For sites that use power in the day
Solar Panels for Business in North Wales
Solar panels for business in North Wales, fitted at no cost to you. Our funding partner pays. You buy the power the roof makes at a price fixed for 15 years. It suits any site that uses a lot of power while the sun is up.
Nothing up front, not even a deposit. Not for homes.
“The team were professional, organised, and really respectful of the fact we were open and trading.”
£0 up front
Our funding partner pays for the system. Not even a deposit
Fixed for 15 years
Between 16p and 23p per kWh today, depending on the site (September 2026)
NAPIT
Our installers are accredited
Our installation partners are MCS registered, and RECC and NAPIT accredited
One person to call
Dave handles the funder, the installer and the grid for you, first call to first bill
What it is, and who it suits
Solar panels for business in North Wales: what it is and who it suits
The deal is called a power purchase agreement (PPA). Our funding partner pays for the panels and the fitting. You buy the power they make at a set price per kWh (the unit on your electricity bill), and the price never moves for 15 years. This page helps you see whether your site fits. For how the deal itself works, see our PPA page.
Who it suits, by roof
The roofs and land that work
A kW (kilowatt) is the size of a system. 20 kW is about 45 to 50 panels, each about 1.2 m by 1.75 m. We check your roof from satellite images before anything else.
Big commercial roofs
Room for 50 kW or more is where we do our best work. A typical 50 kW system is about 120 panels.
Warehouses and factoriesBarn and shed roofs
Dairy, arable and farm shops all have long roofs and a daytime load that fits the sun.
Solar for farmsSchools, care homes and halls
Large buildings that people use all day. The roof does the work while they are in.
Solar for schoolsSpare land
No roof big enough? The panels can go on land instead. Planning permission can add time, so mention land in your first enquiry.
Sites with a car park
Two 22 kW EV chargers can go in at no cost where there is a car park, subject to survey.
About EV chargingRented premises
You can use the roof you rent if the building owner agrees. They gain too, through a better EPC rating.
Do you qualify?Who it suits, by daytime load
The kinds of daytime use that make the numbers work
What counts is what your site uses while the sun is up, not how big your roof is.
Machines running through the day
Almost everything the roof makes is used on the spot, so very little is sold on to the grid.
Chilling and cold stores
Fridges, freezers and milk tanks draw power all day. The roof covers a share of it whenever the sun is out.
Early starts
A bakery that opens at 6am needs a different design from a factory that runs at night. We size to your own readings.
Busy buildings
Crest Community Centre has more than 40 local staff, plus volunteers, on site in the day.
See the Crest figuresLong trading hours
Lesters Farm Shop uses 129,958 kWh a year. Its roof makes 47,210 kWh, and 92% of that is used on site.
See the Lesters figuresEvening and overnight use
If most of your load is after dark, a battery may help. It raises the rate, so we add one only if your data says it pays.
About battery storagePick your sector
Go straight to the page for your kind of site
Each sector has its own page, with the worries and the figures that matter to it.
Solar for Farms
Dairy, arable and farm shops. Milking times, barn roofs and when a battery earns its place.
Find out more
Warehouses and Factories
Big roofs and machines that run all day. The size of site we write for.
Find out more
Charities and Community Buildings
Community centres, hospices, churches and sports clubs. See how Crest did it.
Find out more
Solar for Schools
Large roofs and a busy daytime load, with nothing to find from the school budget.
Find out more
Care Homes
Buildings that use power day and night. We size the system to your own readings.
Find out more
Hotels, Retail and Hospitality
Shops and hotels with long trading hours. A car park can take EV chargers.
Find out moreThe deal, and what you can add to it
Battery storage, EV charging and how the PPA works
Most sites start with a roof and nothing else. These pages cover the rest.
Solar PPA
Who pays, how the funder earns, what you are signing and what happens at year 15.
Find out more
Commercial Battery Storage
For sites that use power early, late or overnight. Added only where your data justifies the higher rate.
Find out more
Commercial EV Charging
Two 22 kW chargers at no cost where there is a car park, subject to survey. You keep 50% of the revenue.
