Key facts
| Council area | Newport |
| Population | 130,890 (Newport (Newport) built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS, rounded to the nearest five)) |
| Network operator | National Grid Electricity Distribution (South Wales licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Imperial Park; Celtic Springs Business Park |
| Indicative yield | About 1,025 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in Wales |
Where businesses are in Newport
- Imperial Park: Part of Newport's compound semiconductor cluster, where the former LG Semiconductors site was sold by the Welsh Government to the City Deal councils. KLA has a 237,000 sq ft manufacturing and research and development facility there, backed by £6.25m from the Cardiff Capital Region in 2025.
- Celtic Springs Business Park: An office park at Coedkernew, Newport, home to Wales & West House, the registered office of gas distributor Wales & West Utilities.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Compound semiconductors: The UK Government describes Newport as a semiconductor hub where businesses including KLA, IQE and Vishay are located, and made it a focus of the Cardiff Capital Region Investment Zone in June 2025.
- Public sector (Intellectual Property Office): The Intellectual Property Office has offices in Newport and London and a team of approximately 1,600 people.
- Gas distribution (Wales & West Utilities): Wales & West Utilities, registered at Celtic Springs, has more than 1,300 colleagues serving 7.5 million customers across Wales and the south west of England.
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
Newport is served by National Grid Electricity Distribution (South Wales 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 Newport
Planning in Newport is decided by Newport council under the Welsh rules. Many non-domestic roofs are covered by Welsh permitted development, with conditions, but not within 3 km of an airport or aerodrome or on listed buildings.
Points that come up locally:
- Newport's Town Centre Conservation Area, about 9.6 hectares and designated in March 1987, covers 60 postcodes, with the St Woolos, Clytha and Lower Dock Street conservation areas close by, so check a building's status 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 Newport could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 1,025 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 102,500 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £17,220 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,538 earned |
| Total a year | About £18,758 |
| Simple payback | About 4.8 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
- Development Bank of Wales Green Business Loan Scheme: Discounted fixed interest rate green business loans for energy efficiency measures and low carbon projects, with renewables including solar PV listed as typical eligible projects; capital repayment holidays are available and the loan term is linked to the project's payback. Limited companies, sole traders and partnerships must be based in Wales, have traded for at least two years and have at least one set of filed annual accounts. A Business Wales grant of up to 50% of the cost of a detailed energy audit, to a maximum of £10,000 (£20,000 total costs), is also offered. Check the scheme's own page for eligibility and closing dates.
National reliefs apply too: see grants and reliefs in Wales.
Solar across Newport
At the end of 2025, Newport had 4,233 solar PV installations with 111.9 MW of capacity, up 322% since 2020, according to government figures. The Newport page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Cwmbran, about 4 miles away
- Pontypool, about 8 miles away
- Caerphilly, about 9 miles away
- Bargoed, about 12 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- businessnewswales.com
- gov.wales: worlds first semiconductor cluster comes wales thanks welsh
- wwutilities.co.uk: about us
- gov.uk: growth and local jobs top of the agenda
- gov.uk: about
- caerphilly.observer: latest plans for citys high tech cluster could
- semiconductor-today.com: ccr 051026.shtml
- gov.uk: maps of celtic freeport tax sites
- businesswales.gov.wales: about enterprise zones
- heritagecheck.co.uk: newport town centre
- developmentbank.wales: green
- 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 Newport?
National Grid Electricity Distribution (South Wales 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 Newport?
About 102,500 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 £18,758 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Newport 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
- Newport4,233 installations, 111.9 MW of solar and about 1,027 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- WalesNGED and SP Energy Networks connections, Planning Policy Wales and Welsh permitted development, the Welsh rates exemption to 2035, and farm, factory and port roofs.
- 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.
- WalesCurrent solar support in Wales for businesses, farms, public bodies and community groups, 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.