Feasibility Studies

Most commercial solar projects fail for one of a handful of reasons. The roof can't take the load, or the grid connection is full. The yield doesn't justify the capex, or the planning position is weaker than assumed. A feasibility study surfaces those issues at the cheapest possible point. That's before design fees, before a tender, and long before an installer sets foot on site.

Because we don't sell or install systems, our study can conclude that a site isn't worth developing. That independence is the point. You get an honest read on viability and a specification precise enough for installers to quote against consistently. You also get a business case that stands up to board scrutiny.

In practice, the assessment follows the same sequence on every site. We start with a desktop review — aerial imagery, existing EPC data and any structural drawings. Next, we carry out an on-site structural survey. We check purlin and truss condition, roof membrane age, and the dead-load capacity available for panels, ballast or penetrative fixings.

A corroded steel frame or a tired membrane is the single most common reason a promising-looking roof isn't viable. So we check it before we cost anything else. Alongside that, we run a shading and orientation study using the site's actual pitch, aspect and nearby obstructions. That's not a generic per-kWp yield assumption. Two roofs of identical area, after all, can generate meaningfully different amounts of power.

The other gating factor is the grid connection. We handle that as part of the study, not as something left for later. Anything larger than a small domestic-scale array falls under Engineering Recommendation G99. G99 is the Energy Networks Association's standard for connecting generation to the local distribution network.

The process runs through three stages. First, an initial enquiry and feasibility check. Then a formal application on the DNO's standard application form. For larger commercial systems, a technical assessment follows before the DNO issues a connection offer.

DNOs work to a statutory response window for that technical assessment. The full path runs from first enquiry to a usable connection offer. That commonly takes a few months to the best part of a year. It depends on the DNO, local network headroom and system size.

As a result, we flag any capacity constraint or reinforcement cost at this stage. We do that before a tender goes out, not after.

Every installer we help you select also has to design, install and commission to MCS's MIS 3002 solar PV installation standard. MIS 3002 is the technical benchmark covering system design, structural fixing, electrical safety and handover. It underpins MCS accreditation and most funders' and insurers' requirements. Referencing that standard in the specification is exactly what lets you compare installer bids like-for-like later, in procurement.

A typical feasibility study takes two to four weeks for a single site — from instruction to a written go/no-go report. It can take longer when the site needs a full structural survey or an early grid enquiry.