Insights, application guides and funding analysis.
In-depth pieces written for businesses, finance directors and estates teams making real funding decisions. No fluff — every post is anchored to a real application, a real grant window, or a real funding question.
Which Commercial Solar Grants Are Open in 2026?
A current open vs closed register of UK commercial solar grants in 2026 — England, Scotland, Wales and NI funding, plus what to use when grants are shut.
How to Apply for Commercial Solar Funding 2026 | Playbook
Step-by-step 2026 guide to applying for commercial solar funding — eligibility triage, the document pack, route selection by nation and rejection traps.
Solar Panels for Industrial Buildings: an FD's Guide
Solar panels for industrial buildings in 2026 — cost, post-tax payback, funding routes and the capital decisions a finance director actually has to sign off.
MEES, EPC and Commercial Solar 2026 | The Compliance Driver
How MEES and EPC minimum standards drive commercial solar in 2026 — the 2027/2030 EPC B trajectory, what solar adds to a rating, and the funding stack.
Solar Grants for Businesses 2026: Who Qualifies & How Much
Solar grants for business 2026 — who qualifies, eligibility by sector and UK nation, and how much funding you can actually get. An independent breakdown.
Commercial Solar Grants vs Tax Relief: Which Is Worth More?
Commercial solar grants vs AIA tax relief, compared in 2026: relief rates, the stacking rule, nation-by-nation grant intensities and a verdict.
PPA Negotiation Playbook 2026 | UK Contract Guide
UK commercial solar PPA negotiation — term sheets, offtake rates, performance guarantees and exit clauses. 2026 best-practice guide.
PSDS Phase 5 Outlook 2026 | What Replaces It
PSDS Phase 4 closed November 2024. What comes next for public sector solar funding in 2026? Salix BAU, Local Growth Fund and Phase 5 chances.
True Cost of UK Commercial Solar 2026 | Stripped Down
What's actually in a UK 2026 commercial solar quote — module, inverter, mounting, install, DNO, scaffolding, MCS cert, design, monitoring, margin. Real numbers.
Battery Storage on Commercial Solar 2026 | When It Pays Back
Battery storage on UK commercial solar 2026 — £350-£550/kWh capex, sector-by-sector payback, self-consumption uplift, dynamic SEG arbitrage.
UK DNO Connection Costs 2026 | The Hidden Solar Capex Line
UK DNO connection costs 2026 — G98, G99 fees, reinforcement charges by network. What to budget for commercial solar connections.
Smart Export Guarantee 2026 | Best Commercial SEG Tariffs
Best commercial SEG tariffs 2026 — Octopus Outgoing, EDF Variable, British Gas rates compared. How to switch and maximise export income.
PPAs vs Cash vs Grants 2026 | Commercial Solar Decision Tree
Cash, PPA, grant or asset finance? A 2026 decision-tree walking each option's economics for UK businesses now that IETF and PSDS are closed to new applications.
AIA vs Solar Grants 2026 | Why Tax Relief Often Wins
Solar PV is special-rate plant, so Full Expensing does not apply — AIA gives 100% year-one relief, worth ~25% of capex.
REPF for Solar | Rural England Prosperity Fund (ended March 2026)
REPF for solar 2026 — Rural England Prosperity Fund application guide, eligible councils, historic capex coverage up to 40%. REPF ended in March 2026.
IETF Phase 3 Guide | Closure Status & What's Next 2026
A record of the IETF: last Phase 3 window closed 19 April 2024, fund closed July 2025, no successor. What to use instead.
Salix PSDS for Schools | What MATs Do After 2024 Closure
Salix PSDS for schools 2026 — what MATs and academies do after PSDS Phase 4 closure. BAU loans, next phase outlook, application guide.
See which grants your business qualifies for — free 20-minute funding review.
Tell us your sector, roof size and energy spend. We reply by email with a shortlist of grants and the realistic capex you can expect to recover.
No obligation. We don't charge for grant scoping.
Funding by asset class
The allowance depends on the asset, and most pages on this topic get it the wrong way round. Solar PV is special-rate expenditure (HMRC Capital Allowances Manual CA22335), so the 100% year-one route is the Annual Investment Allowance — Full Expensing is a main-rate measure and does not reach it. Battery storage, EV charging and heat pumps are Heat pumps for space or water heating are special-rate: AIA, then the 50% FYA. Standalone batteries are probably main-rate (full expensing for companies), but HMRC has no specific guidance; confirm with your adviser.
- heat pump capex for commercial buildings
Special-rate integral feature: AIA up to £1m, then the 50% special-rate first-year allowance for companies; full expensing does not apply.
- commercial battery storage costs and ROI
Probably main-rate plant (HMRC has no specific guidance, so confirm with your adviser). Stacks with solar for self-consumption.
- what commercial solar costs per kWp
Capex bands per kWp before any relief.
- rooftop solar on industrial premises
Large roofs, high daytime load — the strongest case.
- the Annual Investment Allowance explained for solar
Solar is special-rate, so AIA is the 100% year-one route.
Find out which 2026 schemes your site actually qualifies for
- 1. A short written funding note naming every scheme your site qualifies for in 2026 — and the ones it does not.
- 2. Indicative system size and a capex band for your roof.
- 3. Year-one tax treatment per asset in £ — solar is special-rate expenditure, so the route is the Annual Investment Allowance; heat pumps for building heating are also special-rate integral features, and standalone battery storage is probably main-rate plant (HMRC has no specific guidance, so confirm with your adviser). Most pages get this the wrong way round.
- 4. Projected SEG export revenue at current rates.
- 5. Any red-flag eligibility or DNO issues we can see up front.
Covers solar PV, battery storage, EV charging and commercial heat pumps — separately or as one bundled project. If your project is a heat pump or a battery rather than a roof, say so in the message box and the note is written against that asset instead.
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- · We are an independent funding information service — not an installer.