Alliant Energy — Renewable Energy Solutions
01282 501589Get a Quote →

Commercial solar

Commercial solar PV, funded the way that suits your business.

From 30kW workshops to 1MW+ distribution centres. PPA, full expensing, asset finance or grants — we structure the deal around your balance sheet, then deliver with directly employed MCS-registered engineers.

  • MCS Registered
  • NICEIC Certified
  • HIES & TrustMark Registered
  • 25-Year Performance Warranty
  • 5-Year Workmanship WarrantyAlliant's own guarantee on the quality of our installation and labour — separate from, and in addition to, the manufacturer's product and performance warranties (up to 30 years on solar panels), which cover the equipment itself.

*The 5-Year Workmanship Warranty covers Alliant's own installation and labour — distinct from the manufacturer's product and performance warranties (up to 30 years on panels), which cover the equipment itself.

Lancashire's commercial electricity market sits within the Electricity North West distribution licence area, where Half Hourly metered business tariffs currently sit at 28–34p/kWh during daytime periods — materially above the residential price cap. The M65 corridor between Burnley and Blackburn contains one of the highest concentrations of manufacturing floor space in the North of England, with significant flat-roof industrial assets at Burnley Bridge Business Park, Altham Industrial Estate, and the wider East Lancashire enterprise zones. These properties represent some of the most commercially attractive solar candidates in the region: large, unshaded roof planes, high daytime electricity demand, strong structural loading capacity, and DNO headroom for systems from 30kW to 1MW under G99 connection agreements with Electricity North West. Full Capital Allowances (Full Expensing) allow 100% first-year tax write-off on qualifying solar assets, reducing the effective cost of a £100,000 commercial installation to £75,000 after corporation tax relief at 25%.

Alliant Energy designs, finances and installs commercial solar systems across Lancashire and the UK. We handle the DNO connection, the structural survey, the planning position, the funding application and the install — so a project that involves five different counterparties in the standard market involves one with us.

  • Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) — zero upfront capital, fixed unit rate below grid
  • 100% full expensing — deduct the entire cost from corporation tax in year one
  • Tax-deductible asset finance over 3–7 years, structured to be cashflow-positive from month one
  • Eligible grants identified and applied for on your behalf
  • 15-year product / 25-year performance guarantee — we only quote Tier 1 panels and batteries
  • Directly employed MCS-registered install teams — no subcontracted labour

Why Alliant Energy

  • MCS & NICEIC certified — design and install carried out by our own engineers, not subcontractors.
  • HIES & TrustMark registered — deposits protected, complaints process backed by an independent ombudsman.
  • £1.2M+ in lifetime savings delivered on a single recent project (Shepherd Distribution).
  • 25-year performance warranty on Tier-1 panels (DMEGC, Aiko, JA Solar, Jinko, LONGi).
  • Nationwide UK delivery with a North-West engineering hub for fast response.

Commercial Solar in Lancashire — How the Economics Work in 2026

Lancashire businesses face electricity bills that are structurally higher than residential rates — commercial Half Hourly tariffs in the Electricity North West distribution area currently sit at 28–34p/kWh for daytime consumption, against the 25.2p residential price cap. For a business consuming 100,000 kWh per year, that is £28,000–£34,000 in annual electricity costs — costs a correctly sized solar array can reduce by 40–80%.

The economics improve further when battery storage is combined with solar: a 62kW battery rack (as fitted at Shepherd Distribution in our recent project) stores excess daytime generation and dispatches it during evening peak periods, replacing high-rate grid electricity with near-zero marginal-cost stored power. Shepherd Distribution achieved 2.9-year payback and 38.7% ROI — our most profitable commercial project to date.

Funding Options for Lancashire Businesses

Three commercial solar funding routes are available simultaneously:

Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

Alliant has established relationships with commercial PPA funders who will finance the installation with zero upfront capital. You agree to purchase electricity from the system at a rate below your current grid rate — typically 10–15p/kWh for a 15–20 year term. The PPA provider owns the system; you receive guaranteed bill savings from day one.

