Key facts
| Council area | Stockton-on-Tees |
| Population | 23,350 (Thornaby-on-Tees built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS)) |
| Network operator | Northern Powergrid (Northeast licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Teesside Industrial Estate; Teesdale Business Park |
| Indicative yield | About 939 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Thornaby-on-Tees
- Teesside Industrial Estate: A 300-acre business park in Thornaby owned by UK Land Estates, which says it has invested tens of millions of pounds there in recent years. Occupiers include Lookers, Starbucks and Mammoet, and a speculative 23,000 sq ft unit for manufacturing or distribution was due to complete in July 2026.
- Teesdale Business Park: Office and business park just north of Thornaby railway station, bounded by the Tees Valley rail line and the River Tees, built on the former Head Wrightson Teesdale works and redeveloped by the Teesside Development Corporation. Law firm Ward Hadaway has had an office at Tobias House, St Mark's Court on the park since its July 2025 merger with The Endeavour Partnership.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Heavy lifting and transport (Mammoet): Mammoet's UK headquarters on Teesside Industrial Estate was opened in 2019 by Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen; in April 2023 it was home to more than 200 employees.
- Distribution and trade (Park Electrical Distributors and Power Plastics): In July 2024 electrical wholesaler Park Electrical Distributors took an 11,200 sq ft unit on Teesside Industrial Estate as a storage and distribution hub for its major projects, alongside Power Plastics (22,500 sq ft) and Lookers, each on 10-year leases.
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
Thornaby-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 Thornaby-on-Tees
Thornaby-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:
- Thornaby Green Conservation Area, designated in 1971, covers about 15 hectares and holds four listed buildings, including the Grade II* Old Church of St Peter. It is away from the town's business parks, but roofs inside it need more care.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Thornaby-on-Tees could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 939 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 93,900 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £15,775 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,409 earned |
| Total a year | About £17,184 |
| 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 Thornaby-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
- Stockton-on-Tees, about 2 miles away
- Middlesbrough, about 3 miles away
- Billingham, about 4 miles away
- Redcar, about 11 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- cpne.co.uk: uk land nears completion at teesside estate
- cpne.co.uk: national name among three firms moving onto teesside
- en.wikipedia.org: Teesdale Business Park
- wardhadaway.com: teesside
- teesbusiness.co.uk: tees based heavy lifting and transportation specialists reveal
- teesvalley-ca.gov.uk: teesside freeport
- gov.uk: maps of teesside freeport tax sites
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- heritagecheck.co.uk: thornaby green
- teesvalley-ca.gov.uk: sme energy efficiency scheme
- 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 Thornaby-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 Thornaby-on-Tees?
About 93,900 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 £17,184 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Thornaby-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.