Buy Outright (Capital Purchase)
Fund the system from your own reserves and keep every pound of saving, export income and tax relief. It costs the most on day one and returns the most over its life.
- Upfront:
- Full installed cost
- Term:
- No finance term
- Owns it:
- Your business, from commissioning
Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)
A funder pays for, owns and maintains the system on your roof at no capital cost. You just buy the power it makes at a rate below what the grid charges you.
- Upfront:
- £0
- Term:
- Usually 10 to 25 years
- Owns it:
- The PPA funder, for the life of the contract
Hire Purchase
Pay a small deposit then fixed monthly instalments, own the system at the end, and still claim the full first-year tax relief now.
- Upfront:
- Deposit only, often around 10%
- Term:
- Usually 2 to 7 years
- Owns it:
- The lender during the term, your business at the end
Asset Finance
Borrowing secured against the solar equipment itself, arranged as hire purchase or a finance lease, so you keep your other credit lines free.
- Upfront:
- Low or none, deposit varies
- Term:
- Usually 3 to 10 years
- Owns it:
- Depends on the structure: you at the end under HP, the lessor under a lease
Operating Lease
Rent the system for a fixed monthly cost with the lessor keeping ownership. The rentals are fully expensed through your profit and loss.
- Upfront:
- £0 to low
- Term:
- Usually 5 to 15 years
- Owns it:
- The lessor, throughout the term
Business or Green Loan
Borrow the cash to buy the system outright and own it from day one, then repay the loan on its own schedule. Some lenders price green projects keener.
- Upfront:
- £0, the loan funds the purchase
- Term:
- Usually 3 to 15 years
- Owns it:
- Your business, from day one
No Upfront Cost / Fully Funded
The zero-capital options gathered in one place. 'Fully funded' is a promise, not a product: it always turns out to be a PPA or 100% finance underneath.
- Upfront:
- £0
- Term:
- Varies by structure
- Owns it:
- Depends on the structure underneath
See all seven routes side by side →
Already know you want to borrow? It is worth seeing which lenders fund business solar before you settle on a route. Ready to move straight to figures instead? Our partners will put costed quotes in front of you.