Full Capital Allowances (Full Expensing)

Qualifying commercial solar assets can be written off at 100% in Year 1 under the Full Expensing regime introduced in April 2023. For a £100,000 commercial installation, this represents a corporation tax reduction of £25,000 at the current 25% rate — effectively a 25% discount on the net cost. Full expensing guide →

Asset Finance

For businesses preferring ownership over PPA, tax-deductible asset finance is available through our finance panel. Monthly payments are structured to be cash-flow neutral against bill savings from the first month.

Commercial Solar by Sector — Lancashire Context

Manufacturing and distribution

Lancashire's industrial base along the M65 corridor — from Burnley Bridge to Altham Industrial Estate — is ideal for large-scale flat-roof commercial solar. Our Shepherd Distribution (108 panels, 62kW battery) and Tropical Ices (168 panels) projects demonstrate what manufacturing and logistics operators can achieve.

Agriculture

Lancashire's farming sector qualifies for commercial solar on barns, grain stores, and processing facilities. Ground-mount arrays on field margins are also viable on agricultural land with no planning requirement under PDR for systems up to 1MWp.

Hospitality and leisure

Our installations at Hillsborough Golf Club (17.3kW, 3.4-year payback), Beauchief Tennis Club (8.8kW, 3-year payback), and Valley View Glamping (ground-mount) show the commercial viability for leisure operators with daytime demand profiles.

Healthcare and education

Schools, care homes, and GP surgeries have near-ideal solar demand profiles — high daytime consumption, predictable operating hours, and long property tenures. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is available to commercial properties for heat pumps, and commercial solar can run alongside it.

Our Commercial Solar Process

  1. 1

    Initial desktop feasibility

    Roof area, orientation, shading, DNO headroom checked within 48 hours

  2. 2

    Site survey and structural assessment

    Load calculations, cable routes, meter and connection points

  3. 3

    System design in Aurora Solar

    Optimised panel layout, shading analysis, production estimates

  4. 4

    G99 DNO application to Electricity North West

    Required for all commercial systems above 3.68kW AC

  5. 5

    Funding structure agreed

    PPA, finance, or cash purchase

  6. 6

    Installation

    MCS-registered engineers, minimal business disruption, typically completed in 1–5 days

  7. 7

    Grid connection and commissioning

  8. 8

    MCS certificate, EPC update, and ongoing monitoring setup

Funding routes

Four ways to fund a commercial solar project.

There is no single best funding route — only the right route for your tax position, cashflow profile and risk appetite. Alliant Energy is independent of any one funder, so we recommend the structure that maximises your NPV, not ours.

Funding route Structure Best for
Outright purchase Pay upfront from cash reserves 100% full expensing — entire cost deductible from corporation tax year one. Best NPV for profitable businesses.
Asset finance 3–7 year loan, fixed monthly payment Cashflow-positive from month one for most projects. Tax-deductible interest and full capital allowances retained.
Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) Funder owns and maintains the system Zero upfront cost. You pay a fixed unit rate for the solar electricity you use — typically 30–50% below grid.
Grants Region- and sector-specific support We screen all UK schemes (e.g. Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, regional growth grants) for eligibility before quoting.

Full expensing — the post-2023 game-changer

Solar PV qualifies for the UK's 100% full expensing capital allowance (permanent from April 2026). A profitable company spending £200,000 on solar reduces its corporation tax bill by £50,000 in the same year — typically cutting effective payback by 18–24 months versus the pre-2023 super-deduction regime.

Who we work with

Built for the sectors that benefit most.

Manufacturing

High daytime load, large roof areas — typically 50–500kW systems.

Logistics & distribution

Vast warehouse roofs and growing EV-fleet charging demand.

Retail & hospitality

Refrigeration, cooking and HVAC overlap perfectly with solar.

Agriculture

Barn roofs, irrigation pumps, processing — often grant-eligible.

Process

From enquiry to commissioning in 8–14 weeks.

