Key facts
| Council area | Lancaster |
| Population | 52,655 (Lancaster built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS, rounded to the nearest five)) |
| Network operator | Electricity North West (North West licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Caton Road Employment Area; Lancaster Business Park; White Cross Business Park; Lancaster University Health Innovation Campus |
| Indicative yield | About 914 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Lancaster
- Caton Road Employment Area: A long strip of about 39.9 hectares along Caton Road, the eastern gateway from the M6, including the Lansil estate with its larger modern units; the council's local plan calls it Lancaster's biggest supply of general industrial land, though large parts lie in areas of flood risk.
- Lancaster Business Park: A 10.7 hectare business park off junction 34 of the M6 on Caton Road, created for high quality office space, with some land still vacant for development.
- White Cross Business Park: Former mill buildings in the centre of Lancaster, now mainly small offices with a limited amount of general industrial use to the east of the park.
- Lancaster University Health Innovation Campus: A campus on land just north of the university at Bailrigg, alongside the A6, which the local plan expects to focus on medical and health research and other knowledge based businesses, with the potential for about 2,000 jobs.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Higher education (Lancaster University): A report published by the university in November 2024 found it contributed about £2 billion to the UK economy in 2021 to 2022 and supported 8,805 jobs, 6,085 of them in the North West.
- Filtration manufacturing (GVS): In May 2026 GVS Filter Technology UK moved all 200 of its staff from Morecambe into a £14m, low carbon manufacturing and office complex on a former Sofidel site on Caton Road, making filters for healthcare, life sciences, safety and automotive uses.
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
Lancaster is served by Electricity North West (North 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 Lancaster
Lancaster follows the national planning rules for England, decided by Lancaster 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 Lancaster conservation area covers about 85.3 hectares of the city centre with 256 listed buildings, including the Grade I Lancaster Castle and Priory, so check before planning roof panels in the centre.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Lancaster could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 914 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 91,400 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £15,355 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,371 earned |
| Total a year | About £16,726 |
| Simple payback | About 5.4 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster
At the end of 2025, Lancaster had 3,090 solar PV installations with 29.2 MW of capacity, up 46% since 2020, according to government figures. The Lancaster page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Morecambe, about 3 miles away
- Fleetwood, about 12 miles away
- Barrow-in-Furness, about 17 miles away
- Kendal, about 19 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- lancaster.gov.uk: SPLA DPD July 2020
- lancaster.ac.uk: lancaster universitys economic power and social good captured
- lancashirebusinessview.co.uk: manufacturer moves to 14m riverside headquarters
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- investinlancashire.com: enterprise zones
- gov.uk: investment zones in england
- gov.uk: maps of uk freeports
- heritagecheck.co.uk: lancaster
- en.wikipedia.org: Lancaster, Lancashire
- 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 Lancaster?
Electricity North West (North 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 Lancaster?
About 91,400 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 £16,726 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Lancaster 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
- Lancaster3,090 installations, 29.2 MW of solar and about 864 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- North WestTwo network operators, realistic northern yields, Trafford Park, the Port of Liverpool, Cheshire chemicals and Cumbrian farming, and Greater Manchester's non-charging clean air plan.
- 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.