Key facts
| Council area | Fermanagh and Omagh |
| Population | 20,353 (Omagh Town settlement, usual residents, Census 2021 (NISRA table CT0046, exact settlement count)) |
| Network operator | NIE Networks |
| Main employment areas | Gortrush Industrial Estate; Doogary Industrial Estate |
| Indicative yield | About 849 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in Northern Ireland |
Where businesses are in Omagh
- Gortrush Industrial Estate: One of Omagh's two main industrial estates, off the Derry Road. Omagh Enterprise Company, which provides business workspace, is based there, and an office building on the estate empty for 18 years reopened as the White Elephant Business Park in May 2025 with about 140 staff moving in.
- Doogary Industrial Estate: Omagh's other main industrial estate. In 2019 Telestack, which makes mobile material handling equipment, announced a 45,000 sq ft factory on the estate next to its existing 105,000 sq ft Bankmore site.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Beef processing (Foyle Food Group): Foyle Food Group, founded in 1977, announced in October 2026 a £15 million upgrade of its Omagh site with automated warehousing and packing, backed by £2.9 million from Invest NI and creating seven new roles.
- Engineering (Telestack): Telestack's US parent Astec announced a $5 million expansion of its Omagh factory in June 2022, taking it to nearly 100,000 sq ft; Telestack then employed about 200 people in the Omagh area.
- Cyber security (LoughTec): Omagh based LoughTec was creating 15 new jobs as part of plans to more than double its export sales by the end of 2028, Invest NI said in July 2026.
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
Omagh 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 Omagh
Planning in Omagh is decided by Fermanagh and Omagh 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:
- Omagh is a conservation area with a published guide, so check whether a building is inside it before planning roof panels in the town centre.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Omagh could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 849 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 84,900 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £14,263 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,274 earned |
| Total a year | About £15,537 |
| Simple payback | About 5.8 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
- NISEP Commercial Energy Saving Scheme (2026/27): A Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme grant of 20% for commercial and non-domestic properties anywhere in Northern Ireland, with the applicant paying 80%. Measures include solar PV (grant capped at £30,000), boiler replacement, intelligent heating controls and lighting. 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 Fermanagh and Omagh
At the end of 2025, Fermanagh and Omagh had 2,650 solar PV installations with 15.0 MW of capacity, up 5470% since 2020, according to government figures. The Fermanagh and Omagh page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Strabane, about 17 miles away
- Enniskillen, about 22 miles away
- Dungannon, about 22 miles away
- Cookstown, about 22 miles away
Sources
- nisra.gov.uk: census 2021 person and household estimates for settlements
- nisra.gov.uk: census 2021 commissioned table ct0046.xlsx
- wearetyrone.com
- wearetyrone.com
- opencharities.uk: 2025 03 31 accounts.md
- drybulkmagazine.com: telestack to invest 5 million in a new
- foodmanufacture.co.uk: foyle food group to invest 15 million into
- astecindustries.com: astec expanding in northern ireland
- investni.com: invest ni support secures ps41m investment fermanagh omagh
- nienetworks.co.uk
- 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 Omagh?
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 Omagh?
About 84,900 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 £15,537 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Omagh 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
- Fermanagh and Omagh2,650 installations, 15.0 MW of solar and about 854 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.