Solar PPA for warehouses & logistics in Cardiff

One Planet Cardiff and the case for warehouse solar

Cardiff's One Planet Cardiff strategy and its 2030 net-zero commitment put commercial decarbonisation squarely on the agenda, and the city's warehousing stock is where the biggest wins sit. Out at Wentloog Industrial Park and along the Cardiff Bay and Atlantic Wharf corridor, distribution units carry the broad, uninterrupted roofs that a power purchase agreement depends on. The appeal for a Cardiff operator is simple: no capital outlay, no maintenance burden, and electricity bought back from your own roof at a fixed 9–13 p/kWh instead of a shifting grid tariff.

Matching the array to how the shed runs

Because logistics demand only moderately tracks the solar curve, the design has to follow the operation. A refrigerated unit at Wentloog or a site charging an electric delivery fleet consumes heavily at midday and makes excellent use of on-site generation; a lightly-staffed storage shed exports more and saves less. Sensible sizing in the 500kWp–5MWp range keeps self-consumption high and returns strong.

Welsh support and the local network

The distribution network operator across South Wales is National Grid Electricity Distribution, and its capacity around the Cardiff Bay estates will shape both connection timing and export limits. Welsh businesses also have their own routes — the Welsh Government Energy Service and Business Wales loans through the Development Bank of Wales — which can complement or, for owners, replace a PPA. Neighbouring Newport, Barry and Caerphilly draw on the same network and schemes. A good starting point is the breakdown of PPA rates and terms, followed by how the model fits distribution and warehousing and the broader Cardiff commercial market.