UK regional solar funds compared 2026
Comprehensive comparison of 30+ UK regional solar funding programmes — combined authorities, Investment Zones, devolved-nation schemes, foundation grants, and innovation funding. Use as a reference; cross-check eligibility against current programme rules before applying.
Last updated 4 May 2026.
All UK regional and national solar funding programmes
Each programme listed has been verified to current programme rules at time of publication. Programmes evolve — current eligibility and terms vary with each application window. Use this table as a starting reference, not a definitive guide.
| Region | Authority | Programme | Ownership | Sector | Size | Terms | Solar eligible | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater London | GLA / MEEF | Mayor's Energy Efficiency Fund | Public + private | Public + non-profit | £500m+ revolving | Senior debt, 6–8% APR | Yes | Administered by Amber Infrastructure. Multiple London public-sector solar deployments funded. |
| Greater Manchester | GMCA | GMCA Net Zero Capital Programme | Public | Council estate | Varies | Capital investment | Yes | Cross-borough programme covering 10 GMCA authorities. Solar PV on council estate. |
| West Midlands | WMCA | WMCA Energy Capital | Public + private | Various | Varies | Capital + grant | Yes | Energy Capital programme supports commercial-scale energy projects. Investment Zone designation adds capital allowance enhancements. |
| West Yorkshire | WYCA | WYCA Net Zero Capital Programme | Public | Council + community | Varies | Capital investment | Yes | Covers Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Calderdale, Kirklees. Investment Zone designation across West Yorkshire. |
| South Yorkshire | SYMCA | SYMCA Net Zero Capital Programme | Public | Council + community | Varies | Capital investment | Yes | Covers Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster. |
| North East | NECA | NECA Net Zero strategy | Public | Council estate | Varies | Capital investment | Yes | Includes North East Investment Zone covering Newcastle, Sunderland, Northumberland, Durham, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside. |
| Liverpool City Region | LCRCA | Strategic Investment Fund | Public | Strategic regional | £190m | Strategic investment | As part of broader package | Solar PV qualifies where part of broader site decarbonisation. Mersey Tidal Power adjacent. |
| Bristol / West of England | WECA / Bristol City Council | Bristol City Leap | Public + private (Ameresco) | Public + commercial | £424m | Capital investment | Yes | 20-year energy services partnership delivering decarbonisation infrastructure across Bristol. |
| Cambridge & Peterborough | CPCA | CPCA decarbonisation | Public + community | Various | Varies | Capital + grant | Yes | East England Investment Zone designation across Cambridgeshire-Peterborough. |
| East Midlands | EMCCA | East Midlands CCA Investment Zone | Public + private | Strategic | Varies | Capital allowance enhancements | As part of broader package | Covers Derbyshire-Nottinghamshire. Investment Zone for green-economy investments. |
| Solent / Hampshire | Solent Cluster | Solent Cluster Industrial Decarbonisation | Public + private | Industrial | Varies | Capital investment | As part of broader package | Industrial cluster decarbonisation across Southampton, Portsmouth, Solent industrial estates. |
| Humber | Humber Cluster | Humber Cluster Decarbonisation | Public + private | Industrial | Varies | Capital investment | As part of broader package | Includes Hull, Grimsby, Immingham. Track-2 carbon capture with adjacent energy generation. |
| South West | Western Gateway | Western Gateway partnership | Public | Various | Varies | Cross-border partnership | Yes | Cross-border M4 corridor partnership Bristol-Cardiff-Swindon. |
| Black Country | Black Country | Black Country Industrial Decarbonisation | Public + private | Industrial | Varies | Capital + grant | As part of broader package | Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley, Sandwell industrial cluster. |
| Coast to Capital | Coast to Capital LEP successor | Coast to Capital green-economy | Public | SME | Varies | Grant + match-funding | Yes | Surrey, Sussex, Croydon coverage. |
| Greater Brighton | Greater Brighton Economic Board | GBEB green-economy | Public | SME | Varies | Grant + match-funding | Yes | Brighton & Hove, Adur, Crawley, Lewes, Mid Sussex, Worthing. |
| Constellation Partnership | Constellation Partnership | Cross-border Cheshire-Stoke | Public + private | Various | Varies | Capital + grant | Yes | Cheshire West, Cheshire East, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. |
| Mersey Dee Alliance | Mersey Dee Alliance | Cross-border Cheshire-Wales | Public | Cross-border SME | Varies | Cross-border partnership | Yes | Cheshire West, Wirral, Wrexham, Flintshire. |
| Coalfields | Coalfields Regeneration Trust | Coalfield community projects | Charity | Community + SME | Varies | Grant | Yes (community) | Funding for community and SME activities in former-coalfield areas (Yorkshire, Lancashire, Northumberland, etc.). |
