Fund your solar the way that suits your balance sheet.
Buy outright, spread the cost, or pay nothing upfront with a Power Purchase Agreement — plus the Welsh & local grants worth knowing about. Here's every route, in plain terms.
CapEx, finance or PPA
The same system, three funding routes. The right one comes down to whether you'd rather own the asset or protect your cash.
CapEx purchase
You buy the system upfront. Every unit it generates is then effectively free power, and all the savings and export income are yours.
- Best lifetime return — no interest or third-party margin
- You own the asset and any capital allowances
- Simple, no long contract
Asset finance
Fund the system through a lease or loan and pay over an agreed term. You still own it, and the repayments are often offset by the energy savings.
- Keeps cash free for the core business
- You own the asset at the end of the term
- Repayments frequently below the savings generated
Power Purchase Agreement
A funder installs, owns and maintains the system at no upfront cost. You simply buy the power it produces at an agreed rate, usually below the grid price.
- Zero capital outlay and no maintenance risk
- Immediate savings from day one
- Long-term hedge against rising grid prices
How a PPA actually works
A Power Purchase Agreement removes the upfront cost of solar entirely. Here's the shape of it, start to finish.
Assessment
We model your site's usage, roof and load profile to size a system and confirm a PPA stacks up.
Funder installs & owns
A third-party funder pays for, installs, owns and maintains the system on your roof or land.
You buy the power
You pay only for the electricity generated, at an agreed rate typically below the grid price, for 15–25 years.
End of term
Buy the system, extend the agreement, or have it removed — the choice is yours.
Where a PPA wins
- No capital outlay — the project sits off your cash flow
- The funder carries performance and maintenance risk
- Predictable, often cheaper energy costs from day one
- Progress on net-zero and ESG without tying up funds
The trade-offs to weigh
- Lower lifetime savings than buying — the funder takes a margin
- A long contract, with exit terms to read carefully
- You don't own the asset unless you buy it
- Usually needs high daytime usage and a solid credit profile
Funding worth knowing about
Grants and schemes change and run in rounds, so always check the official source before you plan around them — we'll help you time an application.
Net Zero Newport decarbonisation
Recurring · check roundMatch-funded grants plus free technical support for Newport SMEs decarbonising their buildings — covering equipment, installation and commissioning of solar, battery and efficiency measures.
Merthyr Tydfil Business Growth Grant
2026 round closedLocal Growth Fund support for business expansion, equipment and productivity for firms based or investing in Merthyr Tydfil. Solar, battery and EV kit can qualify as equipment investment.
Warm Homes / Nest scheme
OpenWelsh Government energy-efficiency scheme for qualifying households. Free advice and funded insulation, heating upgrades or renewable measures depending on eligibility.
UK Business Energy Advice Service
OpenFree energy audits and advice for English and Welsh SMEs. Not a direct grant, but the audit report often identifies the quickest wins and helps strengthen future funding bids.
Your industry, our specialism
We design around how your building uses energy — not a one-size-fits-all template.
Warehousing & industrial
Large flat roofs, high daytime load — ideal for solar at scale.
Explore →Offices & retail
Reduce overheads and hit ESG targets with rooftop generation.
Learn more →Leisure & hospitality
Hotels, gyms and venues with high HVAC and hot-water demand.
Learn more →Agriculture
Large footprints, ground-mount potential and EV/machinery charging.
Learn more →Education
Schools, colleges and universities cutting energy budgets.
Learn more →Healthcare
Surgeries, care homes and clinics with 24/7 base loads.
Learn more →Frequently asked questions
Not necessarily, but you do need the right to grant a long lease or roof licence to the funder for the term of the agreement. If you rent your premises we can work with you and your landlord on a suitable arrangement, or look at finance or CapEx instead.
Often yes. A grant typically reduces the upfront project cost, and the remaining balance can be paid via CapEx or asset finance. Funders differ on whether grant-funded systems can sit inside a PPA, so we confirm this on a case-by-case basis.
For a well-matched commercial system in South Wales, payback is commonly in the region of three to six years, with the panels generating for 25 years or more. Sites with high daytime electricity use and a good roof tend to pay back fastest.
The 0% VAT rate applies to residential and domestic solar installations until 31 March 2027. Commercial installations are generally standard-rated, but VAT-registered businesses can usually reclaim the VAT — we’ll point you to your accountant to confirm your position.
Buying outright (CapEx) delivers the best lifetime savings because there’s no third-party margin or interest. Finance and PPAs cost a little more over time, but remove the upfront barrier — so the ‘best’ route depends on your cash position and priorities.
Ready to see what solar saves your business?
Get a free, no-obligation energy assessment — or try the quick estimator to model the numbers yourself.