Can my business get free solar panels? What “free solar” really means

You can get commercial solar with nothing to pay upfront, which is what most people mean by “free solar”. What you cannot get is electricity that costs nothing — the panels still have to be paid for, so someone funds them and recovers that cost over time. Being clear about this is the honest starting point.

The most common route is a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). A funder pays for the design, equipment, installation and maintenance, and in return you agree to buy the electricity the system generates at a fixed rate, guaranteed at least 30% below your grid price. There is no capital cost to your business, but you do pay for the clean power you use.

Under a PPA the funder owns and looks after the system for the term, typically around 20 years, then it transfers to your business for a nominal £1. From that point the electricity it produces is effectively free, aside from upkeep. So “free” is more accurate at the end of the term than at the start.

Other routes exist too. A lease or hire purchase spreads the cost while moving toward ownership; grants occasionally part-fund a purchase but rarely cover the whole cost; and buying outright means you pay for everything but keep all the savings. PPA Funding is an independent introducer — we set out each option and connect you with funders, at no cost to you.

Because “free solar” is an attractive phrase, it pays to read past the headline. Check the price per kWh and how far it really sits below your grid rate, the length of the agreement, any annual price escalation, what maintenance is included, and what happens if you sell or vacate the building.

Treat any claim of genuinely free electricity with caution. A fair funded deal is transparent: no upfront capital, a clear rate below the grid, and the system yours for £1 at the end. If a business has strong capital and very high self-consumption, buying outright can still work out better over the system’s life, so it is worth comparing.