Find out more
Why daytime use matters
A site that uses what its roof makes gets the most from the deal
Panels only make power while it is light. When they do, your building runs on the roof first and draws from the grid only when the roof cannot cover it. You pay the PPA price for the solar you use, and the normal grid rate for the rest.
Power the roof makes that you do not use goes to the grid, and the funder earns from it, not you. So the more you use on the spot, the better the deal works. Our three real proposals show how that plays out.
- Lesters Farm Shop: 92% used on siteThe roof makes 47,210 kWh a year. Only 8% goes to the grid.
- Crest Community Centre: 69% used on site36,290 kWh a year, which is 71% of what the centre uses. The other 31% is exported.
- A dairy farm in North Yorkshire: 74% used on siteThe proposal pairs the roof with a battery, because the farm milks morning and afternoon.
In their own words
Two owners who thought it was too good to be true
“I was pretty sceptical initially because you never get anything for free in this life. But once Dave broke down the detail and explained to me how it would benefit Crest as an organisation, it became quickly to me a bit of a no-brainer.”
“The team were professional, organised, and really respectful of the fact we were open and trading.”
- 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 proposal: the system, the rate and your way out, for your site
You should not have to take our word for it, so the numbers come first, in writing, with no obligation. This is what Crest's looked like. Yours comes back in up to five 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.
What a business gets
What changes when the roof is paid for by someone else
Three things business owners tell us matter, with the figures from real proposals.
A lower rate on the power you use
£2,624saved in a year at Lesters Farm ShopLesters paid about 23p per kWh and now pays 17p for its solar. On a 56.7 kW system that saves £2,624 a year. The more you pay now, the more you save.
See the Lesters figuresEV chargers, if you have a car park
50%of charging revenue kept by youWe can fit two 22 kW chargers at no cost, subject to survey. Drivers pay to charge, and the business keeps half of the revenue each month. Lesters has two.
About EV chargingA better energy rating on the building
EPC Bneeded from 2031 on larger rented buildingsAn EPC is an energy performance certificate, the A to G rating a building gets for its energy use. The government has confirmed larger rented commercial buildings will need a B from 2031. Solar is one of the most direct ways to lift a rating, and a PPA does it at no cost up front.
About EPC B and 2031Real figures from our customers' proposals, never a promise. Yours works out your own.
What it costs
What a business pays: nothing to start, then a set price per kWh
To have it fitted and connected
Not even a deposit. We also cover the grid application fee, which is usually £500 to £1,000.
Per kWh, set by your own usage
Fixed for 15 years (September 2026). A battery lifts it. The dairy farm proposal came to 21p with one, against 17p to 18p without.
Saved in a year across three real proposals
Lesters paid about 23p and saves £2,624 on 56.7 kW. The dairy farm paid about 53p and saves £14,723 on 74 kW. Illustrative, never a promise.
See what commercial solar costs to buy outright, or how the PPA works.
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 my site's eligibilityFree, no obligation, about two minutesThe honest comparison
Paying for it: a PPA or buying outright, for a business
Buying can be the better deal if you have spare cash and want to run the system yourself. A PPA suits a business that would rather keep its money for the day job. The full comparison goes further.
| What to compare | Solar PPA with Bay Bright | Buying outright |
|---|---|---|
| Cash from the business | None. Not even a deposit | A large cheque. Crest's 50 kWp buy-out price at the start is £42,741 |
| What you pay for the power | 16p to 23p per kWh for the solar you use, fixed for 15 years | Nothing per kWh once it is paid for, which is where buying wins |
| Staff time and know-how | None needed. It is monitored, maintained and cleaned for you | Yours to arrange, or to pay a contractor for |
| Your supplier and contract | Unchanged. You just buy less from them | Unchanged |
| If you rent the building | Needs the owner's agreement and a roof lease with the funder | Needs the owner's agreement, and you spend on a roof you do not own |
| If you sell or move | The deal can pass to the new owner at the same rate, or you buy it out from the printed list | The system stays with the building |
| After 15 years | Buy it for £1, renew at a new rate or have it removed | It is already yours |
The worries business owners raise
Contracts, tenants, disruption and know-how: straight answers
I have a contract with my energy supplier. Does solar get in the way?
