Key facts
| Council area | Cornwall |
| Population | 24,070 (Falmouth built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS)) |
| Network operator | National Grid Electricity Distribution (South West licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Tregoniggie Industrial Estate; Bickland Industrial Estate; Falmouth Docks |
| Indicative yield | About 1,060 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Falmouth
- Tregoniggie Industrial Estate: A 13 hectare estate that Cornwall Council's Site Allocations plan safeguards (FP-E3) as a strategically important employment site for business, industrial and storage uses.
- Bickland Industrial Estate: A 9.7 hectare site safeguarded (FP-E2) for business, industrial and storage uses. The plan asks that the height and massing of new buildings on it have regard to nearby historic structures.
- Falmouth Docks: The port and docks are safeguarded in the Site Allocations plan (FP-E6) as a key marine asset with deep water access, and the plan supports more marine related uses there.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Ship repair (Balaena Falmouth): The ship repair yard at Falmouth Docks has three large graving docks and deep water berths for vessels up to 100,000 tonnes, and also runs as a working port handling over 100,000 tonnes of product a year.
- Superyachts (Pendennis): Pendennis builds and refits superyachts on a 14 acre waterfront site in Falmouth with a 150m dry dock, a 7,564 square metre wet basin and an 80m mast hall.
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
Falmouth is served by National Grid Electricity Distribution (South West licence area). 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 Falmouth
Falmouth follows the national planning rules for England, decided by Cornwall council. Rooftop solar on most non-domestic buildings is permitted development, within height and edge limits, and systems above 50 kW need a prior approval application covering design and glare.
Points that come up locally:
- Falmouth Conservation Area, designated on 1 June 1969, is large at about 199.5 hectares and holds 200 listed buildings, including Pendennis Castle (Grade I), so many town centre and harbourside roofs need more care.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Falmouth could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 1,060 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 106,000 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £17,808 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,590 earned |
| Total a year | About £19,398 |
| Simple payback | About 4.6 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
We found no council or regional grant for business solar open in Falmouth at the time of writing (November 2026). National reliefs still apply, such as capital allowances and, in England, the business rates exemption for onsite renewables: see grants and reliefs in England.
Solar across Cornwall
At the end of 2025, Cornwall had 34,740 solar PV installations with 683.0 MW of capacity, up 14% since 2020, according to government figures. The Cornwall page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Redruth, about 9 miles away
- St Austell, about 18 miles away
- Newquay, about 18 miles away
- Bodmin, about 27 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- cornwall.gov.uk: cornwall site allocations development plan document
- balaena.com: falmouth
- pendennis.com: pendennis falmouth
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- wired-gov.net: Twelve+new+Enterprise+Zones+go+live+05042017091559
- gov.uk: investment zones in england
- ukfreeports.campaign.gov.uk
- heritagecheck.co.uk: falmouth
- 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 Falmouth?
National Grid Electricity Distribution (South West licence area). 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 Falmouth?
About 106,000 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 £19,398 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Falmouth 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
- Cornwall34,740 installations, 683.0 MW of solar and about 1,020 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- South WestThe strongest yields in mainland Britain, a network with limited export capacity in places, Bristol and Bath clean air zones, dairy farming and Severnside logistics.
- 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.
- EnglandCurrent solar support in England for businesses, schools, public bodies, community groups and farms, plus rates, planning and who to contact.
- 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.