Solar PV for warehouses
Warehouse roofs are the highest-yield commercial solar substrate in the UK. Large flat or shallow-pitch metal-deck areas, daytime demand from lighting and operations, and 3-4 year payback typical. Ballasted mounting — no roof penetration. Capital allowances and asset finance routes available.
A typical 5,000 m² warehouse roof in the North East can host roughly 500-700kW of solar PV — enough to generate 450,000-650,000 kWh per year. With logistics, picking, lighting and HVAC running through the working day, 70-85% of that generation is self-consumed on-site, displacing retail-rate commercial electricity at 25-32p/kWh.
The economics are unusually clean. Roof real estate is otherwise unused. Demand profile (8am-6pm operations) matches generation profile (south-facing PV in the UK). And modern ballasted mounting systems don't require any roof penetration — preserving warranty on your roof membrane.
500-700kW
Typical 5,000 m² warehouse capacity
£0.04-0.06
/kWh effective cost over 25 years
3-4 yrs
Typical payback period
0 penetrations
Ballasted mounting standard
Warehouse roof types
Ballasted mounting using rubber feet weighted with concrete or ballast trays. No mechanical penetration of the membrane — preserves manufacturer warranty. Panel angles 5-10° for optimal yield. Roof load typically 12-18 kg/m² added — within standard warehouse roof load capacity (typically 60+ kg/m²).
Standing-seam clamp mounting attaches directly to the metal deck profile without penetration. Trapezoidal profile clamps for trapezoidal sheets. Excellent on Steadmans, Kingspan and Tata standing-seam roofs typical of modern logistics warehouses.
Hook-and-rail mounting on older 15-30° pitch warehouse roofs. Sometimes requires structural assessment for additional load. Works well on Trimline and older corrugated metal profiles. Slightly higher cost per kW than flat installs due to access.
More complex — asbestos handling regulations apply. Often the right answer is overcladding the asbestos in advance (which has its own roof-replacement case) and then installing solar to the new deck. We can scope and quote both stages as a single project where applicable.
Worked examples
| Site profile | Roof area | System size | Indicative cost | Year-1 saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small unit / cross-dock | 800 m² | 60-80kW | £52,000-£68,000 | £14,000-£18,000 |
| Medium warehouse | 3,000 m² | 220-300kW | £175,000-£240,000 | £48,000-£68,000 |
| Large warehouse | 5,000 m² | 400-500kW | £320,000-£400,000 | £88,000-£115,000 |
| Distribution hub | 15,000 m² | 1.2-1.5MW | £900,000-£1,200,000 | £260,000-£340,000 |
| Regional distribution centre | 30,000+ m² | 2.5MW+ | Bespoke | Bespoke |
Cost ranges assume single-phase / three-phase G99 connection within site, ballasted or rail-mounted panels, MCS certification, full DNO and electrical work included. Capital allowances reduce effective net cost by 25% in year one for limited companies on standard CT rate.
Operational considerations
Warehouses with sufficient existing site supply can typically connect via G99 application within 10-14 weeks. Sites needing supply uprate — common for installs over 250kW on older industrial estates — face 4-9 month DNO timescales. Worth getting half-hourly meter data analysis early to establish whether you fit within existing capacity or need uprate.
Solar panels last 25-30 years. If your roof is more than 10 years from end-of-life, the install economics are clean. If the roof needs replacement within 5-7 years, factor in the cost of taking panels off, replacing the roof, and reinstalling — typically £30-60/m² of panel area. Often the right answer is roof replacement + solar as a combined project.
Most commercial building insurers add a modest premium for solar PV — typically 1-3% on the rebuild element. Some specialist insurers (Aviva, RSA, NIG) have specific solar-friendly policies. We provide a system specification and MCS certificate for your insurer at handover.
Warehouse solar installs are largely external — roof work and inverter installation. Internal electrical connection requires a planned outage of 4-12 hours for switchgear work, typically scheduled overnight or at weekend. Total install duration for a 300kW system is 4-6 weeks but with minimal operational disruption.
For tenanted warehouses, you need landlord consent for any roof installation. Most modern commercial leases provide for this; older leases sometimes don't. Where landlord won't consent or wants too much rent for the roof space, a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) where the landlord owns the install and sells you the electricity is sometimes the cleaner route.
Integrated installations
Logistics operators increasingly install solar PV, commercial battery storage, and fleet EV charging as a single integrated project rather than three sequential ones. The integration pays in three ways:
For an integrated case study or to scope a combined project for your warehouse, see our pages on commercial battery storage and workplace EV charging, or speak to us directly.
North East commercial hotspots
Specific clusters of commercial property in our service area where we're seeing the highest density of warehouse solar enquiries in 2026:
UK's largest Freeport. Significant warehouse capacity, strong grid infrastructure investment, ESG-aligned tenants. We've quoted commercial projects up to 1.5MW in the zone.
Logistics hubs along the A19 corridor and the wider Tees Valley. Standard 5,000-15,000 m² distribution warehouses with ballasted roof solar typically deliver 3-4 year payback.
Tier-1 and tier-2 supplier warehouses facing OEM ESG pressure. Solar PV plus workplace EV charging increasingly an expected baseline rather than a differentiator.
Our own back yard. Distribution warehouses along the A1(M) corridor and the Crowther / Pattinson industrial estates. Same-week site visits possible.
Team Valley extends into Newcastle's commercial west. Older industrial stock often paired with a solar + roof-replacement combined project.
Port-adjacent warehouse and logistics buildings. Offshore wind supply chain. Strong grid capacity from the Britishvolt-era infrastructure upgrades.
Our accreditations
MCS Certified
NAPM47760
Heat pumps & solar
NICEIC Approved
D124458
Electrical contractor
Gas Safe Register
947841
Gas appliances
Heat Geek Trained
Heat pump design specialists
TrustMark
Government endorsed
Quality scheme
SafeContractor
Approved
H&S accredited
ISO 9001
2015
Quality management
ISO 14001
2015
Environmental management
ISO 45001
2018
OH&S management
PAS 2030
:2019
Retrofit standard
NAPIT
Member
Electrical inspection
F-Gas Certified
Air conditioning refrigerant
MCS Certified
NAPM47760
Heat pumps & solar
NICEIC Approved
D124458
Electrical contractor
Gas Safe Register
947841
Gas appliances
Heat Geek Trained
Heat pump design specialists
TrustMark
Government endorsed
Quality scheme
SafeContractor
Approved
H&S accredited
ISO 9001
2015
Quality management
ISO 14001
2015
Environmental management
ISO 45001
2018
OH&S management
PAS 2030
:2019
Retrofit standard
NAPIT
Member
Electrical inspection
F-Gas Certified
Air conditioning refrigerant
Every accreditation listed is independently verified. We carry the registration numbers — ask for any on request.
Free desk feasibility from your half-hourly meter data, full site visit within 7 working days. Designed system + IRR model inside two weeks.
Emma from Hartlepool