Nineteen active schemes mapped — tax reliefs, capital grants, income schemes, interest-free loans, regional funding and charitable sector routes. Each scheme has its own deep-dive page covering eligibility, application process, worked examples, pitfalls and stack-with options.
For at-a-glance comparison. Click any scheme name to read the full guide.
| Scheme | Category | Amount | Status / window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Export Guarantee for businesses | Income scheme | 3p–15p per kWh exported (2026 fixed tariffs) | Ongoing — no closing date |
| Annual Investment Allowance for business solar | Tax relief | Up to £1 million per year, 100% first-year deduction | Permanent (no expiry currently announced) |
| Full Expensing for business solar PV | Tax relief | 100% first-year deduction — no upper limit | Permanent (extended indefinitely by Spring Budget 2024) |
| Industrial Energy Transformation Fund for solar PV | Capital grant | 30-50% of project capex (typically £100k-£14m awards) | Phase 3 closed 2024; Phase 4 expected Q2 2026 (re-verify monthly) |
| Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme for solar PV | Capital grant | 100% of project capex (up to £10m+ for large estates) | Phase 3c closed 2024; Phase 4 expected 2026 (re-verify monthly) |
| Salix Recycling Fund for solar PV | Interest-free loan | £20,000 – £2,000,000 typical; up to 100% project funding | Rolling applications (subject to fund availability) |
| Enhanced Capital Allowances for energy-saving solar equipment | Tax relief | 100% first-year allowance on qualifying ETL-listed equipment | Permanent (Energy Technology List is updated quarterly) |
| Regional growth hub grants for business solar | Capital grant | £1,000 – £25,000 typical (match-funded, usually 40-60%) | Varies by region — most schemes run rolling intake |
| Business Wales SME loans for solar PV | Soft loan / regional grant | £10,000 – £250,000 interest-free or low-interest | Rolling intake (subject to fund availability) |
| Scotland SME Loan Scheme — interest-free finance for business solar | Interest-free loan | Up to £100,000 at 0% (longer-term loans available) | Rolling — subject to programme funding availability |
| Invest NI green tech grants for business solar | Capital grant | £10,000 – £750,000 typical project size | Rolling intake |
| Farming Investment Fund for on-farm solar PV | Capital grant (agriculture) | £25,000 – £500,000 typical FETF/FIF awards | Rolling rounds (windows announced ~3 months in advance) |
| Green Heat Network Fund — solar plus heat networks | Capital grant | Up to 50% of capex on qualifying heat network projects | Phased applications — Phase 2 closed; Phase 3 expected 2026 |
| Carbon Trust Green Business Fund — SME energy efficiency support | Advisory + small capital grant | £1,000 – £5,000 typical capital grant (programme-dependent) | Rolling — programme funded annually |
| York & North Yorkshire Business Sustainability Programme | Regional grant | £500 – £14,000 capital grants; free advice on top | Rolling (subject to UKSPF / regional funding) |
| Business Energy Advice Service for West Midlands SMEs | Regional grant + advisory | Up to £100,000 capital grants (match-funded) | Rolling (subject to MCA funding cycles) |
| West of England Green Business Grant — Bristol, Bath, Weston-super-Mare | Regional capital grant | £1,500 – £10,000 (match-funded) | Rolling (subject to programme budget) |
| Charity and faith sector grants for solar PV | Charitable trust grants | £500 – £50,000 typical | Varies by trust (most run annual or quarterly rounds) |
| REGO sales — selling renewable origin certificates from your solar | Income scheme | 0.5p – 2p per kWh of renewable generation (REGO market price) | Ongoing — REGO scheme runs continuously |
Smart Export Guarantee 2026 guide for UK businesses — best export tariffs, eligibility for 50kWp+ systems, how to register, and how to combine SEG wit...
Amount: 3p–15p per kWh exported (2026 fixed tariffs)
Status: Ongoing — no closing date
REGO sales 2026 — how UK commercial solar generators sell Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin certificates above 1MW. Prices, brokers, contracts.
Amount: 0.5p – 2p per kWh of renewable generation (REGO market price)
Status: Ongoing — REGO scheme runs continuously
AIA 2026 guide — how UK businesses claim 100% first-year tax relief on commercial solar PV up to £1m. Eligibility, calculation worked examples, group ...
