Key facts
| Council area | Warrington |
| Population | 174,970 (Warrington built-up area, usual residents, Census 2021 (ONS, rounded to the nearest five)) |
| Network operator | SP Energy Networks (SP Manweb, Merseyside and North Wales licence area) |
| Main employment areas | Omega; Birchwood Park |
| Indicative yield | About 930 kWh per kWp a year (south facing, 30 degrees) |
| Nation support page | Grants and reliefs in England |
Where businesses are in Warrington
- Omega: An 800 acre mixed use development on the north-western edge of Warrington whose occupiers include Amazon, Royal Mail, ASDA and The Hut Group. Indurent started a speculative unit of about 420,000 sq ft, supported by solar PV, on the final plot at Omega West.
- Birchwood Park: A business park at Risley, Warrington, that is home to 165 companies, including more than 30 nuclear organisations.
Large employers and sectors with sites here include:
- Nuclear services (Birchwood): Birchwood Park says it hosts more than 6,000 nuclear specialists and more than 30 nuclear organisations among its 165 companies.
- Logistics and distribution (Omega): Omega's occupiers include Amazon, Royal Mail, ASDA and The Hut Group, and new space on Omega West is being built to BREEAM Excellent and EPC A+ standards.
- Water (United Utilities): United Utilities Group PLC and United Utilities Water Limited have their registered office at Haweswater House on Lingley Mere Business Park, Great Sankey, Warrington.
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
Warrington is served by SP Energy Networks (SP Manweb, Merseyside and North 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 Warrington
Warrington follows the national planning rules for England, decided by Warrington 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:
- Warrington town centre has small conservation areas, including Palmyra Square (about 6.3 hectares, 15 Grade II listed buildings) and Buttermarket Street (about 3.4 hectares, 10 listed buildings), so check whether a building is inside one 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 Warrington could generate
Modelled with PVGIS for the town centre, a south-facing roof at 30 degrees produces about 930 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 93,000 kWh a year |
| Used on site | 70% at 24p = £15,624 saved |
| Exported | 30% at 5p = £1,395 earned |
| Total a year | About £17,019 |
| Simple payback | About 5.3 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 Warrington 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 Warrington
At the end of 2025, Warrington had 5,661 solar PV installations with 29.7 MW of capacity, up 63% since 2020, according to government figures. The Warrington page has the full local figures and how they compare.
Nearby towns
- Widnes, about 6 miles away
- Runcorn, about 6 miles away
- St Helens, about 7 miles away
- Leigh, about 8 miles away
Sources
- ons.gov.uk: census2021
- ons.gov.uk: datadownload.xlsx
- indurent.com: indurent starts construction of c 420000 sq ft
- placenorthwest.co.uk: iceland takes 505000 sq ft at omega west
- birchwoodpark.co.uk
- unitedutilities.com: subsidiaries
- parklife.birchwoodpark.co.uk: cheshire science corridor enterprise zone launches birchwood park
- gov.uk: enterprise zones
- gov.uk: maps of liverpool city region freeport tax sites
- gov.uk: maps of liverpool city region investment zone tax
- warrington.gov.uk: power cuts
- heritagecheck.co.uk: palmyra square
- heritagecheck.co.uk: buttermarket street
- 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 Warrington?
SP Energy Networks (SP Manweb, Merseyside and North 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 Warrington?
About 93,000 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 £17,019 a year. Your own roof, orientation and use will change this.
Can a business in Warrington 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
- Warrington5,661 installations, 29.7 MW of solar and about 930 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof.
- North WestTwo network operators, realistic northern yields, Trafford Park, the Port of Liverpool, Cheshire chemicals and Cumbrian farming, and Greater Manchester's non-charging clean air plan.
- 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.