Niche sector

Solar PPA for garden centres

Daytime trading + heated polytunnels = good PV/load coincidence.

Typical system size	100–300kWp
Year-1 tariff	13–16 p/kWh
Best-fit structure	On-site PPA (sleeved for multi-site groups)

Trading hours that mirror the solar curve

Few businesses match a rooftop's output as neatly as a garden centre. You trade in daylight and close at dusk, so demand and generation rise and fall together with almost no wasted export. On top of retail lighting and tills, heated glasshouses and polytunnels, propagation lighting, aquatics pumps and the on-site café all draw through the day — and spring, your busiest season, is also when solar output climbs steeply, so peak trade coincides with peak generation.

Sizing and tariff for a retail-scale site

Garden-centre arrays usually sit between 100 and 300kWp, with power purchase tariffs in the 13–16 p/kWh band — reflecting the smaller, retail scale, yet still undercutting grid rates and fixed for the contract term. Large canopy and outbuilding roofs often carry the system, and where glasshouse glazing rules out roof mounting, a car-park or nursery-yard ground array can make up the shortfall. Estimate your likely generation with our solar sizing tool and read the way these agreements work so you know what a developer funds and what you pay for.

A story your customers already like

Horticulture customers tend to care about sustainability, so visible panels and lower-carbon heating reinforce exactly the values that bring people through your gates. When you are ready to price it, the solar PPA providers we work with can survey your roof and glasshouse loads and put a firm tariff in front of you.

FAQs

Sector FAQs

What's the typical PPA tariff for a garden centre in 2026?

For garden centres, indicative 2026 tariffs are 13–16 p/kWh. Specifics depend on system size, off-taker covenant and DNO context.

What system size suits a typical garden centre?

Typical 2026 systems for garden centres range 100–300kWp. Larger sites suit the upper end of that range.

Why is this sector a good PPA fit?

Daytime trading + heated polytunnels = good PV/load coincidence.