Key facts
| Council area | Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon |
| Population | 72,721 (Craigavon Urban Area including Portadown (29,773) and Lurgan (30,886), Census 2021) |
| Network operator | NIE Networks |
| Main employment areas | Seagoe Industrial Estate (Portadown/Craigavon); Carn Industrial Estate (Portadown); Silverwood Business Park (Lurgan); Mandeville Industrial Estate and Halfpenny Valley Industrial Estate |
| Indicative yield | About 904 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in Northern Ireland |
Where businesses are in Craigavon
- Seagoe Industrial Estate (Portadown/Craigavon): Major industrial estate and home of the Almac and Moy Park headquarters. With Carn and Silverwood, it produces most of the borough's industrial output.
- Carn Industrial Estate (Portadown): Large industrial estate off Carn Road in Portadown.
- Silverwood Business Park (Lurgan): Invest NI-owned business park in Lurgan, historically the site of a major Goodyear factory.
- Mandeville Industrial Estate and Halfpenny Valley Industrial Estate: Zoned industrial land in Craigavon and Lurgan with undeveloped acreage available.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Pharmaceuticals: Almac Group: Almac's headquarters is Almac House, 20 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon, with clinical services and pharmaceutical development sites on the same estate.
- Food: Moy Park: The poultry group's headquarters is The Food Park, 39 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon.
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
Craigavon 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 Craigavon
Planning in Craigavon 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:
- Lough Neagh, on the northern edge of Craigavon and Lurgan, is part of the Lough Neagh and Lough Beg Special Protection Area and a Ramsar site. Oxford Island National Nature Reserve is on its southern shore.
Our guides on bats, birds and ecology explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Craigavon could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 904 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 90,400 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £15,187 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,356 earned |
| Total a year | About £16,543 |
| Simple payback | About 5.4 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, 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 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
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org: List of localities in Northern Ireland by population
- irishnews.com: headline 1598351
- lurganmail.co.uk: district losing out on jobs 2760649
- armaghi.com
- almacgroup.com: our locations
- find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk: NI041551
- pay.company-information.service.gov.uk: NI070325
- nienetworks.co.uk: company overview
- daera-ni.gov.uk: lough neagh and lough beg spa
- uregni.gov.uk: NISEP List of Schemes 2026 27 updated
- uregni.gov.uk
- investni.com: energy efficiency capital grant
- en.wikipedia.org: Craigavon
- 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 Craigavon?
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 Craigavon?
About 90,400 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 £16,543 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Craigavon 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.