Key facts
| Council area | Angus |
| Population | 11,251 (Montrose locality, Scotland's Census 2022 (NRS figure as published by City Population)) |
| Network operator | SSEN Distribution (Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution, North of Scotland licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Forties Road Industrial Estate and Brent Avenue; Montrose Port Industrial Park |
| Indicative yield | About 923 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in Scotland |
Where businesses are in Montrose
- Forties Road Industrial Estate and Brent Avenue: Established industrial estate that Angus Council's Invest in Angus describes as an oil and gas hub, with occupiers including Halliburton, National Oilwell Varco, Merpro and AME International. The council markets the remaining 3.35 acres of plots at the Brent Avenue extension for business, industrial and storage uses.
- Montrose Port Industrial Park: A 45 acre industrial and commercial site, including the former Charleton House site, bought by Montrose Port Authority as a base for renewable energy and other businesses. It was going through pre-planning, with public consultation events held on 29 and 30 October 2025.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Pharmaceuticals (GSK): GSK said in January 2024 that it was spending £67 million upgrading its Montrose site, one of its six UK manufacturing sites, with a new facility to boost production of active pharmaceutical ingredients.
- Offshore wind and port services (Montrose Port): Montrose Port hosts the operations and maintenance base for the Seagreen offshore wind farm, operational since October 2023, and is the construction base and future operations base for the 72 turbine Inch Cape project, due to be fully operational in 2027; it has a 104 acre estate and 1,000 m of quays.
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
Montrose is served by SSEN Distribution (Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution, North of Scotland 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 Montrose
Planning in Montrose is decided by Angus 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 Montrose Conservation Area covers about 59.3 hectares and 104 postcodes, so check whether a building is inside it before planning roof panels in the centre.
- Since 24 May 2024, Scotland's Class 6J lets solar PV go on non-domestic buildings without planning permission if it protrudes no more than 1 metre from the surface of the building, but not on a listed building or within its curtilage, within 3 km of an aerodrome or technical site, or, in a conservation area, on the principal elevation or a side elevation fronting a road.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas, airports, glint and glare explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Montrose could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 923 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 92,300 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £15,506 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,385 earned |
| Total a year | About £16,891 |
| Simple payback | About 5.3 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, repaid over 8 years (a shorter term can be requested). 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, allocated first come, first served. Applications are processed on a rolling basis all year round, subject to the overall availability of 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 Angus
At the end of 2025, Angus had 6,026 solar PV installations with 62.2 MW of capacity, up 42% since 2020, according to government figures. The Angus page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Arbroath, about 11 miles away
- Forfar, about 17 miles away
- Cupar, about 34 miles away
- Blairgowrie, about 34 miles away
Sources
- citypopulation.de: S52000457 montrose
- gov.uk: maps of forth green freeport tax sites
- gov.uk: maps of inverness and cromarty firth green freeport
- gov.uk: maps of glasgow city region investment zone tax
- gov.uk: maps of north east scotland investment zone tax
- investinangus.com
- montroseport.co.uk: montrose port industrial park
- pharmacy.biz: gsk plans to invest over 200 million to
- montroseport.co.uk
- heritagecheck.co.uk: montrose
- legislation.gov.uk: made
- 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 Montrose?
SSEN Distribution (Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution, North of Scotland 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 Montrose?
About 92,300 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 £16,891 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Montrose 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
- Angus6,026 installations, 62.2 MW of solar and about 917 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.