Would your business or property benefit from lower energy costs. Commercial solar provides a straightforward solution — sustainable, on-site power generation that cuts costs and protects you from price volatility.
High daytime electricity costs and available roof space make solar PV a sound investment. Whether you’re looking to cut operating costs, reduce carbon emissions, or protect your business from energy price volatility, Solvexa delivers practical solar solutions that work.
Solar for all types of businesses and property ownership
Whether you’re a tenant or property owner, solar has a role in your business. While low energy costs are an obvious benefit, many solar investments are also used to generate income and enhance property values.
Is commercial solar right for my business?
Most businesses use the majority of their electricity during daylight hours, which is exactly when solar panels generate power. This means you can make significant savings on your energy bills by using the electricity you generate on-site. Solar panels have no moving parts, so ongoing maintenance costs are minimal. The businesses that benefit most are those with consistent daytime energy demand.
Large-scale installations deliver strong returns
Larger commercial operations with high energy consumption can achieve substantial first-year savings. For example, an 845 kWp system (approximately 2,000 panels) installed for a food wholesaler generated projected first-year savings of over £150,000, with an expected payback period of under 4 years before tax benefits.
Smaller operations benefit too
Commercial solar also works well for smaller businesses with lower energy use. A typical 50 kWp system (around 110 panels) can save over 10 tonnes of COâ‚‚ emissions per year, with a payback period of approximately 4.4 years. This kind of system suits small industrial units, offices, or retail premises with good roof space and consistent daytime electricity use.
Financial savings with commercial solar
Lower energy costs with predictable pricing are one of the main reasons businesses install solar. At current installation costs, a solar PV system generates electricity at around 4-5p per kWh including maintenance. This compares to grid electricity costs of approximately 20-25p per unit.
​
In many cases, your solar installation will deliver enough savings to achieve positive cash flow within 24 months when financed through an asset finance agreement. Once the finance term is complete, the system continues to provide a significant portion of your energy requirements at minimal cost.
​
A straightforward investment that cuts costs, reduces carbon emissions, and delivers long-term savings.
​
In the present economic conditions, investment returns and risk are increasingly impacted by factors outside of a business’s control. An investment in solar depends only on the sun — it’s a straightforward investment that cuts costs, reduces carbon emissions, and delivers long-term savings.
Protect your business from rising grid electricity costs
Electricity costs rose sharply in 2022, with many businesses seeing five-fold increases in their energy bills. While prices eased in the following years, they never returned to pre-crisis levels. Daytime electricity costs typically settled at around 20p per kWh — approximately one third higher than historic norms.
Electricity prices are under upward pressure again. Global factors continue to impact energy security and create price volatility, making long-term cost certainty increasingly valuable.
How can your business protect itself?
Commercial solar PV allows you to generate a significant proportion of your power on-site, reducing reliance on grid-supplied electricity. In effect, you’re forward-buying electricity at a predictable, low cost for decades — typically equivalent to around 5p per kWh over the system's lifetime.
​
This reduces exposure to volatile energy markets, improves long-term cost certainty, and makes financial forecasting more straightforward. Compared to grid electricity at 22-25p per kWh in 2026, with future prices uncertain, solar provides a stable alternative.
The reality of grid electricity costs
Grid electricity prices are heavily influenced by global energy markets and remain structurally high. While some businesses use forward-buying contracts to manage short-term price swings, this does little to reduce the underlying cost of power. Many organisations continue to face persistently high electricity costs with limited long-term certainty.
​
Generating electricity on-site through commercial solar offers a more effective way to reduce long-term exposure to high grid prices and gain control over energy costs.
Payment for exported (unused) electricity
Energy companies will buy excess electricity from businesses generating their own power. Once the required export meter setup is in place, it’s a matter of agreeing a contract with an energy supplier. They’ll purchase your clean energy at wholesale rates to sell on to their customers at retail rates.
​
This also means landlords with vacant properties can generate income from otherwise empty buildings.
Delivering ROI in excess of 20%
Commercial solar PV installations deliver strong, reliable returns on investment. While the end of the Feed-in Tariff in 2019 made residential solar more difficult to justify financially, the economics for commercial installations are very different.
​
For businesses, the case is driven by lower technology costs, long-term fixed electricity generation costs, minimal ongoing maintenance, and persistently high grid electricity prices.
​
Additional benefits include 100% asset finance options and the Annual Investment Allowance, which can allow the full capital cost of the system to be offset against taxable profits in year one.
​
The best way to judge returns is by looking at real-world results. Our case studies show how commercial solar PV is delivering improved payback and strong returns for businesses across different sectors and energy profiles.
What about battery storage?
At present, in most commercial situations where the aim is to maximise on-site renewable energy use, battery storage doesn’t make financial sense. Battery costs are falling and grid electricity prices remain volatile, but currently it’s more cost-effective to sell excess solar generation to the grid and buy back electricity when needed, rather than install a battery.
​
This changes if other factors are considered — for example, where sites only draw electricity at certain times, where sites have peak demands during Red Zone pricing, when system use is low during peak generation times, or where batteries can provide backup power for critical systems. In these scenarios, battery storage may be financially justified.
​
Contact us to discuss your specific requirements and whether battery storage makes sense for your business.
Reducing your carbon footprint
Generating your own solar energy significantly reduces your carbon footprint. This can give you a competitive edge over businesses exposed to rising electricity prices — some of our clients have won contracts based on their sustainability credentials.
​
Businesses working towards carbon-neutral operations benefit from measurable COâ‚‚ reductions. For example, an 82 kW solar installation can offset 28 tonnes of carbon per year while delivering annual savings of over £14,000.
​
If you’d like to find out how solar can help your business save money and reduce carbon emissions, speak with our team.