Your supplier and your contract stay exactly as they are
You do not switch supplier. The solar you use is billed on one monthly direct debit. Whatever the roof cannot cover still comes from your supplier, on your existing contract, so you simply buy less from them. You only ever pay for the power you actually take from the system, and you can track it live.
I rent my premises. Can I still do this?
Yes, with the building owner’s agreement, and they gain too
The panels go on the owner’s roof, so the owner has to agree. The funder rents the roof space under a lease and never owns the roof or the building. Owners often like it, because the government has confirmed that larger rented commercial buildings will need an EPC B from 2031. Ask them early. Read about EPC B and 2031.
Will it disrupt my trading?
Both of our case-study sites stayed open throughout
Crest is a community centre with staff, volunteers and visitors. Lesters is a working farm shop. Neither closed. Rod at Crest said, “We didn’t even know they were there half the time.” The full survey and the grid application come first, so the fitting itself is the short part.
I am not technical. Who looks after it?
Nobody on your team needs to understand solar
The system is watched from a central screen. If something stops, it gets fixed at no cost to you, and the building just uses the grid in the meantime. The panels are cleaned every 6 to 12 months. You deal with one person, Dave, from your first call until he visits a month after switch-on to check your first bill. The funder only earns on power the system makes, so it wants it running.
How it runs for a business
From first enquiry to switch-on: five to six weeks in North Wales
Five to six weeks is what we see where the local grid operator is quick. Where it is slower, allow up to 12.
Before you decide anything
- 1
Tell us about your site
Your postcode, a recent bill and the kind of business you run. About two minutes, or just call. Dave calls back within 24 hours.
- 2
We check your roof and your data
A desktop survey from satellite images. Then 12 months of electricity use, half-hourly if you have it, so the design fits your real day.
- 3
Your proposal, on a video call
The funder’s design team builds it in up to 5 working days. We go through it together, and the funder joins so you can put your own questions to them.
- 4
Papers that don’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. Then comes the PPA contract.
Once you've said yes
- 5
Site survey and grid approval
A full survey on site. Then we apply to the DNO (the company that runs the local power network) and pay the fee. SP Energy Networks takes 2 to 3 weeks locally.
- 6
Fitted while you stay open
MCS-registered installers fit the system. Both case-study sites traded as normal.
- 7
Switch-on and your first bill
The direct debit starts once the system is running. A month later Dave checks your first bill with you.
Do you qualify?
What a site needs, and why 50 kW and above is our focus
The full list is on our eligibility page. These are the points that decide it for most business sites.
20 kW is the floor
That is about 45 to 50 panels. We do not take smaller systems, and there is no top limit.
50 kW and above is what we write for
Our three real proposals run from 50 kW to 74 kW. Everything is priced per kWh, so the more you pay now, the more you save.
A three-phase supply
The stronger supply most businesses and farms have. A single-phase one, the kind a house has, only takes about 15 to 17 kW, which is under the floor.
About three-phase and the gridA year of electricity data
Half-hourly smart-meter readings are best. Otherwise a year of bills in kWh will do. It lets us size to your real daytime load.
About half-hourly dataSpace, and no existing solar
We check the space first from the air. The site must not have solar on it already. Not sure? Send your postcode and a recent bill and we will tell you.
The owner’s agreement, if you rent
The building owner has to say yes. The funder also runs a soft credit check on the business, which we tell you about up front.
How to choose
Roof or land, battery or none, EV chargers or none
Most sites start with a roof and nothing else. These are the other options, and when each one makes sense.
| Your choice | Suits | What changes | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sites that use most of their power while the sun is up | The simplest design. Crest pays 18p per kWh | Power you do not use on the spot goes to the grid, and the funder earns from it | |
| Sites with a lot of use early, late or overnight, such as a dairy farm that milks morning and afternoon | The rate goes up. A dairy farm proposal was 21p, against 17p to 18p without a battery | We add one only where your data justifies it, decided at survey. About batteries | |
| Shops, hotels and community buildings with a car park | Two 22 kW chargers at no cost, and you keep 50% of the revenue each month | Subject to a survey of the car park. About EV charging | |
| Farms and sites with spare land and a roof that is too small | The panels stand on the ground. The deal is the same | Planning permission can add time, so mention land in your first enquiry |
Not sure which row you are? Start with the warehouse and factory page or the farm page, or see a real proposal to find out what yours would look like.
