Growth Hubs & Regional Business Energy Grants for business solar
May apply to your businessThe most realistically accessible route for a private SME — but there is no single national solar grant; it's a patchwork of intermittent, region-specific schemes you have to hunt for locally.
Who qualifies
Private SMEs (typically under 250 employees and under £43m turnover) trading from commercial premises WITHIN a specific geographic boundary run a chance of qualifying. Availability, amounts and whether solar is even covered vary entirely by region and by funding round — many rounds open and close within weeks, and some regions have no energy grant at all. Every area of England has a Growth Hub that signposts (and sometimes administers) these schemes.
How much it is worth
No fixed national figure — grants are usually small capital contributions (commonly a few thousand up to low tens of thousands of pounds, often as a percentage match), where and when a round is live. Funding sources feeding these schemes include the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and, from 1 April 2026, the new Local Growth Fund (£1.5bn over three years). The Local Growth Fund is restricted to 11 Mayoral Strategic Authority areas (mostly the North and Midlands), so most of the country is NOT covered by it.
Where it stands in 2026
Live but fragmented and constantly changing. UKSPF-funded local schemes and Growth Hub advisory support are running in 2026. The Local Growth Fund launched 1 April 2026 with programmes rolling out through spring/summer 2026; specific solar-related sub-schemes are still being confirmed at local level and are confined to the 11 designated Mayoral Strategic Authority areas.
How to claim the Growth Hubs & Regional Business Energy Grants
- 1Find your local Growth Hub (search 'Growth Hub' + your county/city) — they signpost and sometimes run the grants.
- 2Search the official GOV.UK 'Find a grant' service at find-government-grants.service.gov.uk for currently-open schemes.
- 3Check your Combined/Mayoral Authority and local council websites for open funding rounds (especially if you're in one of the 11 Local Growth Fund areas).
- 4Register interest early — regional energy-grant windows are small and often close within weeks of opening.
Key facts, checked against official sources
- This is the most genuinely PRIVATE-business-accessible route on this list — but it is intermittent and geographic.
- Fed by UKSPF and, from 1 April 2026, the £1.5bn Local Growth Fund (3 years, administered by Combined Authorities).
- Local Growth Fund covers only 11 Mayoral Strategic Authority areas (mostly North of England / Midlands) — most regions are excluded.
- Typical eligibility: SME status, trading address inside the scheme's boundary, commercial premises with material energy spend.
- No single amount, deadline or guarantee — always verify a live round locally before relying on it.
Reliefs like this change the true net cost of every funding route. Model it in the finance calculator, or see how it fits alongside the other options on the grants & funding hub.