Solar Energy For
Automotive Retail

Solar PV solutions for automotive businesses

Solar Solutions In The Automotive Sector

Drive Sustainable Growth

Automotive retailers are navigating significant change.

The growth of electric vehicles, rising energy costs, evolving manufacturer requirements, and increasing sustainability expectations are all placing new demands on dealership groups and automotive businesses.

At the same time, dealerships must continue to invest in facilities, customer experience, staff, and future growth while managing operational costs across their estates. Renewable energy offers an opportunity to address these challenges while creating long-term commercial value.

Shawton Energy works with automotive retailers across the UK to reduce energy costs, improve sustainability performance, and strengthen long- term energy resilience through renewable energy solutions.

Talk To Us

Why Choose Solar

Large Rooftop Potential

Showrooms, workshops, service centres and vehicle preparation buildings typically offer significant uninterrupted roof space.

High Daytime Energy Demand

Dealerships consume substantial electricity across lighting, workshop equipment, air conditioning, heating and IT systems.

Growing EV Charging Needs

On-site solar provides a lower-cost source of electricity to power customer and staff charging infrastructure.

Long Operational Lifespan

Dealerships are long-term investments with stable ownership and operational continuity making them ideal for solar.

Benefits Of Solar Energy

Reducing Costs Without Significant Capital Investment

Many automotive groups prefer to invest capital into facilities, technology, stock, and business growth rather than energy infrastructure.

A Power Purchase Agreement, or PPA, is a long-term contract between an electricity generator and an energy user.

Under a PPA, an organisation agrees to purchase electricity from a specific renewable asset at an agreed price and for a defined term. The structure of that agreement determines how the electricity is delivered and how the financial settlement works.

PPAs typically run for 10 to 25 years and provide a degree of price certainty that traditional supply contracts cannot.

In addition to price stability, PPAs help renewable projects secure financing by providing predictable long term revenue. For buyers, they can also support sustainability goals by linking electricity use to renewable generation.

No upfront costs

The solar PV system is installed and funded by Shawton Energy, so you do not need to make a large initial capital investment.

Stable energy costs

A power purchase agreement gives you greater certainty over electricity pricing across the contract period.

Lower electricity bills

Electricity generated on site from solar PV is often cheaper than grid electricity in the UK, leading to immediate savings on your energy bills.

No maintenance responsibility

Shawton Energy typically handles installation, monitoring, and maintenance, so you benefit from solar power without the operational burden.

Our Process

01

Scope

We begin by thoroughly understanding your business needs, future energy goals, available roof or ground space, and site layout. This helps us design the most effective solar solutions tailored to your specific situation. If any repair work is required before installation, we offer a range of solutions to ensure your site is fully prepared for optimal solar performance.

02

Design

We develop and present an optimal solar panel design tailored for your business. Our goal is to deliver significant cost savings while ensuring the design aligns with your carbon reduction commitments. By understanding your unique energy needs and sustainability objectives, we create a solar solution that maximises efficiency and supports your long-term environmental goals.

03

Sign-Off

We facilitate the agreement and sign-off process for the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and lease agreements. This ensures that all terms are clearly defined and mutually agreed upon, providing a solid foundation for your solar project. These agreements outline the financial and operational aspects of your solar installation, ensuring transparency and alignment with your business objectives.

04

Install

Dealerships are busy operational environments, and keeping them that way throughout installation is something we take seriously.

Our accredited engineering teams work around showroom trading, workshop schedules and customer activity, ensuring the installation is completed promptly, safely and with minimal disruption to your day-to-day operations.

05

Maintain

Under a PPA, we provide real-time management of your solar energy generation and supply, ensuring optimal performance at all times. Our team is dedicated to maintaining your equipment through regular servicing and prompt repairs, reducing downtime and increasing efficiency. This proactive approach ensures that your solar system operates smoothly and reliably, supporting your business’s energy needs.

Trusted by leading brands:

Case Studies

BMW

409.38 kWp Rooftop Solar

Starting at BMW Soper of Lincoln, the installation spanned four franchise buildings including BMW, MINI, Halo and Northgate, creating a coordinated solution across the wider site. The success of Lincoln led directly to a further installation at BMW Sandal Wakefield, demonstrating the confidence that comes from consistent, repeatable delivery.

Hippo Motor Group

140.22 kWp

Shawton Energy has also partnered with Hippo Motor Group, helping the business reduce energy costs, lower carbon emissions and support its long- term sustainability objectives without compromising on customer experience or growth.

Fully Funded, Turn-Key Long Term Solutions

Every automotive business is different. Energy demand, estate size, EV charging requirements, operational priorities, and future plans all influence what a successful renewable energy project looks like.

If you are exploring ways to reduce energy costs, improve sustainability performance, or strengthen your long-term energy strategy, we would be happy to discuss the opportunities available.

Get in touch with the Shawton Energy team to arrange an initial discussion and feasibility assessment.

Contact us at;

hello@shawtonenergy.co.uk

+44 (0) 1925 794874

Download Full Brochure