Key facts
| Council area | Causeway Coast and Glens |
| Population | 11,697 (Limavady settlement, usual residents, Census 2021 (NISRA table CT0046, exact settlement count)) |
| Network operator | NIE Networks |
| Main employment areas | Aghanloo Industrial Estate; Roe Valley Enterprises |
| Indicative yield | About 863 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in Northern Ireland |
Where businesses are in Limavady
- Aghanloo Industrial Estate: An industrial estate on Aghanloo Road, Limavady, where Invest NI markets a 14.4 acre (5.83 hectare) unserviced site for leasing to its client companies.
- Roe Valley Enterprises: A not for profit local enterprise agency headquartered at Aghanloo Industrial Estate, renting industrial units and office space in Limavady and running the Roe Flexi coworking space.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Healthcare seating manufacturing (Seating Matters): In November 2024 therapeutic seating maker Seating Matters announced a £3.7 million investment in its Limavady and Derry facilities, creating 62 jobs, with the aim of tripling turnover by 2027.
- Food and drink: The Causeway Coast and Glens Growth Deal, signed at North West Regional College in Limavady in April 2026, includes a Foodovation and Skills Centre there expected to create 75 food sector jobs and train over 400 people a year.
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
Limavady 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 Limavady
Planning in Limavady is decided by Causeway Coast and Glens 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:
- Limavady's older centre has listed Georgian buildings, such as 34 Catherine Street, a Grade B1 town house listed in 1975, so listed building rules may apply to roofs in the older centre. Limavady does not appear on the Department for Infrastructure's list of conservation area guides.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Limavady could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 863 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 86,300 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £14,498 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,295 earned |
| Total a year | About £15,793 |
| Simple payback | About 5.7 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 all commercial and non-domestic properties in Northern Ireland, with the applicant paying 80% and additional caps possible. Measures include solar PV and lighting (grant capped at £30,000), boiler replacement, intelligent heating controls, solar thermal and infra-red heating. 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 Causeway Coast and Glens
At the end of 2025, Causeway Coast and Glens had 3,089 solar PV installations with 75.6 MW of capacity, up 30% since 2020, according to government figures. The Causeway Coast and Glens page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Coleraine, about 12 miles away
- Ballymoney, about 17 miles away
- Magherafelt, about 25 miles away
- Strabane, about 25 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: aghanloo industrial estate aghanloo road limavady
- roevalleyenterprises.co.uk
- economy-ni.gov.uk: seating matters expand clinical manufacturing facility 62 jobs
- 4ni.co.uk: landmark 129m growth deal signed for causeway coast
- nienetworks.co.uk
- thewrennreport.co.uk: 34 catherine street limavady co londonderry bt49 9db
- 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 Limavady?
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 Limavady?
About 86,300 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 £15,793 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Limavady 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
- Causeway Coast and Glens3,089 installations, 75.6 MW of solar and about 859 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.