MCS-Certified Commercial Installer
Commercial solar installers in Cornwall — MCS certified, Cornwall-based
We are commercial solar installers based in Pool, Redruth, working across the whole of Cornwall. As MCS-certified commercial PV installers we design, supply, install and commission complete commercial solar panel systems — from the initial feasibility study and G99 grid application through to handover and monitoring. Every commercial solar installation in Cornwall we complete is carried out by our own directly employed team, not subcontractors, and comes with the MCS certificate and paperwork your accountant needs for capital allowances.
MCS
MCS certified for solar PV — the standard required for SEG registration and quality-assured commercial installs.
200+
Installations completed across Cornwall — residential and commercial solar, battery and heating projects.
5.0/5
Rated 5.0/5 from 14 independent Google reviews. Gas Safe registered.
All Cornwall
Cornwall-based and Cornwall-only — from Penzance and the far west across to Bodmin, Liskeard and Looe.
Choosing local commercial PV installers matters: a Cornwall-based team means faster site surveys, a shorter chain for G99 liaison with National Grid Electricity Distribution, and someone who can attend site through the 20+ year life of the system. We are members of the HIES Consumer Code and Trustmark government-endorsed, so your commercial solar installation is covered by workmanship and deposit protection.
Why Cornwall businesses are moving on commercial solar in 2026
Three things have changed in the last 24 months. First, panel prices have dropped around 22% from 2023 highs, so system costs per kWp are the lowest they have ever been in the UK. Second, business electricity rates stabilised above 25p/kWh commercial average, roughly double pre-2022 levels — meaning self-generated electricity is worth far more than it was. Third, Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) at £1m per year lets most SMEs deduct 100% of the install cost against taxable profits in year one.
The combined effect is that a well-sized commercial PV system on a Cornish farm, packhouse, dairy, workshop or office building now pays back in roughly 5 to 7 years, with another 18 to 20 years of near-free electricity afterwards. In a lot of cases the system is cheaper than doing nothing once you account for tax relief.
Where commercial solar works best in Cornwall
Cornwall's commercial solar sweet spot is any business with significant daytime electricity use and a south, east or west-facing roof that is structurally sound. The list we install for most often:
- Farms and agricultural buildings — barns, grain stores, dairies. Huge roof areas, high daytime load from pumps, fans, refrigeration.
- Cold storage and packhouses — almost perfect match: constant compressor load through daylight hours.
- Workshops, garages and MOT stations — compressor, lighting and lift loads all sit in the solar generation window.
- Offices and professional services — tend to benefit more with battery storage paired.
- Retail and hospitality — refrigeration, lighting and HVAC are all daytime loads; SEG income tops up from weekends.
- Industrial units and light manufacturing — often ideal when production runs 8am–5pm on weekdays.
Commercial solar panel systems: sizes, indicative costs and payback
We install commercial solar panel systems from 10 kWp up to roof-scale 250 kWp+ arrays across Cornwall. The right system size for your commercial solar installation is driven by your daytime demand, roof area and single- or three-phase supply — every quote is bespoke, but as a rough guide:
- 10 kWp — around 24 panels, £9,000 to £13,000 installed, typical for small shops, cafés and offices.
- 25 kWp — around 60 panels, £19,000 to £26,000 installed, suits larger retail units and small workshops.
- 50 kWp — around 120 panels, £38,000 to £48,000 installed, suits packhouses, small dairies, medium offices.
- 100 kWp — around 235 panels, £70,000 to £85,000 installed, larger farms, industrial units.
- 250 kWp — roof-scale, £165,000 to £200,000 installed, significant industrial or agricultural sites.
| System size | Indicative cost (ex VAT) | Annual generation | Est. annual saving | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 kWp | £9,000–£13,000 | ~9,500 kWh | £1,600–£1,900 | 5–7 yrs |
| 20 kWp | £16,000–£22,000 | ~19,000 kWh | £3,200–£3,800 | 5–6 yrs |
| 25 kWp | £19,000–£26,000 | ~23,750 kWh | £4,000–£4,750 | 5–6 yrs |
| 50 kWp | £38,000–£48,000 | ~47,500 kWh | £8,000–£9,500 | 5–6 yrs |
| 100 kWp | £70,000–£85,000 | ~95,000 kWh | £16,000–£19,000 | 5–7 yrs |
| 250 kWp | £165,000–£200,000 | ~237,500 kWh | £40,000–£47,500 | 6–7 yrs |
All prices exclude VAT (commercial solar is standard-rated at 20% VAT but reclaimable by VAT-registered businesses). Price ranges depend on mounting system, whether ground-mount or roof, single or three-phase inverter, and distance from consumer unit to array.
The G99 process we handle for you
Anything above 3.68kW single-phase or 11.04kW three-phase needs a G99 connection agreement from the DNO (National Grid Electricity Distribution, covering Cornwall). We handle G99 submissions on every commercial project. Realistic timelines:
- Up to 50kW — usually 6 to 10 weeks for DNO approval.
