Key facts
| Council area | Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon |
| Population | 16,438 (Armagh settlement, usual residents, Census 2021 (NISRA table CT0046, exact settlement count)) |
| Network operator | NIE Networks |
| Main employment areas | Armagh Business Park; Armagh Business Centre |
| Indicative yield | About 902 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in Northern Ireland |
Where businesses are in Armagh
- Armagh Business Park: Business park on the Hamiltonsbawn Road whose Dean Swift Building has over 50 serviced office suites in 12,000 sq ft and over 300 car parking spaces.
- Armagh Business Centre: Enterprise centre at 2 Loughgall Road with 69 work spaces totalling 33,000 sq ft, offices and industrial units for small and medium sized firms.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Science and visitor attractions (Armagh Observatory and Planetarium): Armagh Observatory and Planetarium on College Hill describes itself as Ireland's leading centre for astronomical research and education, running a planetarium, a historic observatory and about 20 acres of grounds.
- Agricultural equipment and packaging (JF McKenna): JF McKenna, based on Cathedral Road, supplies equipment for the mushroom, poultry, pig and horticultural industries plus packaging; in 2017 it won approval for a 2,000 sq m extension to its Armagh headquarters as part of a £4 million export-led investment.
Large, simple roofs on distribution sheds and modern industrial units are usually the quickest and cheapest to fit. Older mill, factory and workshop buildings can work well too, but often need a structural survey first, and roofs from before 2000 may contain asbestos cement: see asbestos roofs.
Grid connection
Armagh is served by NIE Networks, which runs the network across Northern Ireland. Systems connect under the G98/NI and G99/NI process, and there is no Smart Export Guarantee in Northern Ireland, so sizing the system to the power you use on site matters even more. See G99 and DNO applications.
Planning in Armagh
Planning in Armagh is decided by Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon council. Rooftop solar on many non-domestic buildings can go ahead without an application within the Northern Ireland limits; listed buildings need consent.
Points that come up locally:
- Armagh city centre is a protected conservation area that includes Upper English Street, Scotch Street, Barrack Street and Russell Street, where a £6.3 million Townscape Heritage scheme has been restoring historic buildings, so check a building's status before planning roof panels there.
- In Northern Ireland, solar panels on a non-domestic building are permitted development within limits (no more than 20 cm proud of a roof slope facing and visible from a road, no more than 2 m above a flat roof and at least 2 m from its edge), but not on a wall or roof slope facing and visible from a road in a conservation area, nor within the curtilage of a listed building without listed building consent.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Armagh could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 902 kWh per kWp a year.
| Item | Illustrative figure |
|---|---|
| System | 100 kWp, south facing at 30 degrees |
| Installed cost | £900 per kWp, so £90,000 excluding VAT |
| Generation | About 90,200 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £15,154 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,353 earned |
| Total a year | About £16,507 |
| Simple payback | About 5.5 years before tax relief |
Illustrative, not a quote: the same sums as our commercial solar calculator. A company paying corporation tax can usually shorten the payback with capital allowances.
Funding and support
- NISEP Commercial Energy Saving Scheme (2026/27): A Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme grant of 20% for all commercial and non-domestic properties in Northern Ireland, with the applicant paying 80% and additional caps possible. Measures include solar PV and lighting (grant capped at £30,000), boiler replacement, intelligent heating controls, solar thermal, infra-red heating, turbo blowers and UV LED curing systems. Applications go to Power NI. The list of schemes covers April 2026 to March 2027. Check the scheme's own page for eligibility and closing dates.
National reliefs apply too: see grants and reliefs in Northern Ireland.
Solar across Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon
At the end of 2025, Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon had 3,909 solar PV installations with 38.5 MW of capacity, up 276% since 2020, according to government figures. The Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Portadown, about 9 miles away
- Dungannon, about 12 miles away
- Craigavon, about 12 miles away
- Banbridge, about 16 miles away
Sources
- nisra.gov.uk: census 2021 person and household estimates for settlements
- nisra.gov.uk: census 2021 commissioned table ct0046.xlsx
- armaghi.com
- armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk: 2 9m heritage regeneration in armagh city centre
- economy-ni.gov.uk: northern ireland enhanced investment zone
- commercialpropertyfinder.nibusinessinfo.co.uk: dean swift building armagh business park armagh
- commercialpropertyfinder.nibusinessinfo.co.uk: armagh business centre 2 loughgall road armagh
- armagh.space
- jfmckenna.com
- nienetworks.co.uk
- armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk: armagh starts multi million pound restoration of up
- legislation.gov.uk
- uregni.gov.uk: NISEP List of Schemes 2026 27 updated
- Yield: PVGIS 5.3 (European Commission Joint Research Centre), SARAH3 data, 14% system losses, for the town centre, modelled 4 November 2026.
- Council area figures: DESNZ, renewable electricity by local authority 2014 to 2025.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the electricity network operator in Armagh?
NIE Networks. Most commercial solar systems need its G99 approval before they are switched on. The operator follows the postcode, so confirm yours with the Energy Networks Association postcode tool.
How much would a 100 kWp solar system generate in Armagh?
About 90,200 kWh a year for a south-facing roof at 30 degrees, modelled with PVGIS for the town centre. At 70% used on site at 24p and the rest exported at 5p, that is worth about £16,507 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Armagh get a free solar survey?
Yes. Answer six short questions and we match the site with one MCS certified installer, who surveys it on site or by video call. It is free, with no obligation. Get a free survey.
Related pages
- Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon3,909 installations, 38.5 MW of solar and about 908 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- Northern IrelandNIE Networks and the G98/NI and G99/NI process, no Smart Export Guarantee, council-led planning, and the agri-food and manufacturing buildings that suit solar.
- Commercial solar calculatorEstimate commercial solar savings and payback, with the generation, price and cost assumptions shown and sourced, and the limits of a simple estimate explained.
- Northern IrelandCurrent solar support in Northern Ireland for businesses, community groups, public bodies and farms, plus export, rates, planning and official contacts.
- Planning permissionPermitted development for commercial rooftop solar and car park canopies in England, prior approval, heritage limits, ground-mounted schemes and the other UK nations.