Solar for warehouses and distribution centres
Distribution sheds have the one thing solar needs most, which is roof. A large, flat, unshaded footprint sitting over a building that draws power all day is close to the ideal case for a funded system.
Why these buildings suit solar
A distribution centre is unusual in that its roof area is enormous relative to what happens underneath it. That roof is doing nothing except keeping the weather out. Solar gives it a second job without changing how the building operates.
The other half of the equation is demand. Chillers, conveyors, sorters, battery charging for MHE, lighting across a large floor plate: most of it runs in daylight hours, which is exactly when a rooftop array generates. The closer your consumption sits to your generation, the better the numbers look, because you are using the cheaper power directly rather than exporting it.
What it changes commercially
- Electricity bills typically fall by up to 30% once a system is running, depending on roof size, usage pattern and your current tariff.
- The rate you pay for solar generation is fixed for the term, so a meaningful part of your energy cost stops moving with the wholesale market.
- No capital is required under a funded agreement. The system is paid for by an energy investor, not by you.
- On-site renewable generation feeds directly into Scope 2 reporting, which increasingly matters to the retailers and manufacturers you contract with.
The practical questions we get asked
Roof age and construction come up first. The roof is surveyed for suitability before anything is committed, and where remedial work is needed it can usually be built into the agreement rather than falling to you.
Leased sites are common in this sector and are not a blocker. Plenty go ahead. It depends on lease length and the landlord's position, which is worth establishing early rather than assuming it rules you out.
Multi-site operators tend to start with one building and roll out from there. It is easier to agree a template once and repeat it than to negotiate an estate in one go.
Where we work
We arrange commercial solar panels for warehouses, distribution centres and logistics parks across England, Scotland and Wales. Sites near the major freight corridors come up most often, around the M1, M6 and M62 and the distribution belts of the Midlands and the North West, though location matters far less to the assessment than roof area, orientation and how much electricity the building actually uses.
How we work
Hawthorne is an introducer, not an installer. We handle the assessment and the commercial side, then introduce you to an accredited funding and installation partner who designs, installs and maintains the system. There is no cost to you for our involvement. It also means we have no reason to push a site that does not stack up.
Related reading
- Solar for manufacturing businesses
- Solar for schools and academies
- Solar for care homes
- What is a solar Power Purchase Agreement?
- Common questions about fully funded commercial solar
The first step
A free desktop assessment. We use your site address and a recent electricity bill to model what your roof could produce and what it could be worth. No site visit, no cost, no obligation.
Common questions
Will installation interrupt our operation?
Rooftop work is done from above and is planned around your shift pattern. Most single-site installations are measured in weeks rather than months, and the building carries on trading throughout.
Our roof is leased. Does that stop us?
No. Leased sites go ahead regularly. What matters is the remaining lease term and whether your landlord will engage, and both are worth checking early rather than assuming the answer.
We use a lot of power at night. Does solar still work?
It can, though the numbers shift. Where generation and demand line up poorly, battery storage is sometimes looked at alongside the array. We would model your actual usage before saying either way.