Commercial solar installation in the UK: a guide for businesses
Commercial solar installation has become a practical way for UK businesses to take back some control over their electricity costs. Ecovision has installed more than 5,000 solar PV systems and manages over 18,000 across the UK. We are MCS certified and a Crown Commercial Service supplier, and we have been fitting and looking after commercial systems since 2010. This guide covers how commercial solar works, whether your building is suitable, what the installation involves, the planning and grid rules that apply, and what to look for when you choose an installer.
What commercial solar installation involves
A commercial system fits solar PV panels to a roof, a carport or unused ground, and converts daylight into electricity your building uses on site. Any surplus can be exported to the grid. A typical system is made up of panels, mounting, inverters, electrical protection and monitoring, and sometimes battery storage. The difference from a domestic install is scale and design: a commercial array is sized around how the business actually uses power, needs a grid connection agreement, and involves structural and planning checks. For most businesses, the value comes from using as much of the generation as possible during working hours, when the building is already drawing electricity.
Is your building suitable?
Commercial solar is usually a good fit when the site uses electricity through the day, the roof is in sound condition with a good few years of life left, and there is space with limited shading. It is worth a closer look, rather than ruling it out, when:
- the roof is due for replacement in the next few years
- there is significant shading from nearby buildings or trees
- the building is listed or sits in a conservation area
- the local grid has limited capacity for export
- the site is leased, and the lease terms need checking first
A feasibility review answers this properly for your specific building, and it is where we start.
Which businesses it suits
Commercial solar works across a wide range of premises. Warehouses and industrial units tend to have large flat roofs and steady daytime demand, which makes them some of the strongest candidates. Offices and retail units, farms and rural sites with both roof and land, schools, hospitals and other public sector buildings, and landlords with multi-tenant properties all fit the model. If you run several buildings, we can assess them together and begin with the roofs best suited to solar.
The benefits for a business
Using your own generation reduces how much you draw from the grid, which makes energy costs more predictable over time. Solar also supports carbon reporting and net zero commitments, and increasingly helps with the sustainability questions that appear in tenders and supply chains. It puts otherwise dead roof space to work. The size of the benefit depends on your building and how you use power, which is why a proper assessment matters more than a headline figure.
The installation process, step by step
The exact process depends on the site, but a commercial project usually runs through the same stages.
- Energy assessment. We look at your annual consumption, half-hourly meter data and peak demand, so the system is sized to what you use rather than simply filling the roof.
- Survey and design. A site survey checks the roof, structure, orientation and shading, and we design the array, inverters and protection around it.
- Grid connection. Larger systems need a connection agreement with the local network operator (a G99 application, or G98 for small systems), which can shape the size and the timeline.
- Structural and planning checks. We confirm the roof can carry the load and confirm the work falls under permitted development, or handle a planning application where one is needed.
- Installation. Qualified teams fit the mounting, panels, inverters and wiring, working safely at height.
- Commissioning and monitoring. The system is tested and handed over, with monitoring set up so performance is visible from the first day.
Planning, permitted development and regulations
Most commercial rooftop solar in England falls under permitted development, within set limits. Planning permission is more likely to be needed for listed buildings, conservation areas, ground-mounted arrays, or where size and height limits are exceeded. Installations follow building regulations and grid standards, and the connection with the network operator has to be agreed before the system can export. We deal with these checks and applications as part of the project, so you are not left to work through them alone.
Costs, finance and incentives
The cost of a commercial system depends on its size, the roof type and access, the electrical work involved, and whether battery storage is included, so a price only means something after a survey. On the financial side, surplus electricity can be sold back through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). The tax treatment, including VAT recovery and capital allowances, is worth confirming with your accountant, as it varies by business. Public sector buyers can procure through the Crown Commercial Service frameworks they already use.
Battery storage and EV charging
Storing daytime generation to use later, or pairing solar with EV charging, can raise how much of your own power you end up using rather than exporting. Neither is automatically worth it. We assess whether storage or charging adds value for your site and your usage pattern before recommending it.
What happens after installation
This is where a commercial system quietly performs or quietly loses money. If one string drops out or an inverter faults and nobody is watching, the lost generation builds up unnoticed. We monitor every system we install, and our maintenance, cleaning and O&M teams keep output where it should be. We manage more than 18,000 installations this way, which is the part a company that only installs tends not to offer.
How to choose a commercial solar installer
Look for MCS certification and genuine commercial experience, not just domestic work. A good installer designs the system around your energy data rather than the maximum number of panels, has a clear process for grid connection and planning, and offers aftercare once the system is live. Ask for references and case studies in a sector similar to yours, and check who looks after the system after handover.
Proven on commercial roofs
We have delivered commercial projects for organisations including the NHS South Western Ambulance Service, Goodwood Estate and Augean, across public sector, heritage and industrial sites. These are the kind of references procurement teams and building owners look for as proof that a system will be installed well and looked after afterwards.
Get a commercial solar quote
Send us your site address, a rough roof size and a recent electricity bill, and we will come back with a proposal. Call 01453 796790, 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday, or request a quote. For our full commercial service details, see the commercial solar PV installation page. Installing at home instead? See our domestic solar PV installation page.
Commercial solar installation FAQs
What is commercial solar installation?
It is the design, supply and fitting of solar PV panels on business premises, on a roof, carport or unused ground, to generate electricity the business uses on site. Systems are larger than domestic ones and are sized around how the building uses power.
How much does commercial solar installation cost in the UK?
Cost depends on the system size, the roof type and access, the electrical work needed, and whether battery storage is included. A meaningful figure only comes from a site survey and your energy data, which is where we start.
Do I need planning permission for commercial solar panels?
Most commercial rooftop solar falls under permitted development, so planning permission is often not required. It is more likely to be needed for listed buildings, conservation areas, ground-mounted arrays, or where size and height limits are exceeded. We check this as part of the project.
Can my business sell surplus solar electricity?
Yes. Electricity you generate but do not use can be exported and sold back through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), depending on your metering and export arrangements.
What size system can you install?
We install rooftop arrays up to around 500kW, and can assess larger or multi-site requirements on a case-by-case basis.
Do you maintain the system after installation?
Yes. We monitor every system we install and have our own maintenance, cleaning and O&M teams, so the array is looked after long after it is commissioned.
Are solar panels worth it for a UK business?
It comes down to how much electricity you use during daylight hours and how much suitable roof or ground space you have, since the value is in using the power you generate on site. A feasibility review is the only way to answer it for your building.