Solar Carport Grants & Funding
Every active UK grant, tax relief and finance route that supports commercial solar carport projects in 2026 — with eligibility, deadlines, and which sectors qualify.
Solar Carport Funding Routes in 2026 — What Is Open, and What Has Closed
1. Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) — closed to new applications
Status: CLOSED. Phase 4 was the final phase; its application window ran from mid-October to November 2024 and the gov.uk scheme collection (updated 13 March 2025) lists Phases 1–4 only, with no further phase announced. Who it was for: NHS Trusts, state schools, FE/HE institutions, local authorities, fire and rescue, police and MoD estates. What it actually funded: PSDS was heat-led — grant went to replacing fossil-fuel heating, and solar was fundable only where it sat inside the same bid. A standalone carport array was never a 100%-grant proposition.
If a successor scheme is announced it will be listed on the government’s find-a-grant service. Until then, a public-sector carport business case has to stand on the energy saving, the export value and whichever nation-specific programme applies — not on PSDS.
2. Salix-administered programmes — nation-specific
Salix Finance administers public-sector energy programmes on behalf of government, and what exists differs by nation rather than as one UK-wide fund. There is no open England public-sector loan for a project of this type; Scottish and Welsh public bodies should check their own government’s current programme. Confirm the live position with Salix or your national energy service before a scheme is written into a capital paper.
3. Annual Investment Allowance (AIA)
Eligible: All UK corporation-tax-paying businesses. Funding: 100% first-year capital allowance on solar PV plant and machinery up to £1m per company group (permanent from April 2023). Effect on £400,000 carport: Reduces corporation tax bill by £100,000 in year one (at 25% main rate).
4. OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS)
Eligible: Any UK business with a registered workplace and dedicated off-street parking. Funding: £500 per EV charge socket (raised from £350 on 1 April 2026), up to 40 sockets per applicant — maximum grant per applicant £20,000. Solar carport relevance: Most modern solar carports include EV chargers; WCS grant stacks with carport capex.
5. Welsh Government Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme
Eligible: Welsh-based public bodies and SMEs. Funding: 0% interest loan, 5-8 year repayment, up to £1m per applicant. Solar carport eligibility: Yes — confirmed by Welsh Government Energy Service.
6. Scottish Government Public Sector Energy Efficiency Loan
Eligible: Scottish public sector (councils, NHS Scotland, Scottish universities). Funding: 0% interest loan, up to £400k per project, 8-year repayment. Solar carport eligibility: Yes, confirmed in 2024 scheme guidance.
Comparison Table: Choose The Right Route
| Scheme | Type | Sector | Funding % | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSDS Phase 4 | Grant — CLOSED Nov 2024 | Public sector | n/a | No open window |
| Salix programmes | Varies by nation | Public sector | Check current | Nation-specific |
| AIA | Tax relief | All UK businesses | 25% (effective) | £1m capex |
| OZEV WCS | Grant | All UK workplaces | £500/socket | £20,000 |
| Welsh EE Loan | 0% loan | Wales | 100% | £1m |
| Scottish PS Loan | 0% loan | Scotland | 100% | £400k |
Stack Multiple Schemes
Most projects combine two or three routes. Public-sector position in 2026: with PSDS closed, a council carport is funded from capital, prudential borrowing or a PPA, with the OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme recovering £500 per socket to the 40-socket cap — £20,000 at the cap — against the charging hardware, not the canopy. The saving and the export value carry the business case.
Private-sector example: A £400k logistics carport stacked AIA (£100k corporation tax saving) with OZEV WCS (£14k for 40 sockets). Effective post-tax capex: £286k. With a 7-year asset finance facility at 8% APR, monthly cost is £4,460 vs the £35,000/month electricity saving — net positive cashflow from month one.
What We Handle
For every project we deliver, we handle the full grant lifecycle: eligibility screening, application drafting, technical assessments (SBEM, ECO standard, carbon abatement modelling), submission, response to clarifications, post-award monitoring, and final-claim documentation. Service is included in standard project pricing.
Eligibility & Stacking Review
Send us your sector and approximate budget — we'll come back with the exact grant stack you qualify for.