Amount: Up to £1 million per year, 100% first-year deduction
Status: Permanent (no expiry currently announced)
Full Expensing 2026 — UK limited companies can deduct 100% of commercial solar capex from corporation tax with no cap. Eligibility, examples, comparis...
Amount: 100% first-year deduction — no upper limit
Status: Permanent (extended indefinitely by Spring Budget 2024)
Enhanced Capital Allowances 2026 — niche but valuable 100% FYA for specific energy-saving equipment. How it applies to commercial solar inverters and ...
Amount: 100% first-year allowance on qualifying ETL-listed equipment
Status: Permanent (Energy Technology List is updated quarterly)
IETF 2026 guide — match-funded grants of 30-50% for energy-intensive industry in England, Wales, NI. Eligible sectors, application windows, solar PV e...
Amount: 30-50% of project capex (typically £100k-£14m awards)
Status: Phase 3 closed 2024; Phase 4 expected Q2 2026 (re-verify monthly)
PSDS 2026 — 100% capital grant funding for public sector solar PV. Schools, NHS, councils, universities, central government. Application windows and e...
Amount: 100% of project capex (up to £10m+ for large estates)
Status: Phase 3c closed 2024; Phase 4 expected 2026 (re-verify monthly)
Regional growth hub solar grants 2026 — Greater Manchester, West Midlands, West of England, York and beyond. £1k-£25k match-funded grants for SME sola...
Amount: £1,000 – £25,000 typical (match-funded, usually 40-60%)
Status: Varies by region — most schemes run rolling intake
Invest NI 2026 — grants and loan support for Northern Ireland SMEs investing in solar PV. Sustainable Productivity programme, Energy efficiency capita...
Amount: £10,000 – £750,000 typical project size
Status: Rolling intake
Green Heat Network Fund 2026 — DESNZ capital grants for low-carbon heat networks including solar thermal and solar PV plus heat pump configurations.
Amount: Up to 50% of capex on qualifying heat network projects
Status: Phased applications — Phase 2 closed; Phase 3 expected 2026
Salix Recycling Fund 2026 — interest-free loans for public sector solar PV in England. Repaid from energy savings over 5-8 years. Eligibility and proc...
Amount: £20,000 – £2,000,000 typical; up to 100% project funding
Status: Rolling applications (subject to fund availability)
Scotland SME Loan Scheme 2026 — 0% loans up to £100k for Scottish SMEs installing solar PV. Cashback bonus for early adopters. Eligibility and process...
Amount: Up to £100,000 at 0% (longer-term loans available)
Status: Rolling — subject to programme funding availability
Business Wales solar loans 2026 — interest-free or low-interest loans up to £250k for Welsh SMEs. Eligibility, application process, examples for solar...
Amount: £10,000 – £250,000 interest-free or low-interest
Status: Rolling intake (subject to fund availability)
Farming Investment Fund 2026 (FIF) — DEFRA capital grants for English farms installing on-farm solar PV. Productivity, slurry, water and equipment gra...
Amount: £25,000 – £500,000 typical FETF/FIF awards
Status: Rolling rounds (windows announced ~3 months in advance)
Carbon Trust Green Business Fund 2026 — energy assessments, advice and capital grants for SME decarbonisation including solar PV. Eligibility and proc...
Amount: £1,000 – £5,000 typical capital grant (programme-dependent)
Status: Rolling — programme funded annually
Y&NY Business Sustainability Programme 2026 — free decarbonisation advice and capital grants up to £14k for North Yorkshire SMEs.
Amount: £500 – £14,000 capital grants; free advice on top
Status: Rolling (subject to UKSPF / regional funding)
BEAS West Midlands 2026 — free energy audits and capital grants up to £100,000 for West Midlands SMEs. Manufacturing focus, strong for solar PV.
Amount: Up to £100,000 capital grants (match-funded)
Status: Rolling (subject to MCA funding cycles)
West of England Green Business Grant 2026 — capital grants £1,500-£10,000 for SMEs in Bristol, Bath, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire.
Amount: £1,500 – £10,000 (match-funded)
Status: Rolling (subject to programme budget)
Charity solar grants 2026 — National Lottery, Methodist Insurance, Allchurches Trust, FCO funds. Faith building solar funding routes including faculty...
Amount: £500 – £50,000 typical
Status: Varies by trust (most run annual or quarterly rounds)
Free 60-second eligibility check maps your sector, size and postcode against all 19 active 2026 schemes. No sales calls. No spam.
Start eligibility check