Key facts
| Council area | Wiltshire |
| Population | 43,750 (Trowbridge built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS)) |
| Network operator | SSEN Distribution (Southern Electric Power Distribution licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Canal Road Industrial Estate; White Horse Business Park |
| Indicative yield | About 1,024 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Trowbridge
- Canal Road Industrial Estate: Industrial estate in Trowbridge. In April 2026 Wiltshire Council approved apetito's £100 million Kitchen West food production plant on the estate, with six production lines planned.
- White Horse Business Park: Business park in Trowbridge where Nutricia Limited, trading as Danone UK, has its registered office on Newmarket Avenue.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Food manufacturing (apetito): Wiltshire Council says apetito is the largest private employer in Trowbridge, with around 670 of its 2,000 UK staff in the town, making meals for hospitals, care homes and Wiltshire Farm Foods. Its new Kitchen West plant is expected to secure about 700 existing jobs and create new ones.
- Office furniture distribution (Herman Miller): In November 2022 Herman Miller took an eight-year lease on The Consortium, a 92,510 sq ft warehouse on nearly six acres at Canal Road Industrial Estate, to distribute office furniture across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
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
Trowbridge is served by SSEN Distribution (Southern Electric Power Distribution 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 Trowbridge
Trowbridge follows the national planning rules for England, decided by Wiltshire 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:
- Trowbridge Conservation Area, designated in 1975, covers about 41.1 hectares of the town centre and holds 224 listed buildings, including six Grade I buildings such as the Parish Church of St James and Lovemead House, so roofs inside it need more care.
- Wiltshire Council's Planning for Trowbridge guide says the town is adjacent to the Western Wiltshire Green Belt to the west, which matters most for ground-mounted arrays on sites on that side of town.
Our guides on listed buildings and conservation areas, green belt explain what these mean for a solar project.
What a business roof in Trowbridge could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 1,024 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 102,400 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £17,203 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,536 earned |
| Total a year | About £18,739 |
| 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
We found no council or regional grant for business solar open in Trowbridge 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 Wiltshire
At the end of 2025, Wiltshire had 22,287 solar PV installations with 621.3 MW of capacity, up 14% since 2020, according to government figures. The Wiltshire page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Frome, about 8 miles away
- Chippenham, about 11 miles away
- Swindon, about 25 miles away
- Salisbury, about 25 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- radiobath.com: wiltshire council approves planning application for apetitos new
- find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk
- tbeswindonandwilts.co.uk: herman miller signs for wiltshire warehouse and distribution
- heritagecheck.co.uk: trowbridge
- cms.wiltshire.gov.uk: Planning for Trowbridge July2023
- 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 Trowbridge?
SSEN Distribution (Southern Electric Power Distribution 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 Trowbridge?
About 102,400 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 £18,739 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Trowbridge 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
- Wiltshire22,287 installations, 621.3 MW of solar and about 1,031 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- South WestThe strongest yields in mainland Britain, a network with limited export capacity in places, Bristol and Bath clean air zones, dairy farming and Severnside logistics.
- 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.