Salix Recycling Fund for Solar Carports

The Salix Recycling Fund is a 0% interest loan facility administered by Salix Finance Ltd on behalf of UK government departments. It provides interest-free capital for public-sector energy efficiency and decarbonisation projects, with repayments funded entirely from the energy bill savings the project generates. Solar carports are explicitly eligible (Salix Compliant Technology List 2024, paragraph 4.7).

How the Salix Recycling Fund works

Six steps: (1) Public-sector body identifies a solar carport project and runs feasibility (we do this free); (2) you submit a Salix Recycling Fund application via the Salix portal (we manage end-to-end); (3) Salix assesses the carbon abatement and savings forecast; (4) Salix approves up to 100% of project capex as a 0% interest loan, typically 5-8 year repayment; (5) we build the carport; (6) the public-sector body repays Salix from the realised electricity savings.

Who is eligible

Salix Recycling Fund eligible: NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts; state schools and FE colleges; HE institutions (universities); local authorities and combined authorities; police forces; fire and rescue authorities; MoD non-operational estates; some central government departments. Not eligible: private businesses (any sector); academies funded outside LA (use Condition Improvement Fund instead); parish councils (too small); charities (use PPA route).

Recycling Fund vs PSDS — what's the difference

Both are administered by Salix Finance. PSDS Phase 4 is grant funding (100% capex, no repayment). Recycling Fund is loan funding (100% capex, repay at 0% interest over 5-8 years). PSDS is preferred where available; Recycling Fund is the fallback when PSDS windows are closed or the project doesn't meet PSDS scoring thresholds. Many public-sector solar carport projects stack PSDS + Recycling Fund (PSDS funds the main capex; Recycling Fund tops up battery storage or EV chargers).

Salix economics — worked example

Russell Group university 412 kWp carport, £950k capex. Funding: 100% Salix Recycling Fund loan, 0% interest, 7-year repayment. Monthly repayment: £11,309 (just the principal). Annual saving: £178,000. Year 1 net cashflow: +£42k positive (£178k saving minus £136k repayment). Years 2-7: same. Year 8+: full £178k clean savings, no repayments, ~17 years of free generation remaining. Total 25-year benefit: ~£3.1m.

Salix application requirements

Salix applications require: (1) SBEM modelling of baseline energy and post-installation savings; (2) carbon abatement calculation in line with HM Treasury Green Book; (3) technology compliance with the Salix Compliant Technology List; (4) project cost breakdown; (5) delivery timeline; (6) post-installation monitoring plan. We provide a complete pack — typical application takes 4-6 weeks from kick-off to submission.

How we deliver Salix-funded carports

We are a Salix Trusted Partner — meaning Salix recognises us as a delivery partner whose technical specifications and monitoring meet Salix standards out of the box. Process: (1) we run free feasibility; (2) we manage the Salix application end-to-end (typical 6-12 weeks from application to approval); (3) we deliver the carport; (4) we run the post-installation monitoring and reporting Salix requires through Year 1; (5) public-sector body repays Salix from realised savings.