Solar Panels for Care Homes

Commercial solar for care homes costs £750–£1,050 per kWp installed in 2026. A typical 60–80 bed care home uses 150,000–250,000 kWh/year and can support 50–100kWp of rooftop solar (subject to roof area). A 75kWp system costs £56,250–£78,750 and saves £14,175–£18,900 per year at 30p/kWh and 80% self-consumption (care homes run near-continuous loads). Payback is 3–4.5 years. Battery storage (50–100kWh) can further reduce grid imports during evening peaks.

Care homes can access: (1) Annual Investment Allowance — 100% first-year tax deduction at 25% CT rate, saving £14,000–£20,000 on a 75kWp installation; (2) 0% VAT on solar installation; (3) Business rates exemption on solar plant; (4) IETF grants — available for care home operators consuming 1GWh+ annually (typically large care groups); (5) Local authority social care decarbonisation grants in some regions. NHS-managed care homes and local authority homes can use Salix Finance interest-free loans.

Yes — care homes are excellent solar candidates specifically because of their near-continuous operation. Unlike offices (which are empty at night), care homes have baseline loads from heating, hot water, kitchen, laundry and medical equipment that provide self-consumption throughout the day. Daytime solar generation coincides with peak care home loads (kitchen preparation, staff peak hours, laundry). Self-consumption rates of 75–90% are common for care homes, giving shorter paybacks than daytime-only businesses.