Case studies
Two real business sites, with every figure printed
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
Where we work
Solar for business across North Wales and the borders
We are based in Colwyn Bay and work across North Wales, Mid Wales, Cheshire, the Wirral, Merseyside and Shropshire. Further afield, our funding partner has approved installers across Great Britain, but not Northern Ireland.
Questions business owners ask
Solar for business: size, supply, tenants and what happens at year 15
Are solar panels for business in North Wales worth it?
They can be, if your site uses a lot of power in the daytime. You pay 16p to 23p per kWh for the solar you use, fixed for 15 years, instead of the grid rate. Crest went from 37p to 18p and saved £4,739 in year one. Savings are illustrative, never a promise, and your proposal works out your own.
How big does my system need to be?
The smallest system we take on is 20 kW, which is about 45 to 50 panels. We write for sites that can take 50 kW or more, which is about 120 panels on a typical system. There is no top limit. The funder's design team sizes it to your daytime use, using a year of your electricity data.
Why does daytime use matter so much?
Panels only make power while it is light. Power you use at the time replaces power you would buy from the grid. Power you do not use goes to the grid, and the funder earns from it, not you. Lesters Farm Shop uses 92% of what its roof makes on site.
Do I need a three-phase supply?
Yes. Three-phase is the stronger supply that most businesses and farms have. A single-phase supply, the kind a house has, can only take a system of about 15 to 17 kW, which is under our 20 kW floor. If you are not sure which you have, ask when you enquire.
Do I need a battery or EV chargers?
No. A battery is added only where your usage justifies one, and that is decided at survey. It raises the rate, as in a dairy farm proposal at 21p against 17p to 18p without one. Where you have a car park, we can add two 22 kW EV chargers at no cost, subject to survey.
I rent my premises. Can my business still do this?
Yes, if the building owner agrees. The panels go on their roof, so it has to be their decision too. It helps them as well, because solar can lift the building's energy performance certificate (EPC) rating. The government has confirmed larger rented commercial buildings will need an EPC B from 2031.
Will it change my electricity supplier or contract?
No. Your supplier and your contract stay as they are. You pay for the solar you use on one monthly direct debit, and you buy the rest from your supplier as now. You can track what you use from the solar live.
Will my business have to close while the panels go on?
No. Both of our case-study sites, a community centre and a farm shop, stayed open and trading. A full survey and the grid application happen before anyone starts fitting. Rod at Crest said, "There was minimal disruption."
I am not technical. Who looks after the system?
Nobody on your team has to. The system is watched from a central screen, fixed at no cost if anything stops, and cleaned every 6 to 12 months. You deal with one person, Dave, from your first call until he visits a month after switch-on to check your first bill.
What is the catch for a business?
The funder earns from the solar you buy and from selling spare power to the grid. Over 15 years that pays back the system and a bit more. In return there is a soft credit check on the business (it leaves no mark on your file) and a lease on your roof space. The first papers do not bind you and stay open for 10 working days.
How long does it take?
About five to six weeks from first enquiry to switch-on in North Wales, where the local grid operator (the DNO, short for distribution network operator) takes 2 to 3 weeks to approve. Where the DNO is slower it can take up to 12 weeks. Your proposal is ready in up to 5 working days once we have your roof and your electricity data.
What happens at the end of the 15 years?
You choose. Buy the system for £1, agree a new price per kWh and carry on, stay at the same price for five more years and then buy it for £1, or pay to have it removed. The panels carry a 30-year warranty, so at least another 10 years of free electricity follows a £1 buy-out.
Find out which of these your site is
Send your postcode and a recent bill. We check your roof on a map, and your proposal comes back in up to 5 working days. Nothing you sign at the start ties you in. Or see a real proposal first.