- 50kW to 250kW — 12 to 20 weeks typical; may require a network study.
- Above 250kW — 20+ weeks; often needs substation reinforcement.
We recommend starting the G99 process before ordering equipment, because DNO acceptance often drives the earliest possible install date.
Our commercial solar installation process in Cornwall
Every commercial solar installation in Cornwall we deliver follows the same disciplined process, so you know exactly what you are buying before any equipment is ordered:
- Feasibility study — we analyse 12 months of half-hourly meter data, model self-consumption and export, and produce a return-on-investment report specific to your site.
- Roof and electrical survey — structural check of the roof (or ground-mount area), condition of the incoming supply, and the run from consumer unit to the proposed array.
- Detailed design — panel layout, string design, inverter selection (single or three-phase) and mounting specification, all to MCS standards.
- G99 grid application — we submit and manage the DNO connection agreement with National Grid Electricity Distribution on your behalf.
- Installation and commissioning — our own directly employed engineers carry out the commercial solar installation, test and commission the system, and register it with MCS and for the SEG.
- Handover and monitoring — you receive full documentation, monitoring access, and a workmanship warranty backed by our HIES and Trustmark membership.
For the underlying installation service across all property types see our solar panel installation page, and if you want to store and time-shift your generation, our battery storage in Cornwall page covers commercial-scale options in detail.
Sectors we install commercial solar for across Cornwall
Cornwall's economy is weighted towards tourism, agriculture and food production — all sectors with strong daytime electricity demand that map neatly onto solar generation. The sectors we install for most often:
- Hospitality — hotels, pubs, restaurants — kitchens, refrigeration, lighting and increasingly heat pumps run through the day. Coastal hotels with year-round occupancy see the fastest returns.
- Holiday parks and self-catering lets — multiple metered units, laundries, pools and hot tubs create a high, predictable daytime load. See our dedicated solar for holiday lets page for the holiday-business case.
- Agricultural — farms, barns, dairies, packhouses — huge south-facing roof areas and constant pump, fan and refrigeration loads. Our agricultural solar page covers grants, ground-mount and barn-roof options in detail.
- Retail and convenience — refrigeration, lighting and HVAC are daytime loads; weekend trading and SEG export top up the return.
- Industrial units and light manufacturing — production running 8am–5pm on weekdays is an almost perfect match for solar generation, often supporting the largest 100–250 kWp arrays.
Grants, allowances and finance for business solar
Commercial solar in the UK is not supported by the domestic grants (there is no Boiler Upgrade Scheme or 0% VAT for business installs). Instead the financial case rests on tax relief and export income:
- Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) — commercial solar PV is plant and machinery, so most SMEs can deduct 100% of the install cost (up to £1m per year) against taxable profits in year one.
- Full Expensing — for companies investing above the AIA cap, full expensing allows a 100% first-year deduction on qualifying new plant and machinery. Your accountant will confirm which route fits your structure.
- Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) — any surplus you export is paid for under the SEG, currently up to around 25p/kWh on the best tariffs. Pairing solar with commercial battery storage lets you shift export to peak windows and self-consume more on site.
- Asset finance / lease — many Cornwall businesses fund the system from the energy saving itself, spreading the cost so cashflow stays neutral or positive from year one.
The documentation we provide includes the full equipment schedule, supply/install split, MCS certificate and G99 evidence — everything your accountant needs to file the allowance.
Commercial battery storage
For offices, retail, and hospitality sites with lower daytime baseload, we frequently pair solar with commercial battery storage in Cornwall. Batteries let you self-consume more solar, peak-shave against half-hourly maximum demand charges, and in some cases participate in dynamic tariffs or frequency response. Typical commercial battery sizes we install range 20kWh to 150kWh. We work with Fox, Sigenergy and Tesla commercial products.
What happens next
Our commercial process starts with a feasibility study — free for any Cornwall business. We ask for 12 months of half-hourly meter data (your supplier can provide this), do a roof survey, and produce a modelled return-on-investment report. If the numbers work, we proceed to G99 submission, detailed design and installation. Contact us to start a feasibility study or call 01209 596 002.
Frequently asked questions
01 Are you MCS-certified commercial solar installers in Cornwall?
02 Do you cover commercial solar installation across the whole of Cornwall?
03 What size commercial solar system do I need?
04 Do I need DNO approval for commercial solar?
05 Can I claim capital allowances on commercial solar?
06 What payback should I expect for commercial solar in Cornwall?
07 Do you install commercial battery storage?
Commercial solar installers serving businesses across Cornwall
As Cornwall-based commercial PV installers we deliver commercial solar installation throughout the county. For the residential and general buyer's guide see solar panels Cornwall, or jump to a town for local solar information: