Solar Panels for SEGRO East Midlands Gateway: Logistics Solar at Castle Donington
SEGRO East Midlands Gateway is one of the UK's most strategically important logistics parks — and one of its greatest solar opportunities. Tenants including Amazon, DHL, Kuehne+Nagel and XPO operate 24/7 in high-energy buildings that are ideally suited to rooftop solar. SEGRO actively supports tenant solar as part of its net zero programme.
What Is SEGRO East Midlands Gateway?
SEGRO East Midlands Gateway (EMG) is a 700-acre logistics and industrial park at Kegworth, Leicestershire (DE74), positioned directly adjacent to Junction 24 of the M1 motorway and immediately south of East Midlands Airport at Castle Donington. It is one of the most connected logistics destinations in the UK: motorway access is immediate, East Midlands Airport's air freight operation is next door, and a dedicated on-site rail freight terminal handles up to 16 x 775-metre freight trains per day — an unmatched multimodal capability in the UK's Golden Triangle.
With more than 4.5 million sq ft of logistics space delivered and further development plots available, EMG is home to major occupiers including Amazon, DHL, Kuehne+Nagel, XPO (running Nestle's UK logistics), the Very Group and Games Workshop. These are large, energy-intensive operations running sophisticated fulfilment systems, conveyor networks and mechanical handling equipment across round-the-clock shifts.
The buildings themselves are predominantly post-2016 construction, designed to BREEAM Excellent standards and targeting EPC A+ ratings. Large, structurally engineered portal frame roofs — typically 10–18 metres eaves height — provide excellent capacity for high-density solar arrays. At 975 kWh/kWp annual yield, the East Midlands delivers among the strongest solar returns available north of the Home Counties.
SEGRO's Solar Programme: How It Works for Tenants
SEGRO is one of Europe's largest listed industrial REITs, with a property portfolio spanning the UK, Germany, France and Poland. It has published a formal net zero carbon pathway that includes both its own operational emissions and a commitment to supporting tenants in reducing Scope 3 emissions across SEGRO's estate. Solar is an explicit part of this programme.
In practice, SEGRO's approach to tenant solar operates on two tracks. On some buildings within its retained portfolio, SEGRO has installed solar panels directly and may offer tenants a landlord-side Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), under which SEGRO owns the panels and the tenant simply buys the electricity generated at a rate below the grid tariff. This arrangement requires no action from the tenant beyond signing the PPA.
On leased properties where SEGRO has not installed panels itself, tenants can arrange their own solar installation. The standard route is a lease alteration application to SEGRO, which — given SEGRO's sustainability commitments — is generally granted for rooftop PV installations subject to structural compliance. We manage this consent process on your behalf as part of our service. Where a tenant prefers to use a third-party Solar PPA (zero capital), this is also possible: the PPA finance provider technically installs and owns the system, and the consent application is for the structural alteration rather than capital investment.
SEGRO Solar Routes at a Glance
SEGRO installs and owns the panels. Tenant pays a per-kWh rate below the grid tariff. Zero tenant capital. Zero lease alteration. Available on selected SEGRO-installed buildings.
Third-party finance provider installs and owns panels. Lease alteration required from SEGRO (typically granted). Tenant pays below-grid rate from day one. Zero capital outlay.
Tenant funds the installation outright. Lease alteration required. Capital allowances (AIA) reduce effective cost by ~25%. Best long-term ROI for owner-operators.
See also: Solar PPA vs Ownership vs Lease — full comparison guide
The EMG Energy Demand Profile: Why Solar Works So Well Here
SEGRO East Midlands Gateway hosts some of the most energy-intensive logistics operations in the UK. Amazon's fulfilment centre at EMG runs continuous conveyor systems, robotic picking technology, intensive LED lighting arrays and climate control across a building that operates on multiple shifts, often around the clock during peak periods. DHL and Kuehne+Nagel operate temperature-controlled facilities and high-throughput parcel sortation systems with significant mechanical handling loads.
The airport adjacency creates a further layer of demand intensity. East Midlands Airport is the UK's largest pure-cargo airport by overnight freight volume — the airport's 24-hour freight operation means significant on-site activity through the night, driving electricity demand at times when solar is not generating. However, daytime demand at EMG is uniformly very high. Solar generation during the 7am–6pm window aligns almost perfectly with the most energy-intensive periods of operations across the estate.
Typical EMG Daytime Loads
- +Automated conveyor and sortation systems: 100–500kW continuous
- +LED lighting across 200,000–500,000 sqft: 50–150kW
- +Dock levellers, HGV charging, forklift charging: 50–200kW
- +HVAC and climate control: 30–100kW
- +Office systems, security, access control: 10–30kW
Solar Self-Consumption at EMG
Because EMG operations typically run from before dawn to well after dark, solar self-consumption rates are high — typically 75–90% for a correctly sized system. This means the vast majority of generated electricity is used directly on-site rather than exported, maximising bill savings.
For 24/7 operations, pairing solar with battery storage can push self-consumption above 90% by storing surplus daytime generation for overnight use.
EMG Solar Savings Model: 500kW Example
The following example is based on a 500kW rooftop solar installation on a medium-to-large logistics unit at SEGRO East Midlands Gateway. The site is assumed to be a 150,000–200,000 sqft distribution centre operating two-shift operations with significant daytime electricity demand.
500kW System — SEGRO EMG, Kegworth
Based on 975 kWh/kWp annual yield, 29p/kWh grid rate avoided
| System capacity | 500 kWp |
| Annual generation (975 kWh/kWp) | 487,500 kWh |
| Grid rate avoided | 29p/kWh |
| Annual saving | £141,375/year |
| Estimated CO2 avoided | ~98 tonnes/year |
| Typical installed cost | ~£375,000 |
| After AIA (25% tax relief) | ~£281,000 effective |
| Simple payback (purchased) | 2.7–3.5 years |
| 25-year generation value | >£3.5M |
| PPA option | Zero capital, day-1 savings |
Indicative figures based on 975 kWh/kWp (East Midlands), 29p/kWh grid rate, 80% self-consumption. Actual savings depend on site-specific consumption profile, roof orientation and grid connection. Full large-site ROI methodology.
For context, a 500kW system requires approximately 3,000–3,500 square metres of south-facing roof space — easily achievable on a 150,000 sqft logistics unit. If your unit at East Midlands Gateway is larger or has greater electricity consumption (as would be the case for a refrigerated facility or heavily automated fulfilment centre), system sizes of 750kW to 1.5MW become viable, with proportionally greater savings. See our large-site solar ROI guide for analysis at these scales.
Battery Storage + Solar at East Midlands Gateway
East Midlands Gateway occupies a particularly interesting position from a grid perspective. The site is served by National Grid Electricity Distribution (now National Grid Electricity Distribution/East Midlands), and the presence of East Midlands Airport on the adjacent land creates a complex local grid environment. Large airport-related loads — passenger terminal, cargo warehouses, fuel depots, ground handling equipment — share the same distribution infrastructure.
In areas with complex grid loading like this, DNO export limitations are relatively common for new solar connections above 50kW. An export cap means that any solar generation above your site's import capacity cannot be sent back to the grid — it must either be consumed on-site or curtailed (wasted). Battery storage resolves this directly: the battery captures surplus solar generation during peak midday production and releases it during morning and evening demand peaks when solar output is lower.
Why Battery Storage Makes Sense at EMG
- Export limitation common — storage prevents generation waste
- 24/7 operations mean overnight battery discharge is fully utilised
- Peak demand shaving reduces half-hourly demand charges
- Self-consumption rises from ~75% to 90%+ with storage
Typical Storage Configuration
For a 500kW solar system at EMG, a 500–1,000kWh lithium-ion battery system (e.g. two to four 250kWh BESS units) is typically optimal. The battery charges from solar surplus between 10am and 3pm, then discharges to support operations from 6–10pm and overnight.
Additional revenue opportunities from battery storage include Demand Side Response (DSR) participation via National Grid's balancing mechanism — particularly relevant for the large grid loads at EMG.
EPC Compliance and SEGRO's BREEAM Framework
East Midlands Gateway buildings are predominantly BREEAM Excellent rated and target EPC A+. However, even A-rated buildings benefit from solar in terms of their ongoing operational energy performance, and any older buildings on the estate that carry an EPC B or C rating face growing commercial pressure ahead of the government's proposed 2027 MEES minimum EPC B requirement for commercial lettings.
Installing rooftop solar measurably improves a building's EPC rating by reducing the primary energy demand and carbon intensity of the building's energy supply. For SEGRO, this directly supports the BREEAM In-Use certification that many of its tenants require as part of their sustainability reporting. For tenants, it reduces Scope 2 emissions under GHG Protocol — a growing requirement in supply chain contracts with major retailers and brands. See our EPC and solar upgrade guide for full methodology.
Areas We Serve from East Midlands Gateway
Our East Midlands team covers SEGRO EMG and all surrounding logistics locations. The following areas fall within our primary survey and installation coverage:
Frequently Asked Questions — SEGRO EMG Solar
Does SEGRO allow tenant solar at East Midlands Gateway?
How does the SEGRO solar programme work for tenants?
Is battery storage recommended at East Midlands Gateway?
What size solar system suits a logistics unit at East Midlands Gateway?
Related Guides
Logistics & Warehouse Solar UK
Complete guide to solar across UK logistics parks including Golden Triangle benchmarks.
Solar PPA vs Ownership vs Lease
Compare all three solar finance structures — including the zero-capital PPA for SEGRO tenants.
Large Site Solar ROI (500kW–2MW)
Full ROI analysis for large logistics sites — directly applicable to EMG-scale installations.
EPC & Solar Upgrade Guide
How solar improves EPC ratings and supports BREEAM compliance at SEGRO properties.
Leicester Factory Solar
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Industrial Battery Storage
Battery storage solutions for logistics sites with export limitations or 24/7 demand profiles.