| England-wide | Salix / DESNZ | Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) | Public | Public sector | Multi-billion | Grant (30–80% qualifying cost) | Yes (in bundles) | Closed to new applications Nov 2024; no funding beyond awarded projects (June 2025). |
| England-wide | Salix | Salix Public Sector Loans | Public | Public sector | Varies | Zero-interest loan | Yes | England: no open Salix solar loan confirmed; Scotland and Wales run their own schemes. |
| England-wide | Innovate UK / UKRI | Innovate UK competitions | Public + private | Innovation | Varies (project-by-project) | Grant (50–70%) | Where novel R&D component | Solar+storage demonstration, novel inverter architectures, agrivoltaic pilots, second-life battery integration. |
| Scotland | Salix | Scotland Recycling Fund | Public | Public sector | Varies | Interest-free matched loan | Confirm with Salix | Open for 2026/27; solar PV eligibility is not listed on the Salix page (checked 3 Nov 2026). |
| Scotland | Business Energy Scotland | SME Loan | Private | SME | Up to £130k incl. cashback | Interest-free loan, 8 years | No | Open and rolling, but not accepting new applications for solar PV (checked 3 Nov 2026). |
| Wales | Welsh Government | Welsh Government Energy Service | Public | Public sector and community | Varies | Advice | No (advice only) | For public bodies and community enterprises only, to March 2027 (checked 3 Nov 2026). |
| Wales | Development Bank of Wales | Green Business Loan Scheme | Private | Business | £1k-£1.5m | Discounted fixed-rate loan, up to 15 years | Yes (solar PV named) | Open. Wales-based firms trading 2+ years (checked 3 Nov 2026). |
| Northern Ireland | Power NI / Utility Regulator | NISEP Commercial Energy Saving Scheme | Private | Business | 20% grant | Grant | Yes | Solar PV capped at £30,000. Closed to new applications for 2026/27; next round expected April 2027, subject to funding (Power NI, checked 3 Nov 2026). |
| England-wide | Big Lottery | Climate Action Fund | Charity | Charity + faith | Multi-million | Grant (£50k–£250k) | Yes | Community decarbonisation including faith-based organisations. |
| England-wide | Patagonia | Environmental Grant Programme | Charity | Environmental | Limited | Grant (£10k–£40k) | Yes | Competitive environmental projects. |
| England-wide | Garfield Weston | Garfield Weston Foundation | Charity | Charity + faith | Multi-million | Grant | Yes (charity) | Wider charitable infrastructure that can include solar. |
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Reference data may be reproduced with attribution to Commercial Solar Finance. Programme rules update — verify current rules before applying.
How to use this list
Three practical filters to narrow the relevant programmes for any given project:
By organisation type
Public-sector organisations have devolved-nation schemes and most regional combined-authority programmes; PSDS closed to new applications in November 2024. Private-sector organisations primarily access Investment Zones (where designated), Innovate UK / UKRI competitions for novel projects, and the standard tax-allowance routes (50% FYA, AIA) which apply UK-wide regardless of region.
By geography
Cross-reference your operating address against the regional programmes. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have their own dedicated schemes that don't overlap with English regional programmes. Within England, Investment Zone designations and Combined Authority footprints determine specific programme eligibility.
By project structure
Solar-only applications struggle in cluster decarbonisation programmes. Most regional cluster funds (Solent, Humber, Black Country, Mersey-Dee) prioritise heat decarbonisation and process electrification, with solar accepted as a supporting measure. Solar-led applications work better in dedicated solar funds.
Cross-checking before application
Programme rules update annually or more frequently. Before any formal application, verify:
- Current application windows (most regional funds run 2-3 windows per year)
- Current programme rules (eligibility, qualifying spend categories, geographic boundaries)
- Current grant intensity (varies by programme phase and budget allocation)
- Match-funding requirements (some programmes require 30–50% private match)
- Evaluation criteria (cost-per-tonne thresholds in particular)
When the standard tax-allowance route is the answer
For most private-sector commercial solar projects in the UK, the regional funds listed above are not directly accessible — and the standard tax-allowance route (50% FYA + special-rate pool, or AIA) delivers materially more value than what most regional funds would offer to private-sector applicants. Don't over-invest in regional fund hunting if your project sits squarely in the tax-allowance-route category.
Frequently asked questions
What regional solar funding programmes are available in the UK in 2026?
Can regional solar grants be combined with national tax allowances like the 50% FYA?
Which UK region offers the strongest solar funding package in 2026?
How do I find out if a regional solar fund is open for applications?
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