A 50kW system is one of our most common commercial sizes, built for offices, schools and small-to-medium sites with daytime demand. Start with a free assessment of your roof and your bills.
A 50kW system suits most single-building sites with daytime useA 50kW system at a glance
92 x 545W panels (a 50kWp DC array), matching our 50kW package example.
At 5.45m² per kWp of array installed: 50kWp x 5.45m².
At 850kWh per kWp installed a year: 50kWp x 850kWh.
If you're looking at a 50kW solar panel system for your business, here's how working with Business Solar UK works, and it's simpler than you'd think.
You fill out a quick form answering a few questions about your business and its energy needs. We use that, alongside your half-hourly electricity data, to assess your roof and put together a tailored proposal.
Our installation partner, Solar4Business, surveys your roof, designs the system and carries out the installation. We model every way to pay - buying outright, hire purchase or a fully funded PPA through our funding partner INICIO - side by side, so you can see which suits your business.
Get your free solar assessment
A 50kW solar system is usually suitable for medium to large-sized businesses, depending on their energy needs. If your business uses around 500kWh of energy a day, a 50kW system is a reasonable fit. How suitable it is depends on your energy needs rather than your business type, but common examples include:
Get your free assessment and we'll confirm whether 50kW is the right size for your building and your usage, or whether a different system size would suit you better.
A 50kW system typically costs from £45,000 to £55,000, depending on your installer, your roof and the exact number and type of panels required.
Different panels produce different amounts of energy, so the precise panel count for a 50kW array varies depending on the wattage you choose.
Most asset finance providers are happy to fund businesses moving to solar, and asset financing is no exception. Hire purchase spreads the cost of your installation over a term, typically repaid using the bill savings the system generates.
If you have the capital to invest in a 50kW system right now, you can use the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) to offset 100% of the cost against your taxable profits in the year of purchase. At the 25% main rate of corporation tax, that reduces the effective cost of a £45,000 system by £11,250, down to an effective £33,750 - well within the £1m AIA limit.
There's also a fourth route with no upfront cost at all: a solar PPA, fully funded by our partner INICIO, where you simply pay an agreed rate for the electricity the system generates.
Illustrative 50kW example
Businesses of every size save money with solar, and many will find those savings significant. Typically, a 50kW system saves around £7,306 a year (based on our 92-panel, 50.14kWp package: 42,619kWh generated, 71.43% used on site at 24p/kWh), though this varies with your annual electricity bills and site conditions such as shading and orientation.
Energy prices move constantly, so your own saving may be higher or lower than this illustration - your free assessment uses your actual bills and tariff. Regardless, five-figure annual savings are common on a 50kW system.
On an illustrative £7,306 saving and a £45,000 system cost, simple payback is around 6.2 years, purely from the money saved on your bills, before any tax relief is applied. Our package example uses a 50.14kWp DC array on a 50kW inverter, slightly larger than the 50kWp nominal array used elsewhere on this page - the same inverter rating, a marginally bigger array.
Every 50kW system looks a little different, but a typical 50.1kW system for an office building, from our installer partner, includes:
Prices for a system like this start from around £45,000.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Saves you significant money on your business electricity bills | You are committed to your premises for the foreseeable future to get the best return |
| Earns SEG payments for excess energy sold back to the grid | Upfront costs can be a drawback, though finance options and a £0-upfront PPA are available |
| Improves your business carbon footprint through reliance on renewable energy | |
| Reduces reliance on grid electricity day to day (standard grid-connected solar switches off in a power cut for safety; backup during an outage needs a purpose-designed battery system, which your installer can specify) | |
| You are protected against future energy price rises, since your business generates its own power | |
| Improved brand reputation as clients and customers align with future-thinking green businesses |
We provide bespoke system designs for every business, based upon your energy usage and rooftop availability. To give you an idea of the savings and cost of a system, below are some of our common system sizes.
For office buildings
25 yearsPays back in 6.2 yrs
For warehouse buildings
25 yearsPays back in 6.0 yrs
For manufacturing plants
25 yearsPays back in 5.8 yrs
For distribution centres
25 yearsPays back in 5.7 yrs
Illustrative examples, not live quotations. Equipment, warranties and prices are confirmed in your proposal. All savings are based upon a solar generation yield of 850kWh/kWp installed per annum, with usage of 71.43% of solar energy generated, assuming a 24p/kWh electricity import rate (close to the DESNZ Q1 2026 UK non-domestic average of 24.14p/kWh). Savings may change year on year dependent upon weather conditions, energy prices and system degradation in line with warrantied output.
Solar PV brands featured in our system examples
Figures above assume a 24p/kWh electricity rate, close to the Q1 2026 average.
