Live now
What you can claim today.
Annual Investment Allowance — 100% year-one relief up to £1m
The workhorse relief for commercial solar. The AIA lets sole traders, partnerships and companies deduct 100% of qualifying plant and machinery costs — including solar panels and battery storage — from profits in year one, on up to £1m of spend. For most commercial installs, this is the entire system cost off your tax bill in the first year.
50% first-year allowance — for companies spending above the AIA
HMRC designates solar panels special-rate plant, which means full expensing (main-rate only) does not apply to them — a detail most installer websites get wrong. Above the £1m AIA ceiling, companies claim the 50% first-year allowance on the remaining solar spend, with writing-down allowances on the rest. Your accountant confirms the treatment; our proposals itemise the equipment to make that easy.
Source: gov.uk — full expensing and 50% FYA · HMRC CA22335 — solar panels are special rate
Business rates exemption on the kit — until 31 March 2035
Eligible plant and machinery used in onsite renewable generation and storage — rooftop solar and batteries included — is exempt from business rates in England until 31 March 2035. Wales legislated for the equivalent exception from April 2024 (proposed to run to the same 2035 date), covering generation, storage and EV charging points. No application needed: the valuation simply excludes the equipment.
Source: gov.uk — financial support for businesses · gov.wales — renewable energy rates support
Sustainable Agriculture Loan Scheme — Welsh farms, live now
Opened July 2026: £25,001–£1m fixed-rate loans at 3% over up to 15 years, with a six-month repayment holiday, for Welsh farm businesses investing in renewable energy generation and energy efficiency. Delivered by the Development Bank of Wales — and a strong fit for farm solar, storage and off-grid systems.
Workplace Charging Scheme — EV chargers, until 31 March 2027
75% of the purchase and installation cost of workplace EV charge points, up to £500 per socket (raised from £350 in April 2026), for a maximum of 40 sockets across your sites. Open to businesses, charities and the public sector UK-wide — and it pairs naturally with chargers running from your own solar.
Smart Export Guarantee — payment for what you export
Not a grant, but ongoing income: larger electricity suppliers must offer export tariffs for low-carbon generation up to 5MW, which covers virtually every commercial rooftop. On systems with a battery and Nova AI, exporting at the right half-hours is part of how the system earns.
Closed schemes
Schemes you'll still see advertised — that have closed.
Improving Farm Productivity grant (England) — closed
The £15,000–£100,000 farm solar grant closed fully in 2025, and the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund's final standalone round closed in May 2026. Defra has said it intends to bring its grant schemes together into a consolidated offer from 2027 — if you're an English farm, we'll flag the new scheme the moment it opens.
Ynni Cymru capital grant (Wales) — 2026/27 round closed
The £10m Welsh smart local energy scheme — solar, storage and EV charging for SMEs and public bodies — closed to applications in May 2026. Further rounds may follow; we're watching it.
EV infrastructure grant for staff and fleets — closed March 2026
The SME grant of up to £15,000 towards charging infrastructure closed on 31 March 2026. The Workplace Charging Scheme above remains the live route.
Local-authority schemes funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund come and go by area — worth a check with your council or Business Wales before you commit. When we quote your system, we flag anything live in your area.
Questions
The questions asked about grants and tax relief.
Are there grants for commercial solar panels in the UK?
There is currently no live UK-wide grant that pays for commercial solar — the value comes through tax reliefs instead: the Annual Investment Allowance gives most businesses 100% year-one relief on up to £1m of spend, and the equipment is exempt from business rates until 2035. Local-authority schemes come and go, so it is always worth checking your council and Business Wales.
Does full expensing cover solar panels?
No — solar panels are designated special-rate plant by HMRC, so full expensing (which covers main-rate plant only) does not apply. Solar instead qualifies for the 50% first-year allowance — but in practice most installs get 100% year-one relief anyway through the Annual Investment Allowance, which covers special-rate assets up to £1m.
Is there a grant for farm solar?
The England-only Improving Farm Productivity grant (£15,000–£100,000 towards farm solar) is closed, and Defra has said a consolidated grant offer is expected from 2027. In Wales, the Sustainable Agriculture Loan Scheme is live now — 3% fixed-rate loans of £25,001–£1m that can fund renewable energy generation.
Is there VAT relief on commercial solar?
No — the 0% VAT rate on solar applies only to residential accommodation and charity buildings, not business premises. Commercial installations are standard-rated at 20%, which VAT-registered businesses reclaim as input tax in the normal way.
Are there grants for workplace EV chargers?
Yes — the Workplace Charging Scheme is live until 31 March 2027, covering 75% of purchase and installation up to £500 per socket, for up to 40 sockets across your sites.
Tax treatment depends on your circumstances — your accountant confirms what applies. Verified against the sources above on 8 September 2026. For £0-upfront routes that don't rely on grants at all, see funding and solar PPAs.
Get the numbers with the reliefs applied.
Your Quick Quote itemises the equipment for your accountant and models payback with the tax relief included — within 24 hours.
quick quote in 24hrs · full proposal within 5 days of survey