As the year draws to a close, it is a good moment to reflect on the breadth of solar projects delivered by Spirit Energy over the last twelve months. From large scale commercial rooftops to highly engineered residential systems, this year captures the full range of what modern solar looks like in practice.
Below is a short overview of five of our most notable projects. Each one highlights a different challenge, design approach and outcome. If a project mirrors your own situation, we recommend reading the full case study linked in each section.
Cobham Services is one of the busiest motorway service stations in the UK, operating 24 hours a day with continuous demand from retail, catering, refrigeration and EV charging. That constant load makes it an ideal candidate for large scale rooftop solar.
The 368.55 kWp system spans the flat roof and uses more than 800 high output modules. Crucially, around 96 percent of the electricity generated is consumed on site, maximising financial return and insulating the business from volatile energy prices. At current tariffs, the system is forecast to save approximately £77,000 per year, with a payback period of around four to five years.
This project also demonstrates how solar can be delivered safely and discreetly on live, high traffic sites without disrupting day to day operations.
Read the full Cobham Services solar case study.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, one of this year’s most ambitious projects was completed at a large country estate in Buckinghamshire. The site now combines eight solar arrays, three battery technologies, multiple heat pumps, EV charging and a wind turbine.
The headline figure is storage. With seven existing Tesla Powerwalls and twelve new expansion packs installed, total battery capacity now stands at 305 kWh. This allows the estate to exploit off peak tariffs at scale, smooth renewable generation and dramatically reduce grid reliance despite annual electricity demand approaching 100,000 kWh.
The project also showcases advanced three phase net metering and phased commissioning around evolving Tesla software capabilities.
Read the full 19 Powerwall estate case study.
Care homes continue to be one of the strongest commercial use cases for solar, and St Luke’s Care Home is a clear example of why. With long operating hours and steady daytime demand, the site can use around 65 percent of its solar generation directly on site.
The 132.9 kWp rooftop system uses nearly 300 high efficiency modules paired with Solis inverters, delivering forecast first year savings of more than £21,000. With a six year payback and strong internal rate of return, the system improves cost control while cutting over 25 tonnes of CO₂ each year.
The project also highlights the importance of thorough feasibility work, structural assessment and careful coordination in a sensitive 24 hour care environment.
Read the full St Luke’s Care Home solar case study.
One of the most technically delicate projects of the year involved upgrading a 2011 Feed in Tariff system that was still performing almost exactly as originally predicted. With more than £23,000 already earned and one of the highest FIT rates ever issued, preserving the existing tariff was essential.
Rather than replacing the system, the solution retained the original inverter and generation meter, while adding a separate, electrically isolated solar array feeding a Tesla Powerwall 3. This approach allowed the homeowner to triple their solar capacity, add whole home backup and support a new heat pump, all without breaching FIT rules.
This project demonstrates how legacy systems can be expanded and modernised without sacrificing long term tariff income.
Read the full Feed in Tariff upgrade case study.
Completed in just three months from enquiry to commissioning, the Basingstoke Golf Club installation shows how solar can integrate seamlessly into leisure venues with demanding aesthetics and busy operating schedules.
The 118.35 kWp system spans the maintenance shed and driving range roofs and is forecast to generate around 104,000 kWh per year, with more than 80 percent consumed on site. Despite having no battery storage, winter self consumption approaches 100 percent due to the club’s daytime load profile.
With payback as low as three years on parts of the system and strong long term environmental benefits, the installation now sits at the centre of the club’s wider sustainability strategy.
Read the full Basingstoke Golf Club solar case study.
This year’s projects underline a simple point. There is no single type of solar installation. The right solution depends on tariffs, load profiles, future electrification plans and how a site actually uses energy.
Whether you are running a large commercial facility, managing a complex private estate or looking to protect a valuable legacy tariff, the same principles apply: careful design, honest modelling and engineering led delivery.
If any of these projects reflect your own situation, the full case studies go into far more technical and financial detail. And if you are planning a solar or battery project in the year ahead, our team is always happy to talk through the options.