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Separate energy prices from consumption, then review bills, meter data, opening hours and the main loads. Check controls and avoidable use before comparing equipment, solar or storage. Use one baseline so savings from different measures are not counted twice.

Bring a full year of electricity and heating-fuel bills, interval electricity data if available, operating hours, site or roof information and details of ownership or the lease. Include known equipment changes and expansion plans. Identify gaps rather than filling them with guesses.

Some reviews and control changes can fit around normal operations; other works need planned access or shutdowns. Ask the proposal to identify disruption, responsibilities and a suitable programme. Food safety, stock conditions and safe operation remain requirements throughout.

Solar PV generates electricity. It does not directly replace gas or biomass used for heating. Assess the electricity and heat requirements separately; any change to heating equipment needs its own technical and commercial assessment.

Collect the same basic information for each site, then prioritise a clear energy opportunity, usable data and manageable property or connection constraints. Assess each centre separately rather than applying one saving percentage to the estate.

A forecast uses assumptions to compare a proposed change with a baseline. Measured results use operating records after the work, with appropriate adjustments for changes such as weather, trading hours or equipment. Agree the measurement approach before starting.

Consider both alongside connection and export constraints. Model generation against demand at the times it occurs. The largest array that fits is not automatically the best commercial choice, and an annual bill alone cannot show how much output you will use onsite.

Solar can generate in winter, but produces less than in summer. Compare a site-specific generation profile with the centre’s seasonal electricity use and opening hours. Do not assume summer output covers winter demand or a separate heating-fuel requirement.

Resolve roof condition, structural suitability, safe access and asbestos information before specifying work. Roofs need competent assessment; do not access them to check solar suitability yourself. Necessary repairs or specialist works should be visible in the project scope and cost.

It depends on the site, proposal and UK nation. In England, permitted-development rights for some non-domestic installations have conditions and limitations. Prior approval can still be required. Confirm the applicable route and any consents before committing. Planning and electrical network requirements are separate checks.

Establish the applicable connection process early with the local distribution network operator. The requirements depend on the proposed generation or storage installation. Connection capacity, export arrangements and any required works can affect design, timing and cost.

A lease does not automatically rule it out, but the landlord’s consent, installation rights, roof access and agreement term need to work together. Check what happens on lease expiry, a sale, a move or roof repairs before agreeing a system or funding contract.

Those options can be explored, but each needs its own feasibility review. Consider planning, foundations or structures, electrical routing, drainage, customer and delivery access, and the space needed for future trading plans. Available area alone does not establish suitability.

A power purchase agreement is a contract for electricity. In a typical funded onsite solar arrangement, a provider owns the equipment and the business pays for electricity under agreed terms. Check the actual ownership, billing and property agreements rather than assuming every PPA works alike.

No. A proposal may remove or reduce the customer’s upfront equipment cost while still requiring electricity payments and other obligations. Check charges, price changes, contract length and any purchase commitments. Availability and terms depend on the site and agreement.

Compare the price and how it changes, billing basis, purchase obligations, maintenance, insurance, performance terms, export rights and roof access. Also check transfer, early termination and expiry. Have legal and financial advisers review the site-specific agreement.

The purchase, finance, lease and energy agreements determine the answer. Check consent, transfer and termination requirements, removal or reinstatement costs and any buyout option. Do not assume equipment or a contract can be moved without cost or approval.

A credible answer needs site data, a design and the actual commercial terms. Compare whole-term cash flows and test changing demand and prices. Purchase payback and a PPA’s customer cash savings are different measures; a headline percentage cannot substitute for either assessment.

Normally, the grid continues to supply electricity when onsite generation does not meet demand. Compare the solar or PPA arrangement alongside the remaining supply contract, metering and charges. A solar installation alone does not make a centre independent of the grid.

Not automatically. Compare solar alone with solar and storage using time-based demand and generation data. A battery needs a defined purpose and a case that includes its costs, losses and operating limits. High daytime use can leave less solar energy available to store.

Potentially, where the electricity tariff and demand pattern support shifting purchases between periods or another defined operating purpose. Model charging costs, losses, equipment and control costs, and any contract restrictions before assuming it will reduce the bill.

Only if suitable backup capability is explicitly designed and installed. Specify essential loads, required duration and acceptable interruption, then verify the proposed equipment and configuration. Ordinary solar-plus-battery installation does not by itself establish backup for the centre.

Kilowatts (kW) describe charge or discharge power; kilowatt-hours (kWh) describe stored energy. Both matter, alongside usable capacity, losses and operating limits. A kWh figure alone cannot tell you which equipment the battery will supply or for how long.

Treat any proposed trading income as a separate, assumption-based scenario. Examine market exposure, fees, dispatch control and the effect on battery availability and warranty. Do not count the same capacity for incompatible uses or treat generic revenue figures as a guaranteed site return.