Key facts
| Council area | Mid and East Antrim |
| Population | 31,308 (Ballymena settlement, Census 2021) |
| Network operator | NIE Networks |
| Main employment areas | Pennybridge Industrial Estate; Woodside Industrial Estate and Millennium Park (Woodside Road); Galgorm Industrial Estate; Former Michelin site |
| Indicative yield | About 856 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in Northern Ireland |
Where businesses are in Ballymena
- Pennybridge Industrial Estate: One of Ballymena's longest-established and busiest commercial and industrial estates.
- Woodside Industrial Estate and Millennium Park (Woodside Road): Industrial schemes off Woodside Road, about a mile from the M2 Ballymena bypass.
- Galgorm Industrial Estate: Industrial estate on the west side of Ballymena.
- Former Michelin site: The tyre factory closed in 2018. The site now hosts a tyre distribution centre run by Micheldever Tyre Services in partnership with Kerr's Tyres.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Bus manufacturing: Wrightbus: Headquartered in Ballymena. It builds about 1,300 buses a year, mostly battery-electric, and employs 2,300 people (May 2026).
- Tyre distribution: Micheldever Tyre Services and Kerr's Tyres run Northern Ireland's first tyre distribution centre in a 40,000 sq ft warehouse on the former Michelin site (reported 2023).
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
Ballymena 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 Ballymena
Planning in Ballymena is decided by Mid and East Antrim 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:
- Slemish, which dominates the landscape east of Ballymena, is in the Antrim Coast and Glens Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Part of that AONB falls within the borough.
Our guides on national parks and National Landscapes explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Ballymena could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 856 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 85,600 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £14,381 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,284 earned |
| Total a year | About £15,665 |
| Simple payback | About 5.7 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 20% grant for commercial and non-domestic properties, including solar PV (grant capped at £30,000), LED lighting, boilers and heating controls. Applications go to Power NI. Runs April 2026 to March 2027, or until funds run out. Check the scheme's own page for eligibility and closing dates.
National reliefs apply too: see grants and reliefs in Northern Ireland.
Solar across Mid and East Antrim
At the end of 2025, Mid and East Antrim had 2,698 solar PV installations with 28.1 MW of capacity, up 113% since 2020, according to government figures. The Mid and East Antrim page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org: List of localities in Northern Ireland by population
- okt.co.uk: units 3 4 millennium park ballymena bt42 4qj
- irishnews.com: us owned manufacturing group to shut ballymena engineering
- irishnews.com: tyre distribution centre driving new life into former
- midandeastantrim.gov.uk: mtf network council and wrightbus unite to champion
- nienetworks.co.uk: company overview
- shapedbyseaandstone.com: embrace the elements in mid and east antrim
- uregni.gov.uk: NISEP List of Schemes 2026 27 updated
- en.wikipedia.org: Ballymena
- 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 Ballymena?
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 Ballymena?
About 85,600 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 £15,665 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Ballymena 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
- Mid and East Antrim2,698 installations, 28.1 MW of solar and about 858 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.