How big is the solar system installed at Swift Dental?
Alliant Energy installed a 93.48kWp solar PV system using 212 panels paired with a SolarEdge inverter. The installation took 1 week from arrival on site to commissioning.
Project overview
Installing our 93.48 kWp on their current head office via our Power Purchase Agreement allowed Swift Dental Group to take advantage of lower energy costs and carbon offsetting with no capital expenditure on the system. Based in Bolton, Swift Dental Group delivers innovative technology and bespoke software supported by a nationwide network of logistics hubs. Swift Dental Group has become an ultra-reliable one-stop shop for all dental restorative work in the UK. The system installed will generate more than 86,000 kWh of green energy annually, which Swift can take advantage of at a much lower rate than the grid provides. On top of that, they have also reduced their carbon emissions by over 25 tonnes of CO2 annually, a desire that Swift made very clear from the start was very important when deciding to transition to Solar PV generation.
The challenge
Like most healthcare operations, Swift Dental faced a structural exposure to wholesale electricity prices — a cost line that doubled for many UK businesses between 2021 and 2023 and shows no sign of returning to pre-crisis levels. With significant daytime load and suitable roof space, on-site generation was the obvious lever, but the project needed to stand on its own commercial merits: predictable payback, manufacturer-backed warranties, and zero operational disruption during install.
The solution Alliant Energy designed
Following a structural roof survey and DNO capacity check, Alliant Energy specified a 93.48kWp array using 212 high-efficiency mono-PERC panels, paired with a SolarEdge hybrid inverter. The SolarEdge platform was chosen for its export-management capability and remote firmware updates, allowing the array to be tuned over its life without site visits. Surplus generation is exported to the grid under a Smart Export Guarantee tariff, providing a secondary revenue stream alongside the primary saving on imported electricity.
Install & commissioning
The full installation completed in 1 week, scheduled around the customer's operating hours to avoid downtime. Work was carried out by Alliant Energy's directly employed MCS-registered engineers — no subcontracted labour. The system was commissioned to G99 requirements, registered with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme, and handed over with monitoring access, electrical certification, and structural sign-off documents on the day of completion.
Financial outcome
In its first full year of operation the system is on track to save Swift Dental approximately £19,106 on electricity costs, with a payback term of 6 Years and a projected total ROI of 417%. Over the 25-year warranted life of the panels, the cumulative saving is forecast at £619,158 — a figure that improves materially if grid prices continue their long-term upward trend, and that benefits from the UK's 100% full-expensing capital allowance for qualifying solar assets.
Environmental impact
The installation displaces roughly 17.6 Tonnes of CO₂ emissions every year compared with grid-sourced electricity. Over the system's 25-year design life that is the equivalent of removing more than Swift Dental's entire annual Scope 2 footprint several times over — a material data point for ESG, B-Corp and net-zero reporting frameworks.
Why it matters for the healthcare sector
Healthcare businesses typically run daytime electrical loads — refrigeration, machinery, IT, lighting, compressors — that overlap closely with solar generation. That overlap is what drives strong economics: every unit generated and consumed on-site replaces a unit that would otherwise be bought from the grid at full commercial rates. The Swift Dental project demonstrates how the model scales for this kind of operation.
System
93.48kWp
Panels
212
Inverter
SolarEdge
Install
1 Week
Project FAQ
How much does Swift Dental save each year?
Swift Dental saves approximately £19,106 per year on electricity, with projected lifetime savings of £619,158 over the system's 25-year guaranteed performance period. The payback term is 6 Years, delivering a total ROI of 417%.
Was the project funded or paid for upfront?
This project was paid for directly by the customer. Under the UK's full-expensing capital allowance, the entire cost can be deducted from corporation tax in year one — improving the effective payback meaningfully for profitable companies.
What's the environmental impact?
The system avoids around 17.6 Tonnes of CO₂ emissions every year compared with grid-sourced electricity. Over a 25-year design life that's a material contribution toward Scope 2 reduction and any ESG or net-zero reporting commitments the business holds.
Could a similar system work for my business?
Probably — the same hardware platform (panels, hybrid inverter, optional battery) scales from roughly 10kW up to 1MW+. The deciding factors are roof area, daytime electricity use, current unit rate, and grid-connection capacity. Alliant Energy carries out a free desktop feasibility study and follow-up site survey before quoting.
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