Key facts
| Council area | Newry, Mourne and Down |
| Population | 11,541 (Downpatrick settlement, usual residents, Census 2021 (NISRA table CT0046, exact settlement count)) |
| Network operator | NIE Networks |
| Main employment areas | Down Business Park; Down Business Centre; Ballydugan Industrial Estate |
| Indicative yield | About 994 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in Northern Ireland |
Where businesses are in Downpatrick
- Down Business Park: Invest NI business park on the Belfast Road (A7), 22 miles south of Belfast, where 5.4 acres of land were listed in July 2026 as available for lease to Invest NI client companies.
- Down Business Centre: Purpose built centre at 46 Belfast Road, just outside Downpatrick, with a mix of business units for manufacturing, food preparation, crafts, services and knowledge-based firms, on-site parking and a café.
- Ballydugan Industrial Estate: Industrial estate on Ballydugan Road where, in August 2024, an 18,654 sq ft warehouse and office building on 1.6 acres was offered for sale with about 1.3 acres of zoned industrial land around it.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Advanced engineering and manufacturing: Invest NI figures for the South Down constituency, which includes Downpatrick, show advanced engineering and manufacturing took 41% of its assistance (£8.7m) and 287 new jobs from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
- Agri-food: In the same Invest NI figures for South Down, agri-food took 27% of assistance (£5.7m) and 247 new jobs between 2021-22 and 2025-26.
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
Downpatrick 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 Downpatrick
Planning in Downpatrick is decided by Newry, Mourne and Down 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:
- Downpatrick is a conservation area with a published guide, so check whether a building is inside it before planning roof panels in the town centre.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Downpatrick could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 994 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 99,400 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £16,699 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,491 earned |
| Total a year | About £18,190 |
| Simple payback | About 4.9 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 Newry, Mourne and Down
At the end of 2025, Newry, Mourne and Down had 3,997 solar PV installations with 23.2 MW of capacity, up 1351% since 2020, according to government figures. The Newry, Mourne and Down page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Lisburn, about 18 miles away
- Newtownards, about 18 miles away
- Banbridge, about 22 miles away
- Bangor, about 23 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: down business park belfast road downpatrick
- commercialpropertyfinder.nibusinessinfo.co.uk: down business centre 46 belfast road downpatrick
- commercialpropertyfinder.nibusinessinfo.co.uk: 3 ballydugan industrial estate ballydugan road downpatrick
- investni.com: Sub Regional Intelligence South Down (PDF)
- en.wikipedia.org: South Down (UK Parliament constituency)
- economy-ni.gov.uk: northern ireland enhanced investment zone
- nienetworks.co.uk
- infrastructure-ni.gov.uk: conservation area guides z list
- 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 Downpatrick?
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 Downpatrick?
About 99,400 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 £18,190 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Downpatrick 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
- Newry, Mourne and Down3,997 installations, 23.2 MW of solar and about 928 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.