Solar has reached a tipping point, and with power purchase agreements (PPAs) many businesses can benefit without requiring upfront capital investment.
Solar energy is no longer quietly gaining ground; it’s scaling rapidly. Across Great Britain, deployment is accelerating at its fastest pace in over a decade, with 2.6 GWp of new capacity added in the past year alone. Organisations of all types are turning to solar to reduce carbon emissions and meet supply-chain expectations, while controlling costs, reducing exposure to volatile energy markets and building long-term resilience.
Solar moves into the mainstream
In recent headlines, Transport for London (TfL) unveiled plans for millions of Tube journeys to be powered by locally generated solar energy, after appointing SSE Energy Solutions to deliver a mix of rooftop and ground-mounted installations connected directly to the Underground network.
Once operational, the scheme could generate up to 65,000 MWh of renewable electricity annually, supplying power to the Tube via a private wire connection, bypassing the national grid. It’s being delivered through a power purchase agreement (PPA), requiring no upfront capital from TfL and delivering savings from day one.
Meanwhile, at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Aviation Minister Keir Mather officially opened a new 3 MW solar farm capable of supplying up to 25% of the airport’s electricity demand. Developed by Activ8 Energies in partnership with SSE, the project is now a central part of the airport’s pathway to net zero.
This shift is by no means limited to transport infrastructure nor organisations of this scale, however. For example, Ortus Energy and SSE Energy Solutions have also rolled out 22 fully funded rooftop solar projects totalling 7.5MWp for Amber Real Estate. This includes three agri-food sites in Scotland.
Why solar — and why now
Several factors are converging to drive this surge in adoption.
The economics have improved dramatically. The cost of solar technology has fallen sharply over the past decade, while efficiency has increased and installation processes have matured.
At the same time, the energy landscape has become more uncertain. Wholesale price volatility, grid constraints and geopolitical pressures have made electricity costs harder to predict and control.
Solar offers a way to address that. By generating electricity onsite, organisations can lock in a portion of their energy costs for the long term, reducing exposure to external price shocks.
There is also growing commercial pressure. Customers, investors and supply chains increasingly expect businesses to demonstrate tangible progress on emissions, and solar provides one of the most visible and immediate ways to do so.
The result is a shift in mindset. Solar remains a sustainability tool, but it is now equally about cost control, resilience and competitive advantage.
The financing model making it happen
The increasing use of PPAs is another key factor underpinning growth.
Under a PPA, a provider such as SSE Energy Solutions funds, installs and operates the solar system, while the customer agrees to purchase the electricity it generated over the long term at a set, predictable rate that is significantly lower than gird electricity prices.
For organisations, the appeal is straightforward. PPAs remove the need for upfront investment while delivering immediate access to lower-cost, renewable electricity. They also provide long-term price certainty in a volatile market, with operational and performance risk managed by the provider.
In practice, this means businesses can benefit from solar without competing for internal capital or taking on the complexity of ownership.
For organisations with the capital to invest, direct ownership through CapEx is an alternative option, offering long-term value and control, and it’s a path that SSE Energy Solutions also supports. However, we see many organisations choosing the PPA route, favouring the zero upfront costs, immediate savings and reduced exposure to risk.
A solution that fits a wide range of organisations
One of solar’s key advantages is its versatility.
Large commercial rooftops, from warehouses and manufacturing facilities to offices and public sector buildings, offer significant untapped potential. These sites combine substantial roof space with strong daytime electricity demand, making them well suited to solar generation.
Car parks are also emerging as an opportunity, with solar canopies providing clean electricity, enabling EV charging and making better use of underutilised space.
Where roof space is limited, ground-mounted solar offers another route. As the TfL and Liverpool projects demonstrate, these systems can be developed onsite or nearby and, in some cases, connected directly to operations, supplying power without relying on the public grid.
Floating solar is emerging as yet another alternative. Floating solar panels are installed on water bodies such as reservoirs or quarry sites, making it suitable for water utilities and other niche applications, where useable roof or land space is lacking, but there’s access to water.
From generation to strategy
For many organisations, following the first installation, solar becomes a scalable solution, rolled out across multiple sites as part of a wider energy strategy.
As adoption grows, the focus is shifting from simply generating renewable electricity to using it more intelligently. Integrating solar with battery storage and EV charging can help maximise onsite generation, reduce peak demand and support the transition to electric transport.
Taken together, these developments point to a broader shift. Solar is no longer a standalone technology; it is becoming a central building block in how businesses manage energy, control costs and plan for a lower-carbon future.
Get in touch with SSE Energy Solutions today to see if solar PV is right for your business, and let’s explore the best way forward together. Visit www.sseenergysolutions.co.uk/solar or email enquiries.solar@sse.com.
