Solar Panels for Restaurants — FAQs
Real questions from operators, answered with numbers. Updated for 2026.
Hospitality operators ask sharper questions than most commercial solar buyers, because the margins leave no room for a bad purchase. These answers cover the money (what 15–50 kW systems genuinely cost, what the VAT position really is, how the Annual Investment Allowance changes the net price), the building (leases, landlords, flat roofs, extract grease), and the operations (evening trade, batteries, whether your kitchen closes during install — it doesn't). Where the answer deserves a full page, we link it. And if your question isn't covered, send it over — we answer the same day where we can.
How much do solar panels for a restaurant cost in the UK?
Most restaurant installations sit between 15 kW and 50 kW. At 2026 prices that means roughly £18,000–£28,000 for a 15–20 kW system and £45,000–£65,000 at the 50 kW end, fully installed. Cost per kW falls as systems grow — small commercial installs price around £1,100–£1,400/kW, dropping towards £950/kW near 50 kW. A VAT-registered business reclaims the VAT, and the Annual Investment Allowance lets you deduct the full cost from taxable profits in year one.
Why are restaurants particularly well suited to solar?
Two reasons: extreme energy intensity and daytime demand. Commercial kitchens consume several times more electricity per square metre than offices — refrigeration runs 24/7, extraction runs every service hour, and induction, dishwashers, and air conditioning stack on top. And because lunch prep, lunch service, and afternoon trade happen exactly when panels generate, restaurants self-consume a very high share of their solar output rather than exporting it cheaply.
Do solar panels work for an evening-led restaurant?
Yes, though the economics shift. Even dinner-led venues run substantial daytime loads: walk-in fridges and freezers never switch off, prep kitchens work afternoons, and HVAC pre-conditions the dining room before service. Self-consumption typically lands lower than a lunch-trade café but still strong enough for viable paybacks — and a small battery can shift surplus afternoon generation into evening service.
Will the installation close my kitchen?
No. Roof work happens above the building while you trade. The only interruption is the final connection — typically two to four hours with power off, which we schedule for your closed day or before morning prep. Scaffolding is positioned to keep entrances, deliveries, and outdoor seating usable.
Is there VAT relief on commercial solar for restaurants?
The 0% VAT rate that runs until March 2027 applies to residential installations only — commercial restaurant installs are standard-rated at 20%. But VAT-registered businesses reclaim that in full, so the real lever is corporation tax: the Annual Investment Allowance covers up to £1m of plant and machinery at 100% in year one, cutting the net cost of a £50,000 system by £12,500 for a company paying 25%.
What happens to electricity we generate but don't use?
It exports to the grid and you get paid through the Smart Export Guarantee. SEG rates vary by supplier — typically a few pence per kWh, well below the 25–35p/kWh you avoid by using the power yourself. That gap is why we size restaurant systems for self-consumption first, not roof capacity.
We rent our premises — can we still install solar?
With landlord consent, usually yes. Many hospitality landlords agree readily because solar improves the EPC rating — and proposed MEES rules point to commercial lettings needing EPC C by 2027 and B by 2030. Options range from a simple licence for alterations to the landlord funding the system and recovering costs through the lease. Tenancy length matters: a 15-year lease comfortably outlasts a 5–6 year payback.
How long does a restaurant solar installation take?
From instruction: design and DNO notification 2–6 weeks (systems above 17 kW per phase need a G99 application, smaller ones a simpler G98 notification), then one to two weeks on the roof for a typical 15–50 kW system, then the connection visit. Most projects run start to finish inside two to three months.
Can solar power kitchen extraction and refrigeration?
Solar feeds your distribution board, so it powers whatever is running — extraction, refrigeration, induction hobs, dishwashers. On a sunny service a 30 kW array can carry most of a kitchen's daytime load. It will not run the kitchen during a power cut though: grid-tied inverters shut down on outages unless paired with battery backup.
Does a flat roof above the dining room work for panels?
Usually, yes. Flat roofs take ballasted mounting systems angled at 10–15 degrees, no roof penetrations needed. The checks that matter: structural capacity for the ballast weight, remaining life of the roof membrane, and clear zones around kitchen extract terminals — panels must not block or sit in the grease-laden airflow from extraction outlets.
What maintenance does a restaurant solar system need?
Modest but real. Panels near kitchen extract outlets attract grease film as well as normal grime, so we specify cleaning once or twice a year — more than an office roof needs. Inverters typically need replacement once in the system's 25-year life. Monitoring runs continuously and flags faults; expect £200–£500 a year in cleaning and inspection costs for a typical site.
Is a battery worth adding to a restaurant system?
For evening-led venues, increasingly yes. A battery stores afternoon surplus and discharges it into evening service, lifting self-consumption from perhaps 60% to 85%+. Batteries add roughly £400–£600 per kWh of capacity, so we model it against your actual trading pattern — for a lunch-led café it rarely pays; for a dinner-led restaurant with a strong summer terrace trade it often does.