Key facts
| Council area | Boston |
| Population | 45,340 (Boston built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS)) |
| Network operator | National Grid Electricity Distribution (East Midlands licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Riverside Industrial Estate; Redstone Industrial Estate |
| Indicative yield | About 1,036 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Boston
- Riverside Industrial Estate: An industrial estate about a mile south of the town centre beside the tidal River Haven, close to the A16. It includes Alchemy Park, a privately owned 90 acre site for general industry and waste recycling, and a biomass gasification power station completed around 2022.
- Redstone Industrial Estate: An established estate of light industrial and trade units off the A16 trunk road, where units include a fitted meat processing facility.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Food processing and trading: Boston is part of the South Lincolnshire food processing cluster, with major food plants run by Albert Bartlett, Greenyard, Greencore and Bakkavor, and growing food trading firms including Davis Worldwide and Ripe Now.
- Ports (Port of Boston): The Victoria Group's Port of Boston has five always afloat berths and 45,000 square metres of port warehousing, handling steel, paper reels, timber, aggregates and agricultural bulks, next to a 50,000 tonne farmers' grain silo.
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
Boston is served by National Grid Electricity Distribution (East Midlands licence area). Almost every commercial system needs G99 approval from the network operator before it is switched on, and the question is usually how much the local network can take back. Where export is limited, a G100 export limitation scheme can let a larger array connect. See G99 and DNO applications.
Planning in Boston
Boston follows the national planning rules for England, decided by Boston council. Rooftop solar on most non-domestic buildings is permitted development, within height and edge limits, and systems above 50 kW need a prior approval application covering design and glare.
Points that come up locally:
- The Boston Conservation Area, designated in 1969, covers about 68.7 hectares of the historic centre and holds 225 listed buildings, four of them Grade I, so roofs in the centre need more care.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Boston could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 1,036 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 103,600 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £17,405 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,554 earned |
| Total a year | About £18,959 |
| Simple payback | About 4.7 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
We found no council or regional grant for business solar open in Boston at the time of writing (November 2026). National reliefs still apply, such as capital allowances and, in England, the business rates exemption for onsite renewables: see grants and reliefs in England.
Solar across Boston
At the end of 2025, Boston had 3,745 solar PV installations with 112.5 MW of capacity, up 185% since 2020, according to government figures. The Boston page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Spalding, about 14 miles away
- Sleaford, about 16 miles away
- Skegness, about 19 miles away
- Wisbech, about 23 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- poyntons.com: Biomass Power Station Riverside Ind Est Boston Brochure
- poyntons.com: Units 2 and 3 22 Redstone Industrial Estate
- poyntons.com
- ukfoodvalley.co.uk: south lincolnshire food processing cluster
- victoriagroup.co.uk: port of boston
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- gov.uk: freeports
- gov.uk: maps of humber freeport tax sites
- gov.uk: investment zones in england
- heritagecheck.co.uk: boston
- 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 Boston?
National Grid Electricity Distribution (East Midlands licence area). 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 Boston?
About 103,600 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 £18,959 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Boston 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
- Boston3,745 installations, 112.5 MW of solar and about 1,031 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- East MidlandsNGED connections, Golden Triangle logistics, Lincolnshire farming and food processing, Derby manufacturing and the Nottingham Workplace Parking Levy.
- 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.
- EnglandCurrent solar support in England for businesses, schools, public bodies, community groups and farms, plus rates, planning and who to contact.
- 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.