Commercial solar installers in Goole

Key facts

Where businesses are in Goole

• Port of Goole: ABP's 100-acre port on the River Ouse, about 50 miles from the North Sea, which ABP calls the UK's premier inland port. It handles around 1.5 million tonnes of cargo a year, with around 20,000 square metres of covered storage and a dedicated rail freight terminal.
• Capitol Park: A 310-acre distribution park near the Port of Goole. Nearby, close to 500 acres of land in two plots either side of the M62 next to Siemens Mobility's rail factory, became a Humber Freeport tax site in February 2024.

Large employers and sectors with sites here include:

• Rail manufacturing (Siemens Mobility): Siemens Mobility's £200 million Rail Village in Goole opened on 3 October 2024, supporting 700 high-skilled jobs; almost 100 new Piccadilly line trains are being built and assembled there, and up to a further £40 million was announced for a bogie assembly and service centre.
• Ports and logistics: The Port of Goole handles around 1.5 million tonnes of various cargoes a year and has rail connections to many of its berths.

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.

Enterprise, investment and freeport zones

• Humber Freeport (Goole tax site): Designated with effect from 13 February 2024, on close to 500 acres either side of the M62. Reliefs at English Freeport special tax sites are available until 30 September 2031.

These zones can bring business rates relief or enhanced capital allowances for eligible firms on qualifying sites; check the current terms with the zone before relying on them.

Grid connection

Goole is served by Northern Powergrid (Yorkshire 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 Goole

Goole follows the national planning rules for England, decided by East Riding of Yorkshire 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:

• The Goole Conservation Area was designated on 23 November 2011, covering the town centre, Hook Road and South Dock, and was declared at risk the following year. It holds 12 listed buildings, including the Grade II* boat hoist at South Dock and the Lowther Hotel.

Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.

What a business roof in Goole could generate

Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 975 kWh per kWp a year.

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 Goole 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 East Riding of Yorkshire

At the end of 2025, East Riding of Yorkshire had 12,659 solar PV installations with 225.8 MW of capacity, up 261% since 2020, according to government figures. The East Riding of Yorkshire page has the full local figures and how they compare.

Nearby towns

• Selby, about 10 miles away
• Scunthorpe, about 12 miles away
• Doncaster, about 16 miles away
• Castleford, about 20 miles away

Sources

• ons.gov.uk: census2021
• ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
• abports.co.uk: goole
• placeyorkshire.co.uk: sign off for goole freeport tax site
• gov.uk: transport secretary opens 200 million rail manufacturing factory
• gov.uk: maps of humber freeport tax sites
• gov.uk: extension to when tax and national insurance contributions
• gov.uk: enterprise zones
• goolecivicsociety.org.uk: goole conservation area apprai
• heritagecheck.co.uk: listed buildings
• 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.