Cold store solar FAQs: planning, winter output, backup power and bills

The site's illustrative model puts a warehouse install at £350,000-£2.4m (500 kW-3 MW), at an illustrative £700-£900/kW (a modelling assumption, not a quote or a market survey). Last-mile depots (100-400 kW) range £90k-£340k in the same model. Capital can typically be claimed in full in year one under the Annual Investment Allowance.

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. The BBP Green Lease Toolkit includes a lease addendum template for solar.

It should, if checked early. Ask the site's insurer and a fire-protection engineer about roof loading, clearances and sprinkler compatibility before design. The PV layout is then planned around your sprinkler heads, not the other way around.

A rooftop system should be 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. Port sites can see design wind speeds of 35m/s, but the 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 is normally scheduled for a weekend or planned shutdown.

Illustratively 4-5 years in the site's simple model (assumed tariff and self-consumption; not a quote). The model assumes a high share of generation (about 90%) is used on site, so test that against twelve months of half-hourly meter data. Grid electricity is a major cold-chain operating cost, which is why avoided import drives the saving. A sound appraisal also looks at internal rate of return and net present value.

Ask your certification body or customer auditor. Customer and audit schemes may ask about energy use and resilience; check the relevant standard. Solar PV can give auditable evidence of Scope 2 reduction.

Freeport and Investment Zone sites may qualify for enhanced capital allowances on plant and machinery, so it is worth checking. Eligibility depends on the site and the zone's rules at the time, so confirm it before committing to a funding structure. 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. The EV charging infrastructure is best designed alongside the PV, and a 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 varies with the landlord and the lease, so raise consent early.

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. A valuation of a 5-10-year-old system can support the lease-end process if needed.