The problem

Commercial energy costs have more than doubled in three years.

Grid electricity is now one of the largest controllable costs a commercial property carries. Most businesses are paying full rate for every unit — when they could be generating much of it themselves, storing the rest and running EV fleets from power that costs them almost nothing.

The technology is proven. The payback is measurable. The funding routes mean most businesses can do it without spending a pound of capital.

Talk to the RED energy team
28p
Typical UK commercial unit rate per kWh — up from 12p in 2021
4.5yr
Average payback period on a commercial solar install at current rates
£0
Upfront capital required when funded via asset finance or a PPA
25yr
System lifespan — generating free power long after the payback date

The answer

Three technologies.
One joined-up solution.

Solar PV, battery storage and EV charging work best together — each amplifying the value of the others. RED Energy designs, installs and maintains all three, coordinated through a single team with one point of accountability.

Technology 01

Solar PV

Every kWh your roof generates is a kWh you don't buy from the grid. For commercial buildings with significant roof or ground space, solar PV is the single most effective way to cut energy costs — permanently, and with zero ongoing fuel cost.

We design every system on SolarEdge — our exclusive supplier partner, and in our view the industry-leading platform for commercial installations. Module-level monitoring, optimised yield, and built-in safety across every panel.

We carry MCS certification, required for grid connection and for access to the Smart Export Guarantee — so any surplus power you generate, you can sell back.

MCS Certified Installer
SolarEdge Preferred Partner
Typical system size
30 – 250 kWp
Scaled to your roof, consumption profile and budget
Annual bill saving
£8,000 – £70,000+
Depending on system size and daytime energy use
Payback period
3.5 – 6 years
Then 20+ years of near-free generation
Carbon reduction
8 – 40 tCO₂e / year
Directly reduces your Scope 2 emissions
Technology 02

Battery Storage

Solar generates when the sun shines. Battery storage means your business benefits even when it doesn't. Surplus daytime generation is stored and drawn on during evenings, overnight, or at peak-rate periods — cutting import costs further and improving overall system payback.

For businesses with extended hours or high evening demand — warehousing, logistics, manufacturing — battery storage can make the difference between a good solar project and an exceptional one.

Storage also protects against demand charges and grid instability, and can be configured to respond automatically to peak tariff windows.

SolarEdge integrated battery systems
Additional saving
15 – 35%
Improvement on solar-only bill reduction
Best suited to
Extended hours operations
Warehousing, logistics, manufacturing, retail, hospitality
Peak shaving
Automated tariff response
Discharges during high-rate periods, recharges off-peak
Technology 03

EV Charging

Fleet electrification isn't optional — it's a procurement requirement for a growing number of supply chains, and ULEZ expansion means diesel vans are increasingly penalised in urban areas. The question isn't whether your fleet goes electric. It's whether you're ready when it does.

On-site charge points powered by your solar array mean your fleet charges on electricity that costs you almost nothing. Staff charging, customer charging and fleet depot infrastructure — all designed and installed as part of a joined-up energy solution.

We design EV infrastructure to work with your solar and battery systems from the outset — not bolted on afterwards.

NICEIC Approved — EV infrastructure
Fleet charging cost
Near zero
When charged from on-site solar generation
CSR & procurement
Strengthens tender bids
Visible ESG commitment with verifiable emissions data
Infrastructure
3.7 – 150 kW per point
From single workplace bays to full depot fast-charge arrays
£14,400
Typical annual saving on an 80 kWp commercial solar install
12.3 t
CO₂e saved per year — equivalent to 559 trees planted annually
£41/mo
Typical net gain when financed — bill saving covers repayment in full
100%
Of UK corp tax relief via Annual Investment Allowance for profitable businesses

See what solar could save your business.

Give us your building details and we'll run the numbers — system size, projected saving, payback period and the best funding route for your situation. No obligation.

How to pay

You don't need capital
to do this.

The single biggest barrier to commercial solar is the assumption that it requires significant upfront capital. It doesn't. Three established routes make it accessible to almost any business — and two of them require no capital outlay at all.

Option 01 · Best return

Cash Purchase

Pay upfront and own the system outright from day one. No interest, no monthly repayments. The full annual saving is yours immediately and payback begins the moment the system is switched on.

For businesses with available capital, this delivers the highest long-term return — particularly with Annual Investment Allowance providing up to 100% first-year tax relief on the cost.

AIA benefit: A £60,000 system may cost a profitable business as little as £48,000 net after Corporation Tax relief — claim up to the AIA limit in year one.
Option 02 · No capital required

Asset Finance

Spread the cost over a fixed term through a commercial finance provider. Monthly repayments are typically close to — or fully covered by — the monthly bill saving the system generates.

Preserve working capital and cash flow. The system works for you from day one, and you own it outright at the end of the term. RED Energy can introduce accredited finance partners.

Typical comparison: On an 80 kWp system — estimated monthly repayment £1,159, estimated monthly bill saving £1,200. Net position: +£41/month from month one.
Option 03 · Zero capital, zero ownership

Power Purchase Agreement

A third party funds, installs and maintains the system. You simply buy the power it generates — at a rate below the current grid price — with zero capital outlay and zero maintenance responsibility.

Immediate savings from day one with no ownership commitment. Typically best suited to larger systems where the commercial model stacks up for the funder.

Typical threshold: PPAs are generally viable from 150 kWp upwards. We'll advise on the right route for your system size and business model.

CSR & ESG

The sustainability case
is as strong as the financial one.

For most businesses, energy is the single largest source of Scope 2 carbon emissions. Reducing it directly improves your ESG position — with verifiable data you can report, evidence for tenders, and a credible story for clients, staff and investors who increasingly care.

SECR Compliance

Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting requires qualifying UK businesses to disclose energy use and carbon emissions annually. Solar PV directly reduces your reported figures — and we provide the metered generation data you need to report it accurately.

Scope 2 Reduction

Every unit of solar power your building consumes displaces a unit bought from the grid. This directly reduces your Scope 2 emissions — the category most businesses are measured and held accountable on by customers, investors and supply chains.

Net Zero Pathway

If your business has committed to a Net Zero target — or is being asked to by a client or investor — renewables are a non-negotiable part of getting there. We help you build a credible, evidenced pathway with measurable milestones from installation onwards.

Tender & Supply Chain

Public sector frameworks and large private-sector supply chains are increasingly scoring ESG as part of procurement decisions. An operating solar PV system — with documented generation figures — is one of the most credible and tangible ESG assets you can present.

Staff & Investor Confidence

Talent retention and investor appetite increasingly track ESG performance. Visible, substantive action — not just a policy document — is what builds genuine confidence. A commissioned solar installation is hard to argue with.

Monitored & Reportable

SolarEdge monitoring gives you real-time generation data, export figures and carbon savings at system, string and panel level. Accurate numbers you can quote in ESG reports, annual returns and client questionnaires — not estimates.

The process

From first conversation
to generation.

A typical commercial solar installation — survey to commissioning — takes four to eight weeks. We manage every stage, from the grid application to handover, so your team isn't coordinating contractors or chasing paperwork.

Step 01

Free Assessment

We review your building, energy bills and objectives. Within 48 hours we'll give you an indicative system size, projected saving and a recommended funding route — no site visit required at this stage.

Step 02

Site Survey

A technical survey confirms roof condition, structural load, shading profile, grid connection capacity and optimal panel placement. This is the foundation of an accurate, fixed-price proposal.

Step 03

Fixed Proposal

A fully specified, fixed-price proposal covering system design, payment options, projected output and payback modelling. No surprises on completion — the price is the price.

Step 04

Installation & Handover

MCS-accredited installation, DNO notification, commissioning and full handover — including SolarEdge monitoring access so you can track generation, savings and carbon from day one.

What does it look like in practice?

Indicative figures for a typical commercial building.

These numbers are based on a mid-sized commercial building with an 800m² south-facing roof, daytime-heavy energy use, and current UK commercial unit rates. Your actual figures depend on your building, usage profile and funding route — which is exactly what our free assessment is for.

We'll run the numbers for your site specifically, with no obligation and no hard sell.

Try the savings calculator Speak to the team
Est. system size 80 kWp
Est. installation cost £64,319
Net after Corp Tax relief £48,239
Est. annual bill saving £14,400 / yr
Est. payback 4.5 years
Carbon saved / year 12.3 tCO₂e
Monthly finance vs saving +£41 / month
Accreditations & partnerships
MCS Certified Installer NICEIC Approved Contractor SolarEdge Preferred Partner Smart Export Guarantee Registered RED Connect Accredited Network

What clients say

In their words.

We were sceptical about the payback figures we'd seen elsewhere — RED worked through the numbers with us honestly and the actual saving in year one was within 8% of their projection. That kind of transparency is rare.

Operations Director

Manufacturing, West Midlands

The finance route made this a no-brainer. The monthly repayment was almost entirely covered by the bill saving from day one. We own a 120 kWp system in six years' time and our bills dropped immediately.

Finance Director

Logistics and distribution

The ESG angle was as important to us as the cost saving. We now have real, monitored data we can put in tender submissions. It's already helped us win two contracts where sustainability was a scored criterion.

Managing Director

Commercial property services

Ready to cut your energy bill?

Tell us your building type, rough roof area and average monthly energy spend — we'll come back within 48 hours with an honest assessment of what solar could do for you.

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