You don’t need to be an engineer to get a strong initial sense of whether your business premises will be suitable for solar panels. Before calling in specialists, there are practical checks you can do yourself to decide if it’s worth progressing. These early-stage indicators can save time and give you confidence to take the next step.
Here are a few practical steps you can take to check the suitability for solar:
Look at your roof type and condition
Start with a visual inspection. Is the roof flat or pitched? Both can work but flat roofs are often simpler for solar installations using ballast systems, while pitched roofs need fixing points.
Next, consider the roof’s general condition. Are there leaks, visible cracks, or sagging? If it looks like it might need replacing within a few years, that’s a red flag. Solar panels last 25 years or more, so it only makes sense to install them on a roof that won’t need major repairs in the near future.
Get a sense of how much roof space is available
Take a tape measure or use Google Maps satellite view to estimate the surface area. Solar panels are roughly 2m² each, and you’ll need around 50–60m² for a typical 10kWp system — enough to make a meaningful dent in energy costs for a small to medium commercial site.
Look for clear, uninterrupted areas. Roof furniture like vents, skylights, air handling units or chimneys can block installation. If half the space is unusable, the business case may weaken.
Consider the land around your premises
Don’t assume panels must always go on your roof. Land-based solar can be just as effective for solar panels, sometimes more so. If you have unused ground, car parks, or adjacent land, you might be sitting on an overlooked energy asset.
Rough ground, grass verges, or even brownfield sites can be viable with the right mounting systems. Also look at car parks. Solar carports offer double benefits: energy generation and weather protection for vehicles. They’re particularly attractive for staff-heavy sites, retail parks or sports venues with high footfall.
The key is access, visibility, and shading. Trees, fencing, or nearby structures can limit output. And remember, ground-mounted systems typically require planning permission, so factor that into timelines.
Observe roof orientation and sunlight exposure
Stand outside and check where the sun hits the building or ground area during the day. A roof or land that faces south, southeast or southwest and gets good midday sun is ideal. East and west-facing roofs can also work, especially if your energy use is higher in the morning or late afternoon.
Even simple observations like “is the roof in shadow for most of the day” or “are there trees or buildings casting shade” can give you a reasonable guide as to whether your business premises will be suitable for solar panels.
Look at your current electricity usage
Pull up your energy bills or half-hourly data if you have it. Are you using a lot of electricity during daylight hours? Solar makes most sense if your usage matches generation.
If your operations are mostly overnight or heavily seasonal, then solar might still work, but you’ll likely need battery storage or additional technologies to make it viable. For now, focus on whether your business uses enough energy during the day to justify onsite generation.
Consider maintenance access
Is your roof easy and safe to reach? Do you already have roof access points, ladders, or walkways? If not, you may need additional safety infrastructure to enable future cleaning and servicing of the panels.
Even though this isn’t a technical assessment, it’s useful to think about practicalities. If the roof is difficult or hazardous to access, that adds long-term complexity and might affect your decision.
Do you have planning constraints?
Check if your building is in a conservation area, part of a listed property, or subject to planning restrictions. Most commercial installations fall under permitted development, but don’t take this for granted.
Your local council’s planning portal will usually tell you if your building has any constraints. If it’s listed or highly visible from the street in a heritage area, you may need consent. This doesn’t mean “no”, but it does mean more hoops to jump through.
Align with your business goals
Is reducing energy costs a priority? Do you have ESG targets or net zero commitments to meet? Even if the immediate savings are modest, installing solar could contribute to broader objectives, and that context matters when deciding whether to move forward.
If your board or leadership team is already discussing sustainability, then a well-aligned solar project can strengthen that narrative — especially if your site is highly visible or consumer-facing.
Next, get it verified
If your roof or potential ground areas gets decent sun, has usable space, and your business uses energy during the day, you’re probably an excellent candidate for solar. At that point, it’s worth bringing in a specialist to conduct a structural survey, model the energy output and handle the grid application.
But you don’t need to wait for experts to take that first look. A few informed observations could be all it takes to know you’re on the right track – but to get a better idea of how suitable you business might be for solar panels, request a FREE report via our Solar Calculator page.
