Key facts
| Council area | Mid Ulster |
| Population | 12,549 (Cookstown settlement, usual residents, Census 2021 (NISRA table CT0046, exact settlement count)) |
| Network operator | NIE Networks |
| Main employment areas | Derryloran Industrial Estate (Cookstown Enterprise Centre); Sandholes Road and Kilcronagh Business Park |
| Indicative yield | About 896 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in Northern Ireland |
Where businesses are in Cookstown
- Derryloran Industrial Estate (Cookstown Enterprise Centre): Industrial estate off Sandholes Road where Cookstown Enterprise Centre has its head office, with high specification premises for 25 small and medium businesses in manufacturing, engineering and services, part of a portfolio of over 50,000 sq ft.
- Sandholes Road and Kilcronagh Business Park: An industrial area on the edge of Cookstown that is home to CDE's headquarters at Kilcronagh Business Park; in 2021 Sperrin Trading Services proposed 16 business units on a seven acre site there, within a wider masterplan of up to 53 acres.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Engineering (CDE): CDE, formed in 1992, designs and manufactures wet processing equipment for sand, aggregates and waste recycling and has its global headquarters in Cookstown, a centre of excellence built for over 400 people that includes a large engineering team.
- Construction products (Keystone Lintels): Keystone Lintels, which describes itself as the UK and Ireland's leading steel lintel manufacturer, is based in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone.
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
Cookstown 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 Cookstown
Planning in Cookstown is decided by Mid Ulster 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:
- In Northern Ireland, roof panels on a non-domestic building are permitted development subject to limits (no more than 20 cm proud of a roof slope facing a road, no higher than 2 m above a flat roof), but not on a roof or wall 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 Cookstown could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 896 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 89,600 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £15,053 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,344 earned |
| Total a year | About £16,397 |
| 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 commercial and non-domestic properties anywhere in Northern Ireland, with the applicant paying 80%. Measures include solar PV (grant capped at £30,000), boiler replacement, intelligent heating controls and lighting. 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 Mid Ulster
At the end of 2025, Mid Ulster had 2,776 solar PV installations with 25.7 MW of capacity, up 348% since 2020, according to government figures. The Mid Ulster page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Magherafelt, about 9 miles away
- Dungannon, about 10 miles away
- Portadown, about 19 miles away
- Craigavon, about 20 miles away
Sources
- nisra.gov.uk: census 2021 person and household estimates for settlements
- nisra.gov.uk: census 2021 commissioned table ct0046.xlsx
- commercialpropertyfinder.nibusinessinfo.co.uk: cookstown enterprise centre ltd derryloran industrial estate sandholes
- irishnews.com: plans revealed for new cookstown business park 2543865
- cdegroup.com: about us
- keystonelintels.com: about
- keystonelintels.com
- assets.publishing.service.gov.uk: Investment Zones Pack Dec 2025
- gov.uk: budget 2026 html
- nienetworks.co.uk
- 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 Cookstown?
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 Cookstown?
About 89,600 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 £16,397 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Cookstown 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 Ulster2,776 installations, 25.7 MW of solar and about 884 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.