Key facts
Best-fit siteLarge, unshaded roof with strong daytime electricity demand and clear ownership or landlord consent.
Early blockerRoof structure, roof age, asbestos, lease terms and DNO/export limits can change the project design.
Funding routesLocal business grants, tax allowances, business rates treatment and SEG are the main practical routes to check.
Battery questionBattery storage is worth modelling where evening load, peak charges or export limits matter.
Quote evidenceA good installer will ask for bills, MPAN, roof plans and photos before pricing.
Warehouse solar readiness checklist
| Check | Why it matters | Evidence to collect |
|---|---|---|
| Roof condition | Panels should not go on a roof likely to need replacement soon. | Roof age, maintenance records, photos, asbestos information |
| Structure | Commercial roofs need load and wind checks before final design. | Drawings, structural report, roof covering type |
| Electricity profile | Daytime self-use drives payback. | 12 months of bills, half-hourly data if available |
| DNO/export | Grid limits affect system size, export and battery logic. | MPAN, supply capacity, previous DNO correspondence |
| Lease or landlord consent | Tenants need rights to install and maintain equipment. | Lease terms and written landlord consent |
Which roof projects should move first?
Prioritise sites with high daytime load, high import prices, a roof with 10+ years of service life, no obvious shading and a clear decision maker. If a grant deadline is tight, a smaller quote-ready project can beat a bigger project that needs months of roof or grid work.
If the site exports a lot of electricity or hits peak import charges, ask installers to model a battery option separately. Storage should be justified by the site's load profile, not added because it looks good in a generic proposal.
Sources checked
- GOV.UK - Find government grants
- GOV.UK - business green funding
- Ofgem - Smart Export Guarantee
- GOV.UK - VAT Notice 708/6
- HMRC - solar panels capital allowances
- GOV.UK - full expensing and first-year allowances
- GOV.UK - green business rates measures
- GOV.UK - Rural England Prosperity Fund example
- Salix - Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme
- GOV.UK - Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund
- Planning Data - non-domestic solar permitted development
Great British Energy is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the government-owned Great British Energy at gbe.gov.uk. Funding rules change; verify against official sources before committing spend.