites that can take 50 kW or more, and 20 kW is our floor.
The roof and getting to it
A big, open flat roof is simpler to cover than a split or awkward one. Height, access and scaffolding all add cost. On a PPA our funding partner pays for the scaffolding. We check your roof from satellite images first.
Panels and inverters
Tier-one makers such as Canadian Solar and Astronergy for the panels, and SolaX for the inverters (the boxes that turn panel power into the power your building uses). Crest's 50 kW used 81 panels of 615 W. The funder's design team picks the kit for each site.
A battery
Worth adding only where your usage justifies it, and it raises the price. In our dairy farm proposal the PPA rate was 21p with a battery, against 17p to 18p without.
About commercial batteriesThe grid connection
A three-phase supply is the first thing to check. The grid operator's application typically costs £500 to £1,000, and we pay it.
Three-phase and the gridHow much power you use in the day
Sizing to your real usage stops you paying for panels that make power you cannot use. Half-hourly meter readings show it best.
About half-hourly dataThe PPA alternative
Nothing up front, then 16p to 23p per kWh instead of the grid price
To buy, fit and connect the system
Our funding partner pays for the panels, inverter, frames, scaffolding, labour and grid connection. Not even a deposit.
Per kWh for the solar you use, fixed for 15 years
Crest went from 37p to 18p. Lesters Farm Shop went from about 23p to 17p. Your rate depends on your site (September 2026).
To own it at the end of year 15
Or buy it out sooner. The price for every year is printed in your proposal.
The rest of your power still comes from your normal supplier. See how a PPA works, step by step.
What you pay per kWh for the solar you use
- PPA price: 16p to 23p, fixed for 15 years
- What our case-study customers were paying: about 23p to 53p
PPA prices as of September 2026, and your rate depends on your site. Savings are illustrative, never promised. Your proposal works out your own.
Check your eligibilityFree, no obligation, about two minutesHow can it cost nothing?
Three questions people ask when they hear £0
How can it cost nothing?
The funder earns it back over 15 years
Our funding partner earns in two ways. You buy the solar you use at the fixed price, and spare power is sold to the grid. Over 15 years that pays back the system, and a bit more. You get cheaper power and pay nothing to start.
What do I give up?
A lease on the roof space and a soft credit check
The funder rents the roof space and never owns your roof or your building. It runs a soft credit check on the business, which leaves no mark on your file. The first papers do not bind you and stay open for 10 working days.
Can I still end up owning it?
Yes, from a printed price list
Your proposal prints a buy-out price for every year. Crest's starts at £42,741 (the same system value as in the table above), falls to £28,487 at year 5 and £14,233 at year 10, and is £1 at year 15.
The honest comparison
Buying or a solar PPA: where each one wins
Buying outright is the better deal for some sites. If you have the cash, will keep the building for decades and want power with no per-kWh charge once the system is paid for, it can win. A PPA suits a site that would rather keep its money and hand over the work.
| What to compare | Solar PPA with Bay Bright | Buying outright |
|---|---|---|
| Cost up front | £0, not even a deposit | The full price of the system. Crest's 50 kW system is valued at £42,741 |
| Price of the power it makes | Fixed at 16p to 23p per kWh for 15 years | Nothing per kWh once the system is paid for. This is where buying wins |
| Cleaning, checks and repairs | Covered for the whole term, with cleaning every 6 to 12 months | Yours to arrange and pay for |
| If it makes less than expected | You pay less, because you pay for what you use | You have paid for the system either way |
| Who owns it | The funder, until you buy it out. £1 at year 15 | You, from day one |
| Your cash | Stays in the business | Tied up in the roof |
Which suits your site?
When a PPA fits, and when buying may fit better
The full side-by-side is on our PPA or buying page. This is the short version.
A PPA usually suits when
- You would rather spend on the business than on a roof
- You want a fixed price per kWh and no repairs to think about
- You may sell or move one day. The deal can pass to the new owner at the same rate, or you can buy it out
Buying may suit better when
- You have the cash and want to own the system from day one
- You will hold the building for decades and want no per-kWh charge
- Your site is under 20 kW or on a single-phase supply. A PPA is not for you, and we do not do homes
Real savings
What the same solar saved on a PPA, in three real proposals
Everything is priced per kWh. The more you pay the grid now, the more you save.
Figures come from each proposal. They are illustrative, never promised, and the 15-year figure rests on that 5% a year assumption.