  1. 01

    Free feasibility

    Desktop study using satellite imagery, half-hourly meter data and roof structural assumptions. Indicative system size, generation and ROI within 48 hours.

  2. 02

    Site survey & funding

    On-site structural and electrical survey. In parallel we model purchase, asset finance and PPA scenarios so you can pick the route that fits your balance sheet.

  3. 03

    DNO & planning

    G99 application to your network operator. Planning handled if needed (rarely for roof-mount). Lead time here is the longest single variable in the schedule.

  4. 04

    Install & commissioning

    Typically 3–10 days on site, scheduled around your operations. MCS certificate, electrical certification, SEG registration and monitoring handover on completion.

Proof in numbers

Recent commercial projects.

Real systems, real customers, real numbers — each project below is documented in full with system specification, install timeline and financial outcome.

All case studies →

Frequently asked

Commercial solar FAQ.

How much is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant in 2026?

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) grant for an air source heat pump is £7,500 in England and Wales in 2026. The grant is paid directly to your MCS-registered installer and deducted from your invoice. To qualify, your property must have an EPC with no outstanding insulation recommendations, and the installation must be by an MCS-registered installer. Alliant Energy uses MCS-registered installers and handles the BUS application for every heat pump installation.

What is the commercial solar payback period in Lancashire in 2026?

Commercial solar payback periods in Lancashire typically range from 2.9 to 6.5 years in 2026, depending on system size, roof orientation, energy consumption profile, and financing method. Alliant Energy's recent Lancashire commercial projects show: Shepherd Distribution (108 panels + 62kW battery) — 2.9 years, 38.7% ROI; Hillsborough Golf Club — 3.4 years, 33.7% ROI; Moorwood Farm (90 panels) — 4.8 years, 24.6% ROI. Businesses using Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) financing achieve bill savings from day one with zero upfront capital.

What size of business is commercial solar suitable for?

Any business with at least 50kW of usable roof or ground area, a daytime electrical load above ~£10,000/year, and a 5+ year time horizon at the site. Typical installs range from 30kW (small workshop) to 1MW+ (distribution centre or manufacturing plant).

How long does a commercial solar install take?

Most projects are installed in 3–10 days on site. Lead time from signed contract to commissioning is typically 8–14 weeks, dominated by the DNO (network operator) connection approval rather than the build itself.

Do we need planning permission?

Roof-mounted commercial solar is almost always permitted development under Class J of the GPDO. Ground-mount arrays above 50kW and any system on a listed building or in a conservation area do need a planning application — we handle this end-to-end.

What happens with the electricity we don't use on site?

It is exported to the grid under a Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) tariff, generating a secondary income stream. For larger sites we can negotiate Power Purchase Agreements with energy suppliers for above-SEG export rates.

Who maintains the system?

Alliant Energy provides ongoing performance monitoring, an annual inspection option, and a 25-year performance warranty backed by the panel manufacturer. PPA-funded systems are maintained by the funder for the life of the agreement.

What's the typical payback period?

3–7 years for owner-funded projects depending on tariff, sector and self-consumption. PPA projects are immediately cashflow-positive (savings begin from day one with no capital outlay).

Areas we cover

Commercial solar across the North West

Our Nelson-based team installs commercial solar systems in Nelson, Burnley, Blackburn, Preston and Manchester, plus every town below across Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire.

Three ways to get started

Ready to find out what solar saves you?

Get a tailored quote in one working day. No obligation. No hard sell. Speak to a renewable energy engineer — not a salesperson — at a time that suits you.

Accreditations

Certified, registered, and insured. Every time.

MCS certification isn't a box-ticking exercise — it qualifies your system for Smart Export Guarantee payments and government grants. Our installers are also NICEIC-approved and TrustMark-registered, and every install is fully insured.

Citation ISO Certification: ISO 9001 quality management, ISO 14001 environmental management and ISO 45001 occupational health and safety
Get a Brochure Get a Quote Chat with AI