Key facts
| Council area | Fife |
| Population | 8,817 (Cupar locality, Scotland's Census 2022 (NRS figure as quoted by Wikipedia, citing City Population)) |
| Network operator | SP Energy Networks (SP Distribution, Central and Southern Scotland) |
| Main employment areas | Prestonhall Industrial Estate; Westport Business Centre |
| Indicative yield | About 946 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in Scotland |
Where businesses are in Cupar
- Prestonhall Industrial Estate: Industrial estate on the eastern edge of Cupar, off the A91, home to Fishers' Prestonhall laundry. A 2019 local guide listed other occupiers including Travis Perkins, Wolseley, William Wilson and the polymer chemicals firm Nexam.
- Westport Business Centre: Multi-occupancy office building on North Union Street in Cupar town centre, marketed through InvestFife, with five offices from 12 to 51 sq m and car parking.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Laundry and textile rental (Fishers): Fishers, which describes itself as Scotland's largest commercial laundry and textile rental business, is headquartered in Cupar and runs its Prestonhall laundry there; in May 2026 it invested £900,000 in six new dryers at its Cupar laundry.
- Bakery (Fisher & Donaldson): Family bakery Fisher & Donaldson, founded in 1919, bakes in Cupar and employs about 150 people across St Andrews, Cupar and Dundee; 201 solar panels at its Cupar bakery cut its energy use by 25 to 30%.
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
Cupar is served by SP Energy Networks (SP Distribution, Central and Southern Scotland). 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 Cupar
Planning in Cupar is decided by Fife council under Scotland's own system. Non-domestic rooftop solar is often permitted development under the Scottish rules, but not on listed buildings, in National Scenic Areas or within 3 km of an aerodrome.
Points that come up locally:
- The Cupar Conservation Area covers about 39 hectares and 80 postcodes, so check whether a building is inside it before planning roof panels in the centre.
- Since 24 May 2024, Scotland's Class 6J lets solar PV go on non-domestic buildings without planning permission if it protrudes no more than 1 metre from the surface of the building, but not on a listed building or within its curtilage, within 3 km of an aerodrome or technical site, or, in a conservation area, on the principal elevation or a side elevation fronting a road.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas, airports, glint and glare explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Cupar could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 946 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 94,600 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £15,893 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,419 earned |
| Total a year | About £17,312 |
| Simple payback | About 5.2 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
- Business Energy Scotland SME Loan: Interest-free loans of £1,000 to £130,000, repaid over 8 years (a shorter term can be requested). Cashback of 75% of eligible costs, up to £20,000 for energy efficiency measures and up to £10,000 for heat pumps, biomass boilers and solar thermal, with a maximum of £30,000 per business, allocated first come, first served. Applications are processed on a rolling basis all year round, subject to the overall availability of loan funds. The page says the scheme is not accepting new applications for solar PV projects. Check the scheme's own page for eligibility and closing dates.
National reliefs apply too: see grants and reliefs in Scotland.
Solar across Fife
At the end of 2025, Fife had 13,761 solar PV installations with 64.4 MW of capacity, up 87% since 2020, according to government figures. The Fife page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Glenrothes, about 11 miles away
- Kirkcaldy, about 16 miles away
- Perth, about 17 miles away
- Blairgowrie, about 22 miles away
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org: Cupar
- fifechamber.co.uk: fife business delegates all in a spin at
- gov.uk: maps of forth green freeport tax sites
- gov.uk: maps of inverness and cromarty firth green freeport
- gov.uk: maps of glasgow city region investment zone tax
- gov.uk: maps of north east scotland investment zone tax
- cuparnow.blog
- investfife.co.uk: westport business centre
- ground.news: 900 000 investment at busy fife laundry ahead
- foodanddrink.scot: a century of sweet success fisher donaldsons journey
- heritagecheck.co.uk: cupar
- legislation.gov.uk: made
- businessenergyscotland.org: sme loan
- 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 Cupar?
SP Energy Networks (SP Distribution, Central and Southern Scotland). 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 Cupar?
About 94,600 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 £17,312 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Cupar 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
- Fife13,761 installations, 64.4 MW of solar and about 923 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- ScotlandSP Energy Networks and SSEN connections, NPF4 and Scottish permitted development, the four city low emission zones, the Scottish rates exemption and realistic yields.
- 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.
- ScotlandCurrent solar support in Scotland for businesses, community groups, public bodies, schools and farms, with 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.