Key facts
| Council area | Stockton-on-Tees |
| Population | 84,815 (Stockton-on-Tees built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS, rounded to the nearest five)) |
| Network operator | Northern Powergrid (Northeast licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Preston Farm Business Park; Northshore (Fusion Hive); Bowesfield |
| Indicative yield | About 941 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Stockton-on-Tees
- Preston Farm Business Park: An established office and light industrial business park in Stockton. In 2018 the three storey, 7,160 sq ft Kingfisher House there was sold, with Erimus Insurance Brokers moving in.
- Northshore (Fusion Hive): A riverside regeneration area on the banks of the Tees in Stockton. Its Fusion Hive, a three storey, 36,000 sq ft business and innovation centre run with Teesside University, opened in 2015 with room for around 60 digital and scientific small firms.
- Bowesfield: About 40 hectares on the north bank of the River Tees south of the town centre, developed by Banks Property with offices, car showrooms and other commercial units alongside homes and a 15 hectare wildlife reserve.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Healthcare (University Hospital of North Tees): The University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton is one of the two main hospitals of North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, which has close to 5,500 staff and serves around 400,000 people.
- Digital and scientific small businesses: Fusion Hive at Northshore was built for digital and scientific small and medium firms, and 15 companies were already based there when it was officially opened in October 2015.
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
Stockton-on-Tees is served by Northern Powergrid (Northeast 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 Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees follows the national planning rules for England, decided by Stockton-on-Tees 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 Stockton Town Centre Conservation Area, about 17.4 hectares and designated in 1974, holds 70 listed buildings including one Grade I and ten Grade II*, 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 Stockton-on-Tees could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 941 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 94,100 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £15,809 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,412 earned |
| Total a year | About £17,220 |
| Simple payback | About 5.2 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 Stockton-on-Tees 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 Stockton-on-Tees
At the end of 2025, Stockton-on-Tees had 5,899 solar PV installations with 32.5 MW of capacity, up 49% since 2020, according to government figures. The Stockton-on-Tees page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Thornaby-on-Tees, about 2 miles away
- Billingham, about 3 miles away
- Middlesbrough, about 3 miles away
- Hartlepool, about 9 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- teesbusiness.co.uk
- teesbusiness.co.uk
- banksgroup.co.uk: bowesfield stockton on tees
- nth.nhs.uk
- business.gov.uk: teesside freeport
- teesvalley-ca.gov.uk: 80m to revive town centres and back business
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- heritagecheck.co.uk: stockton town centre
- 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 Stockton-on-Tees?
Northern Powergrid (Northeast 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 Stockton-on-Tees?
About 94,100 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 £17,220 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Stockton-on-Tees 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
- Stockton-on-Tees5,899 installations, 32.5 MW of solar and about 941 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- North EastNorthern Powergrid connections, the Tyneside Clean Air Zone, Teesside and Sunderland manufacturing, Tyne and Tees ports, and Northumberland farming.
- 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.