Industrial Solar Panels for UK Warehouses & Factories

Renewable Business Energy Solutions

Smartly Energy delivers industrial solar panel installation for factories, warehouses, and logistics sites across the UK. We manage the whole process: from feasibility and grid approvals through to commissioning, battery integration, and ongoing monitoring.

Why Choose Solar Panels for Industrial Factories & Warehouses in the UK

The UK’s warehouse and factory roofs represent one of the country’s biggest untapped energy resources. According to the UK Warehousing Association, the sector could generate up to 15 GW of clean power simply by making the most of existing roof space.

Recent record-breaking projects, such as the 31 MW rooftop at the Port of Liverpool (Solar Energy UK), show what’s possible at scale.

Benefits of installing commercial solar panels for industrial sites:

✓ Cost Savings: Lower energy bills and protection against future price hikes

✓ Stronger ESG credentials and improved EPC ratings

✓ Added asset value and tenant appeal

✓ Natural alignment with daytime consumption (machinery, HVAC, refrigeration)

✓ Reduced exposure to energy inflation, outages, and decarbonisation mandates

Solar power warehouse = big roofs + high daytime demand = fast, reliable savings.

Maintenance & cleaning

Solar systems require minimal upkeep, but access is essential. We design with safe walkways and offer cleaning/inspection plans to keep performance high.

Shading & orientation

We assess shading risks from trees, buildings, and future developments to protect long-term generation yields.

Battery & storage trade-offs

Industrial solar battery storage isn’t always about bigger = better. We model your consumption patterns to recommend the right storage size (or phased upgrades) for maximum ROI.

Roof obstructions & layout

Skylights, vents, and HV equipment can complicate industrial rooftops. Our layouts preserve daylighting, keep brittle areas clear, and ensure safe maintenance access

Financial / economic risks

Energy price fluctuations and tariff changes can affect payback. Every proposal includes sensitivity analysis so you know best-case and worst-case scenarios upfront.

Get in touch with us!

If you have any requirements for solar in your business. Get in touch with us today, and see what we can do for you!

Close up of industrial solar panels

Grid connection delays & constrained export nodes

We liaise with DNOs, design systems for export-limited operation, and integrate industrial solar batteries to keep ROI strong even when export is capped.

Two men working on industrial solar panels

Planning & permitted development rules

Most rooftops qualify, but heritage sites or height limits can trigger planning. We handle applications and compliance checks end-to-end.

Far away view of industrial solar panels on large factory

Roof structural risks

Some older UK industrial buildings have weak or asbestos-containing roofs. We conduct full surveys and, where needed, recommend over-cladding or reroofing strategies before installation

Damaged industrial solar panels

Insurance & fire compliance

Our designs meet UK insurer guidelines with fire breaks, segmented arrays, and DC isolations, ensuring your cover stays valid.

What a Typical UK Industrial Solar System Looks Like

  • Capacity range: 100 kWp → multi-MWp
  • UK cost benchmarks: typically £1,000–£1,500 per kWp (Joju Solar cites £800–£1,200 for larger rooftops)
  • Payback: 5–8 years with strong on-site usage
  • Self-consumption vs export: most warehouses consume 70–90% on site
  • Integration: forklift/EV fleet charging, load-shifting, BMS metering, monitoring dashboards
  • Battery readiness: all systems are designed battery-ready
  • Array layout: setbacks from edges, skylight clearances, service corridors for O&M

Project Process / Delivery Steps

We manage everything from concept to commissioning, keeping your operations running smoothly.

1. Data collection & feasibility – Gather 12–24 months of bills or half-hourly data, plus initial roof scans.

2. Survey & structural assessment – On-site roof and electrical checks, ensuring your building can support solar.

3. Yield modelling & system design – Shading analysis, optimal layout, consumption vs export modelling.

4. Grid / DNO applications – We handle G99/G100, export applications, and any curtailment strategy.

5. Procurement – Selecting MCS-certified panels, inverters, and mounting systems tailored to your site.

6. Installation & commissioning – Phased works around shift patterns and loading bay activity.

7. Testing & handover – Full commissioning, monitoring setup, and staff training.

8. Ongoing O&M – Remote monitoring, scheduled inspections, and cleaning to keep yields high.

Financials, Payback & ROI

  • Typical ROI: 5–8 years for most factories and warehouses

  • Case example: A 500 kWp system offsetting 65% of annual demand could save £100,000+ per year in electricity costs

  • Sensitivity: Lower energy prices extend payback; higher tariffs shorten it

  • Lifetime savings: 25–30 years of reduced grid reliance, with predictable returns

  • Financing options: CapEx purchase, asset finance, or zero-capex PPAs

  • UK incentives: Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), capital allowances, and business depreciation rules

Industrial Solar Batteries & Storage

Pairing industrial solar panels with industrial solar battery storage maximises both financial and operational benefits. Batteries allow factories and warehouses to capture surplus daytime generation and use it when it matters most.

Night shifts & weekend operations

Many warehouses and factories operate beyond daylight hours. Batteries store excess solar produced during the day so you can power machinery, refrigeration, and lighting through the evening and into weekends.

Peak-shaving & tariff management

UK energy tariffs can spike at certain times of day. With industrial solar batteries, you can discharge stored energy during high-tariff periods, avoiding costly peak charges and stabilising your electricity budget.

Fleet electrification

Forklift fleets, HGV depots, and staff EV charging can all be supported directly by your own solar power. By aligning charging schedules with solar and storage availability, businesses reduce reliance on grid electricity and keep operating costs low.

Resilience & backup

While batteries are not a complete replacement for backup generators, they do provide limited resilience. In the event of grid interruptions, industrial solar battery storage can keep critical circuits running – protecting systems like refrigeration, IT infrastructure, or emergency lighting.

Export-limited sites

Some UK industrial areas face strict export caps from the DNO. In these cases, batteries enable you to store and self-consume energy that you would otherwise curtail, protecting your ROI.

Future-ready systems

All our industrial solar panel installation projects are designed to be battery-ready. That means even if you don’t install batteries from day one, the infrastructure is in place to add storage later as your needs evolve. Learn more about our dedicated battery systems and how they integrate with solar panels for factories and solar for warehouses.

FAQs

We plan installations around your shift schedules, goods-in/out times, and health & safety protocols. Most warehouse solar projects complete in phases, ensuring your operations continue with minimal interruption.

Most rooftop installations fall under permitted development in the UK. Exceptions include listed buildings, conservation areas, or if arrays exceed certain height limits. We’ll confirm requirements and handle all applications.

We work with your existing warranty provider and insurer to ensure solar doesn’t invalidate coverage. Our designs include fire breaks, safe cabling, and access routes aligned with UK insurer standards.

We design systems to maximise on-site consumption and integrate batteries where viable. You can use export-limiting controls to comply with DNO restrictions without reducing your savings.

Maintenance is straightforward: annual inspections, occasional cleaning, and real-time monitoring alerts. We offer O&M packages to keep performance at its peak.

Yes – all installations design themselves to be industrial solar battery storage-ready, so you can expand as your energy needs grow.

Panels typically lose 0.5% efficiency per year. After 25 years, most still operate at 85% of original output. We model this into your financial forecast so payback remains realistic.

THE SMARTLY SOLUTION

Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need assistance in regard to our solar power options, whether this is solar power tiles, solar panels, solar battery storage or integrated solar roofs. Our customer care team is more than happy to help with your queries.

If you need assistance right away, then feel free to use the ‘chat’ function at the bottom right corner of the page.

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