Solar panel grants in Wales: Ynni Cymru has closed, so what funds a business project in 2026?
There is no open Welsh grant for private commercial solar. The Development Bank of Wales Green Business Loan is the main business route, and Salix lends to public bodies.
Headline answer
Ynni Cymru round 3 closed on 21 May 2026 and no further round is announced. Business Wales gives advice, not a solar grant. Open: the Development Bank of Wales Green Business Loan Scheme (solar PV is a named measure) and, for public bodies, the Salix Wales Funding Programme at a fixed 2.45%.
What is open, paused and closed in Wales (checked 3 November 2026)
This table lists each scheme with its status on the date checked, so a closed scheme is not mistaken for an open one.
| Scheme | Status | Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Development Bank of Wales Green Business Loan Scheme | Open | Discounted fixed-rate loans from £1,000 to £1.5m over up to 15 years, with capital repayment holidays. For limited companies, sole traders and partnerships based in Wales that have traded for two years or more. Solar PV and heat pumps are named measures; batteries are not named. Energy audit grant of up to 50% of cost (maximum £10,000), or a funded Business Wales Resource Efficiency Advisor review. |
| Salix Wales Funding Programme (public bodies) | Open; submit by 6 November 2026 to claim this financial year | A fixed 2.45% loan, not an interest-free one; only the Invest to Save route, for bodies without borrowing powers such as health boards, is interest-free. Up to 100% of costs. |
| Welsh Government Energy Service | Running until March 2027 | Advice and project development for the public sector and community enterprises only, not private businesses. Run by the Carbon Trust. |
| Ynni Cymru capital grant 2026/27 (round 3) | Closed on 21 May 2026 | No future round announced. Solar PV and battery storage alone were ineligible, and for SMEs and public bodies PV was eligible only for the share beyond a ten-year simple payback, capped at 40% of eligible PV cost. |
| Ymestyn grant | Window closed on 6 February 2026 | Commercial enterprises were excluded. |
| Business Wales | Advice only | No Business Wales solar grant was found. The Future Proofing Fund was a 2024-25 round and is closed. |
| Sustainable Farming Scheme | Started 1 January 2026 | The 2026 optional and collaborative capital lists contain no solar PV, renewables or battery items. The Development Bank of Wales Sustainable Agriculture Loan (3% fixed, £25,000 to £1m) launched on 1 July 2026; check whether applications are open. |
Sources: Development Bank of Wales and Senedd written answer WQ96151; Salix Wales Funding Programme page (10 September 2026); gov.wales Energy Service, Ynni Cymru and Ymestyn pages; gov.wales Sustainable Farming Scheme. Checked 3 November 2026.
Tax, rates and export in Wales
Capital allowances are UK-wide. Solar PV is special-rate plant (CAA 2001 s.104A), so a company claims the Annual Investment Allowance (£1m), then the 50% first-year allowance on special-rate spend above it, then a 6% writing-down allowance. Full expensing does not apply to solar. VAT is 20% for a business (reclaimable if VAT-registered); the 0% rate is for homes and charity buildings used solely for non-business purposes.
Plant used to generate, store, transform or transmit power from listed renewable sources, including photovoltaics, is excepted from non-domestic rates valuation from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2035 (SI 2023/1229). The Smart Export Guarantee applies in Wales as in the rest of Great Britain. PSDS covered England only and closed to new applications in November 2024.
If a grant doesn't fit (most Welsh businesses)
- Borrow from the Development Bank of Wales. The Green Business Loan Scheme lends £1,000 to £1.5m over up to 15 years and names solar PV. It is repaid, and the bank decides; as the owner you keep the capital allowances.
- A PPA if you want no upfront cost. The provider funds and owns the array and sells you the power, and because the SEG applies in Wales it can also be paid for export. See how a commercial solar PPA works.
- See how the routes compare in Wales. Our guide to commercial solar finance in Wales covers the rates exception to 2035, Part 43 planning and a modelled Cardiff example.
Information only: we do not arrange finance or pass your details to lenders or PPA providers. We reply by email.
FAQs
Is there a grant for commercial solar panels in Wales?
Is the Salix Wales Funding Programme interest-free?
Can a private business use the Welsh Government Energy Service?
Do capital allowances apply in Wales?
Can a Welsh farm get a grant for solar panels?
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Welsh public bodies have a Salix loan route that England does not — see how the Wales Funding Programme compares with PSDS.
Beyond grants: commercial solar finance in Wales compares the routes and the Welsh loan schemes.
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