Key facts
| Council area | Dumfries and Galloway |
| Population | 33,676 (Dumfries locality, Scotland's Census 2022 (NRS figure as quoted by citypopulation.de)) |
| Network operator | SP Energy Networks (SP Distribution, Central and Southern Scotland) |
| Main employment areas | Dumfries Enterprise Park (Heathhall); The Crichton |
| Indicative yield | About 899 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in Scotland |
Where businesses are in Dumfries
- Dumfries Enterprise Park (Heathhall): Part of the established Heathhall business and industry district about 2.5 miles north east of the town centre, with occupiers including Scot JCB, Eurocell, Scania, Lloyd Ltd, Cornthwaite Group and Graham Plumbers Merchants.
- The Crichton: An 85 acre parkland estate on the edge of Dumfries run by The Crichton Trust charity, with a business park of offices, an academic campus with five academic partners and over 100 businesses.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Healthcare (NHS Dumfries and Galloway): The Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, a £212 million, 344 bed general hospital built under a PFI contract, opened in 2017.
- Higher education (Crichton campus): The Crichton estate hosts an academic campus with five academic partners alongside its business park.
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
Dumfries 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 Dumfries
Planning in Dumfries is decided by Dumfries and Galloway 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 Dumfries Conservation Area covers about 69.7 hectares of the town, and a separate Crichton Conservation Area of about 123.7 hectares lies around 2.4 km away, so check whether a building is inside either before planning roof panels.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Dumfries could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 899 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 89,900 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £15,103 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,349 earned |
| Total a year | About £16,452 |
| 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
- Business Energy Scotland SME Loan: Interest-free loans of £1,000 to £130,000. 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. Applications are processed on a rolling basis all year round, subject to 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 Dumfries and Galloway
At the end of 2025, Dumfries and Galloway had 8,959 solar PV installations with 40.6 MW of capacity, up 176% since 2020, according to government figures. The Dumfries and Galloway page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Carlisle, about 29 miles away
- Workington, about 30 miles away
- Whitehaven, about 36 miles away
- Cumnock, about 37 miles away
Sources
- citypopulation.de: S52000206 dumfries
- en.wikipedia.org: Dumfries
- carigietcowen.co.uk: unit 1 block 2 dumfries enterprise park tinwald
- crichton.co.uk
- scottish-places.info: featurefirst17128
- revenue.scot: designation forth green freeport tax sites
- revenue.scot: designation inverness cromarty green freeport tax
- gov.uk: maps of glasgow city region investment zone tax
- gov.uk: maps of north east scotland investment zone tax
- heritagecheck.co.uk: dumfries
- heritagecheck.co.uk: the crichton
- 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 Dumfries?
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 Dumfries?
About 89,900 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 £16,452 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Dumfries 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
- Dumfries and Galloway8,959 installations, 40.6 MW of solar and about 886 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.