Can Solar Panels Power a UK Factory?
Honest answer + the longer story behind the question.
60-second answer
Yes — partially or fully, depending on factory size, electricity demand, and how much roof or land you have available. A typical UK rooftop system offsets 30–70% of annual demand. To reach 100% renewable you combine on-site PV with a green PPA on a remote solar farm or a green energy supplier. Most UK factories that claim “solar-powered” status use exactly that combination.
What does “solar-powered factory” actually mean?
In practice, three different things, all valid: (1) a factory where rooftop or ground-mount solar provides a measurable share of annual kWh (typically 20–70%) — this is the most common and the easiest to prove on Scope 2 emissions disclosures; (2) a factory where on-site PV plus a corporate PPA on a remote solar farm collectively cover 100% of annual kWh — common at JLR, Unilever, Diageo and many BRC-audited food sites; (3) a factory operating off-grid on solar plus battery, with no grid connection — vanishingly rare in the UK due to weather variability and demand profile.
How much of my factory’s electricity can rooftop solar realistically cover?
For a typical UK factory operating Mon–Fri 8–6, rooftop PV covers 30–70% of annual demand depending on:
- Daytime baseload: the higher the daytime % of total demand, the more solar covers (24/5 production hits 80%+, single-shift 40–55%)
- Roof area available: sized to fill the daytime baseload, not to fill the roof
- Latitude and shading: south-east UK gets 1,050 kWh/kWp/year, Scotland 850–900
- Roof orientation: south-facing pitched roofs win; east-west bifacial on flat is a close second; north-facing pitched usually skipped
What about night shifts and weekends?
Solar generates only during daylight, peaking around midday. Night shifts and weekends draw from grid by default. Three options to address: (1) accept that solar covers daytime only and combine with green grid contract for evenings — cheapest path; (2) add battery storage to shift midday excess to evenings — works for 250 kWh-2 MWh batteries on sites with significant night load; (3) sign a corporate PPA on a wind or remote-solar farm to cover overnight kWh — what most major UK manufacturers do.
Real example: 850 kW bakery covering 92% of annual demand
A North-West bakery supplying a UK supermarket chain: 24/7 production, 7,500 sqm roof, 1.2 MW peak daytime load. We installed 850 kW PV plus a 600 kWh battery. Result: 92% of annual electricity demand from the combined system, with the remaining 8% covered by a green PPA. Scope 2 emissions: zero. The facility now markets itself as “100% renewable powered” in retail communications.
How do I find out for my factory?
Submit a quote request with 12 months of half-hourly meter data and roof drawings. We share a free feasibility study showing exactly what % of annual demand on-site PV can cover, plus options to reach 100%.
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