A question businesses frequently ask about commercial solar is how long it takes. It’s a reasonable place to start, but the answer depends on the process. The installation itself is relatively quick, but what takes time is the grid connection approval, and that’s in the hands of your Distribution Network Operator.
For a full explanation of how a solar PPA is structured and what the agreement involves, see How Solar PPAs Work for UK Businesses.
Does your site qualify?
The fundamentals are consumption, roof, tenure, and financial standing. On consumption, the site needs around 250,000 kWh of daytime electricity use per year, depending on how you use your energy. Solar generates during daylight hours, and the financial case depends on that output being consumed on-site rather than exported. A business running a standard working week with consistent daytime demand is in a strong position.
On the roof, 500m² of usable flat or trapezoidal space is the working minimum. Plant equipment, skylights, and shading all eat into that figure, so total footprint and usable footprint are different numbers. The roof also needs to have enough life left in it – at least 30 years – to support the solar array.
On site tenure, freehold ownership is the cleanest situation, but long leases also work well. Shorter leases aren’t automatically ruled out – the contract term can be aligned to the lease, which is a conversation worth having early rather than one that gets treated as a dealbreaker.
Financial standing is assessed via Experian, with a minimum credit rating of 75 required. Where the contracting party falls short, a parent company contracting instead or a PCG are also viable routes forward.
How quickly can you move?
As fast as you want to. UrbanVolt doesn’t impose a procurement timeline, and the pre-installation process moves at the client’s pace.
The starting point is a desktop proposal. Provide a current electricity bill and 12 months of half-hourly interval data, and UrbanVolt returns a tailored proposal within five business days – system size, generation estimate, PPA tariff, projected savings over the contract term. Enough for a board or finance director to approve the direction.
After that, a site visit covers the roof structure, electrical setup, and civil requirements. A firm proposal follows, agreement is signed, and installation begins.
One thing worth doing before anything else moves: request the half-hourly data from your electricity supplier. They’re obliged to provide it, but it doesn’t always arrive quickly. Getting that request in early means it doesn’t become the thing that holds everything up.
Where the time actually goes
The installation itself – panels, mounting, inverters, cabling – takes a couple of weeks on a standard commercial site. That isn’t where the programme time goes.
The DNO application is. Before a grid-connected solar system above a certain size can be commissioned, the Distribution Network Operator reviews and approves the connection. That process can take up to ten weeks. UrbanVolt manages it in full, but the approval window is largely outside anyone’s control, and planning around it rather than being surprised by it is what keeps a project on schedule. In the meantime, we will complete the required pre-construction activity ahead of the installation.
For businesses working towards a specific date – a lease renewal, a financial year end, a sustainability reporting deadline – the most useful thing is to factor the DNO window in at the start. UrbanVolt can flag early if anything looks like it could extend approval.
Once the system is live
Generation data, energy production, and carbon savings are all visible in real time through the UrbanVolt app and desktop platform. Maintenance, repairs, and performance monitoring are handled by UrbanVolt throughout the contract term.
There’s no ongoing management required from the site. The system runs, is watched, and is looked after – without the client lifting a finger.
About UrbanVolt
Founded in 2015, with the idea of making sustainability simple, UrbanVolt has become Ireland’s leading Solar as a Service provider and is now expanding rapidly across the UK. Backed by a team with decades of UK renewable energy experience, we help businesses cut carbon and reduce energy costs without the need for upfront investment.
Take a look at our guides, or contact us to start your journey to energy independence.