Solar panels for cold storage, FAQs

A typical warehouse install is £350,000-£2.4m (500 kW-3 MW), at £700-£900/kW depending on system size. Last-mile depots (100-400 kW) range £90k-£340k. Cold-chain and large distribution centres often achieve £600/kW or below at scale. Capital is typically fully expensed year one under AIA.

Modern logistics buildings of 100,000-500,000 sqft can accommodate 1-5 MW of rooftop PV. Smaller industrial units of 30,000-80,000 sqft typically take 200-600 kW. The binding constraint is rarely roof area, it's usually DNO capacity or building structural loading.

Yes, tenant-installed solar is now standard practice. Landlord consent is required (most institutional landlords have standard green-lease addenda). PPA structures shift the lease risk to a third-party owner. We provide the lease addendum template aligned with the BBP Green Lease Toolkit.

Yes, by design. We follow LPC sprinkler clearance standards (1m to deflector, 0.6m at high-bay) and obtain insurer sign-off before fabrication. The PV layout is built around your sprinkler heads, not the other way around.

Every install is designed to BS EN 1991-1-4 (Eurocode 1) for the specific site's wind exposure. Ballasted systems are weighted for worst-case wind uplift. We've delivered installs at port sites with 35m/s design wind speeds, design envelope is well-defined.

Yes. Roof installation happens above your operations, MHE, picking, and despatch continue normally. The only operational impact is the final grid synchronisation (4-8 hours), which we schedule for a weekend or planned shutdown. Several clients have insisted on Q4 install, delivered with zero impact.

4-5 years, the fastest in UK commercial solar. 24/7 refrigeration provides ~90%+ self-consumption, and grid electricity is the largest cold-chain operating cost. Cold-chain operators routinely achieve IRRs of 18-28% on PV capex.

No, and increasingly the audits ask for it. BRC v9, SQF, IFS, and GFSI-recognised standards now reference renewable energy adoption in their energy management criteria. Solar PV is auditable evidence of Scope 2 reduction.

Freeport status often unlocks 100% Enhanced Capital Allowances on plant and machinery for buildings within the zone. Our project finance team checks Freeport eligibility for every applicable site. Current Freeports: Felixstowe/Harwich, Liverpool, Plymouth, Teesside, Solent, Thames, Humber, East Midlands.

Yes, and the synergy is excellent for last-mile and depot operations. Daytime EV charging absorbs solar at 100% self-consumption. We design the EV charging infrastructure alongside the PV, typical depot install includes 6-24 charge points alongside 100-400 kW PV.

Yes, in nearly all standard UK industrial leases. The Building Better Partnership (BBP) Green Lease Toolkit includes the standard solar addendum that most institutional landlords accept. Time required: typically 4-8 weeks for institutional landlords (Prologis, Tritax, Blackstone, GLP); 1-4 weeks for owner-occupied or family-owned property.

Own (cash or asset finance): you own the asset, claim full tax allowances, and keep all kWh savings. PPA: third-party owns and operates; you pay per kWh consumed at a rate below grid retail; zero capex; off-balance-sheet. PPA is often the right choice for tenants on shorter leases, ownership for owner-occupiers.

Lease addendum should specify: (a) tenant removes the system at expiry (typical for short leases); (b) tenant transfers ownership to landlord at agreed value; or (c) PPA continues with successor tenant. The BBP toolkit covers all three. We support the lease-end process with a 5-10-year-old system valuation if needed.