Solar for Business prevents 900 tonnes of carbon from being released into the atmosphere each year. That is equivalent to driving around the world 90 times!

Join the 63 businesses who are already reducing their carbon emission by signing up!

West Suffolk Solar for Business is a scheme run by West Suffolk Council which provides and installs solar panels onto the roof of your business for free! Electricity is generated from the panels and sold to you at a rate lower than your current electricity tariff to help you cut your energy bills.

Purpose & Aims

Suffolk’s public sector leaders have committed to supporting Suffolk to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030 and the Solar for Business scheme is one way that West Suffolk Council is supporting businesses on that journey. The council also wants to promote economic development by laying the groundwork to help ensure business growth continues to be a key role of the council. If we can make it easy for you to save significant sums of money on energy bills, it allows you to focus on expanding your business and achieving your ambitions here in West Suffolk. Our Economic Growth team is always happy to discuss how we may help further. We also make a small income through electricity sales which enables the council to continue to reinvest in renewable energy projects helping more businesses reduce their costs and have a positive environmental impact.

Achievements So Far

So far 63 business premises have signed up to the scheme. This saves 900 tonnes of carbon from being released into the atmosphere each year. That is equivalent to driving around the world 90 times! The scheme also saves businesses £125,000 a year on reduced electricity bills.

Benefits You’ll Get

• Cut your energy bills
• Reduce your carbon footprint
• Further enhance your brand image
• Have a positive impact on your community

It is easy for your business to sign up for the scheme. West Suffolk Council will:

• plan and design
• finance
• install and maintain the solar installation.

The installation is relatively quick and easy to minimise the disruption to your business.

How To Sign Up

1. You express your interest in the scheme, let us know who owns the property and send us a copy of your last electricity bill by email to environment@westsuffolk.gov.uk.
2. The team will visit your property to assess its suitability for supporting solar panels and to discuss your rate for solar electricity.
3. If your property is deemed suitable, the panels will be installed along with an inverter, a smart generation meter and a smart export meter to allow for accurate billing and monitoring.
4. Once the system is up and running you will be sent invoices twice a year, in January and July, for the electricity consumed during the previous six months.

Please note: You will still receive an electricity bill from your mains grid supplier as the PV (photovoltaic) system is unlikely to meet all your electrical demand over the winter and or during the evening when there is less sunlight.

The system is remotely monitored to ensure its performance is maintained resulting in minimal disruption to tenants however, we may need to visit the site to take meter photos for verification, or to arrange maintenance. We will contact you in advance of the required work.

For more information or to sign up please contact environment@westsuffolk.gov.uk

To help understand your electricity consumption, please attach a recent electricity bill on first contact and indicate if you own the premises you would like the panels installed on.