Getting a 50kW system through Business Solar UK is straightforward. We:
The right route depends on your cash position, your lease and how much power you use in daylight. Your free assessment models each one against your own bills, starting with what you can save before a single panel goes up.
Review your electricity tariff whilst planning your solar installation
Best for: Any business on an out-of-contract or uncompetitive tariff
Ask about this route
Pay upfront, keep every pound of the saving
Best for: Profitable businesses with cash or an existing facility, and a long lease or freehold
Ask about this route
Spread the cost, with ownership at the end of the agreement
Best for: Businesses that want ownership without tying up working capital
Ask about this route
Fully funded. You just buy cheaper electricity
Best for: Sites with a large roof and daytime demand that want savings with no capital or maintenance
Ask about this routeFinance and fully funded options are subject to eligibility, survey and contract terms. Savings, repayments and tax relief depend on your circumstances.
When it comes to commercial solar, there are a few ways to purchase your system. We’ll help to guide you through your options.
Using the Annual Investment Allowance, you can deduct the cost of your system against corporation tax.
Spread the cost with asset financing and use your bill savings to pay off your annual loan repayments.
Purchase your system outright, for the best return on investment.
Or pay nothing upfront with a solar power purchase agreement. See all four ways to pay.
Get a forecast based on your building, tariff and daytime electricity use.
We will check if you qualify for any incentives or grants.
Your assessment uses your postcode to check local solar yield, planning rules and the grid connection.
Prefer to talk first? Call 0113 834 0644 or email [email protected].
Your installation is managed by Solar4BusinessInstallation services described below are delivered by our partner Solar4Business.
Our expert in-house team will advise you on how to best save money through a bespoke business solar installation.
A few questions about your business and your solar energy needs.
A 50kW (or similar) package sized to your roof and your usage, with every way to pay modelled.
Solar4Business surveys your roof and installs your system, and we check any grants or incentives available to you.
You start saving on energy bills from the day your system is switched on.
See the range of buildings featured in Solar4Business’s published installation projects, from manufacturing sites to schools.
Commercial solar at industrial scale. A large manufacturing roof put to work generating electricity on site.
Explore the project
Rooftop generation alongside the demands of a busy manufacturing operation.
Explore the project
Using school roof space to generate power where it is needed throughout the day.
Explore the project
A bespoke rooftop installation designed around a business headquarters.
Explore the projectBusiness Solar UK helps you assess your options and introduces you to Solar4Business. Their team surveys your premises, designs the system and manages the installation.
Solar4Business displays the accreditation marks below on its website. Ask for the current certificates, the contracting company’s details and the warranties that apply to your proposed installation.
Founder and CEO, Pharaoh Capital. Founder of Solar4Business and INICIO.
Over ten years in the energy sector. Grant founded Solar4Business, who install every Business Solar UK system, and INICIO, which funds commercial solar with no upfront cost. Institute of Directors Young Director of the Year, 2020.
Reviews are of Solar4Business, who carry out every installation for Business Solar UK. Rating as at 22 September 2026.
"All went well with the initial enquiry, report draft and install. We were kept up to date with install dates and the guys on site were tidy and professional... There has been a marked reduction in our electricity costs which was the reason for the install."
"Steve and his team were extremely professional, installing over 900 panels for our Academy."
"We have a commercial property and 48 solar panels have been fitted. The team of installers were extremely professional and helpful."
"A great installation. Steve and the team did a great job. Would not hesitate to recommend this company."
Brands using solar power
A 50kW system usually has around 92 panels, so most installations run over several days rather than one. How long depends on your roof, access and any electrical upgrades needed. Your proposal sets out a firm timescale before work starts.
Usually not. In England, rooftop solar on a commercial building is permitted development with no size cap, provided panels sit no more than 0.2m proud of a pitched roof (or 1m on a flat roof) and are set back 1m from the edges. Listed buildings and conservation areas have extra rules, and Scotland has similar permitted development rights.
Systems up to 50kW are usually eligible for MCS certification, and larger or export-heavy systems need approval from your local distribution network operator before connection. Your installer, Solar4Business, handles this application as part of the design.
Very little. Beyond an annual check and cleaning once or twice a year, a 50kW system needs minimal upkeep. Maintenance packages are available if you would rather not think about it. See our commercial solar panel maintenance guide.
On suitable sites, yes. With a solar PPA, our funding partner INICIO pays for the system, which Solar4Business surveys, designs and installs. Its maintenance is covered under the agreement, and you buy the electricity it generates at an agreed rate per kWh - no capital outlay.
As a rough guide, around 200-270m², depending on panel efficiency and roof shape. Your free assessment measures your actual usable roof area, once rooflights, vents and edge set-backs are accounted for.
Save massively on your electricity bills when you invest in solar.
