Business solar finance: worked examples
How the numbers come together when you finance a business solar system, across different sectors and funding routes. These are representative, illustrative examples with indicative 2026 figures, not named clients.
Illustrative examples. The figures are internally consistent, based on standard 2026 market assumptions, and shown to explain the method. Your real numbers depend on your site, consumption and the actual finance terms offered.
Independent hotel: 60 kWp on asset finance secured against the equipment
South West independent hotel · Taunton, Somerset
60 kWp Asset finance, hire-purchase structure £13,200 /year/yr ~4yr payback
Read the worked example → Mixed farm: 80 kWp bought outright with AIA relief, and where the Farming Investment Fund fits
Lincolnshire mixed-farming business · Boston, Lincolnshire
80 kWp Capital purchase plus Annual Investment Allowance £17,700 /year/yr ~4yr payback
Read the worked example → Professional-services office: 30 kWp bought outright with full year-one AIA relief
South East professional-services firm · Reading, Berkshire
30 kWp Capital purchase plus Annual Investment Allowance £7,300 /year/yr ~4yr payback
Read the worked example → Midlands precision engineering: 48 kWp on a green business loan, cash-positive from year one
Midlands precision-engineering firm · Coventry, West Midlands
48 kWp Green business loan, 100% financed £11,900 /year/yr ~4yr payback
Read the worked example → Distribution warehouse: 150 kWp on six-year hire purchase, own it at the end
Yorkshire distribution operator · Wakefield, West Yorkshire
150 kWp Hire purchase, six-year term £31,600 /year/yr ~4yr payback
Read the worked example → Cold-storage food operator: 250 kWp on a zero-upfront PPA, cheaper power from day one
East of England cold-storage and food operator · Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
250 kWp Power Purchase Agreement, zero upfront £19,000 /year/yr
Read the worked example →