Three routes to commercial solar that don't tie up your working capital. Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) where a third party owns the system on your roof; lease-purchase that spreads cost over 5–10 years and can be modelled cashflow-neutral; outright purchase financed via capital-allowances-stacked debt. We model all three in every commercial quote so you pick the route that fits your balance sheet, not the one that suits our margin.
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The headline cost of commercial solar rarely reflects what your business actually outlays. Three financing routes — cash purchase + AIA, lease-purchase + AIA, Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) — all deliver the same energy savings but require very different capital structures. The right route depends on your tax position, cash needs, balance-sheet flexibility and risk appetite.
Cash + AIA delivers the strongest lifetime economics (~30%+ ROI typical) but requires the upfront capital. Lease-purchase spreads the cost over 5-10 years at indicative 7-10% APR while you still claim AIA on the full headline cost in year 1 — net effect is typically cashflow-neutral or positive from month 1, with full ownership at end of term. PPAs require zero upfront cost but deliver lower lifetime returns because a third-party investor needs to earn a return on the capital they deploy — best fit for businesses that can't claim AIA (charities, non-trading entities) or have strict capital constraints.
At Future Power Team we model all three routes in every commercial quote so the financing decision is yours, not ours. Lease-purchase is arranged via Phoenix Financial Consultants (our FCA-regulated Introducer Appointed Representative, FRN 539195). PPAs are arranged via specialist infrastructure-fund partners on 500 kWp+ projects. Request a free site survey + funding-modelled quote and we'll show all three routes side-by-side.
Same 100 kWp install, three different funding structures, three very different impacts on your cashflow and balance sheet. We show all three in every commercial quote so the decision is yours.
£69,995 system financed over 84 months at indicative 8.5% APR. Monthly cost ~£950 vs energy savings ~£2,500/mo — net positive from month 1. You own the asset outright at end of term.
EnquireThird party installs + owns the system. You buy generated electricity at ~9p/kWh vs grid ~22p/kWh. No upfront cost, no maintenance liability. Asset transfer or rolling renewal at end of term.
EnquireOutright purchase of a 100 kWp system at £69,995 less ~£14,000 AIA tax relief. Highest lifetime ROI of any route (~30%+) but requires upfront capital. Best for profitable ltd-cos with strong cash position.
EnquireIndicative figures: lease-purchase rate based on 7-year term at 8.5% APR (representative; actual rate quoted after soft credit search). PPA rate based on 15-year contract with 1.5% RPI escalator. Cash + AIA figure assumes ltd-co at 25% corporation-tax band. All ex-VAT; commercial solar is typically zero-rated for VAT.
The right funding route depends on your tax position, cash needs and balance-sheet flexibility. The four mechanics below cover almost every commercial scenario we model in 2026.
A Power Purchase Agreement means a specialist investor (typically an infrastructure fund or solar developer) installs and owns the solar system on your roof for 10-25 years. You buy the electricity it generates at a contractually fixed below-grid rate — typically 7-12p/kWh in 2026. No upfront cost. No maintenance liability. Most popular on 500 kWp+ systems where the absolute capital is large and PPA providers can underwrite the volume.
Hire-purchase finance spreads the system cost over 5-10 years at indicative 7-10% APR. You own the asset from day 1 (so you claim AIA capital allowances in year 1, against the full headline cost), and the loan is repaid via monthly installments. Models cashflow-neutral on most commercial systems — annual energy savings cover the annual lease cost from month 1. We arrange via Phoenix Financial Consultants (FCA No. 539195).
Outright purchase delivers the strongest lifetime return — no financing margin, no PPA-provider markup, full benefit of AIA capital allowances captured in year 1. Total cost-of-ownership over 25 years typically 25-40% lower than financed alternatives. Best fit for profitable businesses with cash on the balance sheet that would otherwise sit at money-market rates.
For 250 kWp+ systems where the absolute capital is significant, a common structure is cash-buy the panels + inverter (claim AIA, fastest depreciation) + lease-finance the scaffolding, structural reinforcement and DNO works (smooths cashflow). We model the optimal mix per project — the right answer depends on your tax position, cash needs and risk appetite.
Different business structures end up at different funding routes. Mapped here are the six patterns we encounter most often — from straightforward cash-plus-AIA for profitable ltd-cos to grant-stacked PPAs for public-sector estates.
Specialist investor owns the asset for 10-25 years. You buy the generated electricity at a below-grid contracted rate. No capital outlay, no maintenance liability. Asset typically transfers to you at the end of the term, sometimes for a nominal sum. Best fit: 500 kWp+ systems, large estates, public-sector buildings, charities.
Hire-purchase finance from a regulated lender. Monthly fixed payments over 5-10 years; you own the asset from day 1 and claim AIA capital allowances against the full headline cost. Most installs can be modelled cashflow-neutral. Phoenix Financial Consultants is our Introducer Appointed Representative.
See finance routes →Outright cash purchase with AIA tax relief delivers the strongest lifetime economics. Combined effect of AIA (~20% relief) + full ownership of energy savings + no financing margin makes this the lowest total-cost-of-ownership route. Worth modelling against money-market opportunity cost.
See AIA detail →Pure operating lease — the lessor owns the asset, claims the allowances, and you pay rental. Less common since IFRS 16 (2019) brought most operating leases on-balance-sheet. Occasionally used for sale-and-leaseback structures on large industrial PV assets. Specialist tax advice essential.
For projects where a grant covers part of the cost (UKSPF SME grants £5k-£50k; PSDS for public sector), the residual is typically lease-purchase financed. We layer the funding stack: grant + lease + AIA on the lease residual. Optimised separately per project.
See grants detail →For larger corporate groups with active treasury functions, the simplest route is often internal capital allocation against a group IRR hurdle. Solar IRR of 15-25% typically beats internal hurdles; AIA improves the year-1 cash position. We provide modelling input; group treasury runs the allocation decision.
Yorkshire businesses run the full gamut of finance structures we work with — large profitable ltd-cos (Leeds professional-services, Sheffield manufacturing) that benefit most from cash + AIA; mid-size SMEs that find lease-purchase cashflow-neutrality compelling; agricultural partnerships that lease via Phoenix against partnership profits; large public-sector estates (universities, NHS trusts, councils) where PPAs are typically the only route since they can't access AIA.
The 2026 financing landscape is meaningfully better than 2022-2024. Bank of England base rate has stabilised, commercial lending margins have tightened, and there's healthy competition between specialist PPA providers — typical PPA rates are 25-40% below grid prices in 2026, up from 15-25% below in 2023. Lease-purchase rates have followed base rate down by 1.5-2 percentage points from 2023 peaks.
The funding stack we recommend most often: UKSPF grant where eligible (typically 20-30% of cost) + cash or lease-purchase for the balance + AIA capital allowance on the net spend. Combined effect: 35-45% effective reduction off gross install cost. See our commercial hub for the broader brief and our factories page for the industrial-specific economics.
We work across a full range of leading brand partners — picking what fits your home, your tariff and your roof. Same install standard whichever you choose.
See all 19 brand pages
Honest answers about PPAs, lease-purchase, AIA tax relief, when each route makes sense, what happens at end-of-term, can grants and finance be combined, and how Phoenix-arranged finance interacts with FCA regulation.
Request a funding-modelled quoteTell us about your home and we'll be in touch within 24 hours with clear, tailored advice and an all-inclusive quote. No pressure, no pushy sales — just honest support from a friendly local team.
