Solar Carport Cost UK 2026: The Full Breakdown

Headline range: £950-£1,300/kWp

Modern UK commercial solar carports cost between £950 and £1,300 per kWp installed, all-inclusive of design, planning, structural steel, foundations, panels, inverters, AC commissioning and MCS certification. The range reflects: panel and inverter brand selection (Tier-1 premium adds £40-£80/kWp); steel-frame complexity (heritage finishes, multi-bay clearance, structural complexity); ground conditions (rock vs clay); and DNO connection complexity.

What's in a 300 kWp project's £290k capex

Panels (~518 × 580W bifacial): £60k-£70k (21% of total). Inverters (3 × 100 kW string): £18k-£24k (7%). Carport structure (steel + foundations): £105k-£125k (40%). Electrical (DC, AC, switchgear): £30k-£40k (12%). Design, planning, project management: £25k-£35k (10%). Site prep, mobilisation, commissioning: £20k-£30k (8%). Contingency: £8k-£12k (3%).

AIA changes the maths

Annual Investment Allowance lets UK businesses write 100% of solar plant against year-one corporation tax. On £290k capex at 25% corporation tax, AIA saves £72,500 in year-one tax. Effective post-tax capex: £217,500. Simple payback drops from 2.5 to 1.9 years. AIA is permanent at £1m per company group.

VAT considerations

Commercial solar carports attract standard 20% VAT, recoverable for VAT-registered buyers. Domestic carports (rare in commercial scope) are zero-rated under VAT Notice 708/6 until 31 March 2027.

Where to spend more (and where not to)

Spend more on: Tier-1 bifacial panels (+£40-£60/kWp, 18-24 month payback); SolarEdge optimisers on partially-shaded sites (+£50-£70/kWp, prevents 8-15% string loss); 25-year inverter warranty extensions (+£10-£15/kWp). Don't overspend on: aesthetic finishes beyond planning requirements; oversized inverters (DC:AC ratio of 0.85-0.95 is optimal); battery storage unless you have TOU tariffs with peak/off-peak differential >10p/kWh.

EV charger budget on top

Add £1,200-£3,200 per 7-22 kW socket; £4,500-£12,000 per 50 kW DC rapid. OZEV WCS grant covers £350/socket × 40 sockets = £14k recovery. EV chargers typically pay back in 2-4 years for workplace use.