What happens next
From first call to switch-on, in about five to six weeks
Before you decide anything
- 1
Tell us about your site
A few quick questions, about two minutes. Or just call. Dave calls back within 24 hours.
- 2
We check your roof and bills
A desktop survey from satellite images, plus the 12 months of usage data you send over.
- 3
Your proposal, on a video call
The funder's design team builds it in up to 5 working days. We go through it with you, and the funder joins so you can ask them anything.
- 4
Paperwork that doesn't bind you
Three first papers let us apply to the grid for you. They are not binding and stay open for 10 working days.
Once you've said yes
- 5
Site survey and grid approval (DNO)
A full survey on site. Then we apply to the grid operator and pay the fee. SP Energy Networks takes 2 to 3 weeks locally, and it can take up to 12 weeks where the operator is slower.
- 6
Fitted while you stay open
MCS-registered installers fit the system. Both our case-study customers stayed open throughout.
- 7
Switch-on and your first bill
The direct debit starts once the system is running. Dave comes back after a month to check your first bill with you.
In their own words
They asked about the cost and the catch too
“It hasn't cost me a single penny to have it all installed.”
“With that saving, most importantly for us, we can give back to the community.”
Questions
Commercial solar cost questions, answered
How much do commercial solar panels cost?
For small systems of 10 to 50 kW, government data for 2025 to 2026 puts the middle price at about £1,200 to £1,260 per kW installed. Bigger systems cost less per kW. Crest Community Centre's 50 kW system is valued at £42,741 in its proposal. On a PPA you pay nothing to have it fitted.
What does a 50 kW commercial solar system cost?
Crest Community Centre's 50 kW system, with 81 panels, is valued at £42,741 in its proposal. That is one roof, so treat it as a guide. Crest paid nothing up front and now pays 18p per kWh for the solar it uses.
Why does a system with a battery cost more?
A dairy farm in North Yorkshire had a 74 kW system valued at £103,052, and that includes a 100 kWh battery. A battery is added only where your usage justifies it, and here it was because the farm milks morning and afternoon. It also raised the PPA rate to 21p, against 17p to 18p without one.
Is there an official price for systems over 50 kW?
Not that we have found. The government's cost data stops at 50 kW, so we do not print a made-up price for bigger roofs. Your proposal prints the value of your own system.
What does commercial solar cost on a PPA?
Nothing up front, not even a deposit. You pay for the solar you use at 16p to 23p per kWh, fixed for 15 years (September 2026), on one monthly direct debit. The rest of your electricity stays with your current supplier.
Is it cheaper to buy commercial solar or use a PPA?
It depends on your cash and your plans. Buying can win over the long run if you have the money and will keep the system for decades, because you pay nothing per kWh once it is paid for. A PPA wins if you would rather keep your cash and not manage repairs.
Who pays for the grid connection?
Our funding partner pays for the system and for connecting it to the grid. We pay the application to the grid operator, which typically costs £500 to £1,000.
Who pays for repairs and cleaning?
The provider monitors, maintains and cleans the system for the whole 15 years at no cost to you. Panels are cleaned every 6 to 12 months. If something stops, it gets fixed, and your building just uses the grid in the meantime.
Can I buy the system later?
Yes, at any time, from a price list printed in your proposal. Crest's starts at £42,741, falls to £28,487 at year 5 and £14,233 at year 10, and is £1 at year 15. The price falls each year.
Does my site qualify for a PPA?
You need a three-phase supply, room for at least 20 kW (about 45 to 50 panels) and a year of electricity data. The site must not have existing solar. If you rent, the owner has to agree. Send a postcode and a recent bill and we check your roof on a map. We do not do homes.
Case studies
Real sites, with their real figures
Charity, Llandudno Junction
Crest Community Centre: from 37p to 18p per kWh
A 50 kWp system. £4,739 saved in year one, and the savings help fund the centre's food bank and community radio.
Read the case studyFarm shop, Buckley
56.7 kWLesters Farm Shop, open and trading throughout
- 126 panels at 17p per kWh
- Two 22 kW EV chargers at no cost
- £2,624 saved a year
Keep reading
More guides on what a commercial solar project needs
Where we work
Commercial solar across North Wales and the borders
Based in Colwyn Bay, working across North Wales, Mid Wales, Cheshire, the Wirral, Merseyside and Shropshire. Further afield, our funding partner has approved installers across Great Britain.
See your own cost, worked out from your own bills
Send your postcode and a recent bill. We check your roof on a map and tell you quickly. Or see a real proposal first, line by line, and read about how the PPA works.