Renewable Energy Asset Finance
Funding for commercial solar PV, battery storage, EV charging infrastructure and heat pumps. Specialist renewable energy lenders happy to fund 100% of capital cost.
Funding the assets that pay for themselves
Renewable energy asset finance funds the kit that generates, stores or distributes clean energy on commercial premises. The most common installations are rooftop or ground-mount solar PV arrays, battery energy storage systems (BESS), commercial EV charging infrastructure, ground or air-source heat pumps and CHP (combined heat and power) units. They share an unusual financial property: the asset generates measurable energy savings or revenue that, in most cases, exceeds the monthly finance payment.
That is what makes renewable asset finance genuinely different from any other commercial loan. The lender is funding an asset that pays for itself out of the operational savings the business will see on its energy bill. For a UK SME with rising energy costs, a 200kW rooftop PV system can move the monthly P&L from net cost to net positive on day one of the finance agreement.
We arrange renewable energy finance across hire purchase, finance lease, operating lease, power purchase agreements (PPA) and dedicated green asset loans. Specialist green lenders fund 100% of installed cost (panels, inverters, racking, batteries, EV chargers and full install labour) with terms running up to 15 years for commercial solar and BESS, longer than almost any other asset class.
Doulton works with the dedicated green asset divisions of the major UK lenders plus a layer of specialist clean energy debt funds. We handle commercial PV from £50k single rooftops up to £10m+ ground-mount and behind-the-meter installations, plus utility-scale BESS, commercial heat pumps and forecourt EV charging projects.
What makes this work in practice
Commercial solar PV
Rooftop and ground-mount commercial solar arrays from £50k to £10m+. New and retrofit, behind-the-meter and grid-export. Tier-1 panels, modern inverters, full install funded.
Battery energy storage (BESS)
Commercial and industrial battery storage systems standalone or paired with PV. Funding for behind-the-meter arbitrage, grid services revenue and self-consumption optimisation.
EV charging infrastructure
Workplace, fleet depot, forecourt and destination EV chargers from 7kW AC up to 350kW DC ultra-rapid. Hardware, install, civils and software platform all in scope.
Heat pumps and heat decarbonisation
Commercial air-source and ground-source heat pumps, CHP units and district heating connections. Funded over 10-15 years to match the asset payback profile.
Power purchase agreements (PPA)
Where the business does not want the asset on its balance sheet, a PPA structures the energy as a service - the asset is owned and operated by a third party, the business buys the energy at a contracted unit rate.
Net positive from day one
The whole point. We model the energy savings against the monthly finance cost so you see, on paper, that the installation moves the P&L into positive territory from the first invoice.
Installing solar, batteries, EV charging or heat pumps?
Send the installer quote and the half-hourly energy data if you have it. We will model the financing alongside the energy savings and come back with green asset structures from our specialist panel.
Frequently asked questions
What is specialist finance?
Specialist finance covers funding for assets and sectors that sit outside mainstream lending - agricultural machinery, construction plant, commercial vehicle fleets, equestrian property, farm diversification and similar. Lenders in this space understand the asset and the industry, not just a credit score.
What assets can be financed?
New and used agricultural machinery, tractors, diggers and excavators, HGVs and trucks, vans and fleet vehicles, farm equipment, livestock facilities, equestrian buildings and land - essentially any identifiable income-producing or business-critical asset.
How is specialist finance structured?
Most commonly as hire purchase (you own the asset at the end) or finance lease (lender retains title and leases to you). Refinance and sale-and-leaseback options are also available to release capital from assets you already own.
What deposit and term applies?
Typical deposits are 10-20% of asset value. Terms run from 2 to 7 years depending on the asset's useful life and your preferred cash flow. Balloon payments can be structured in where helpful.
Can startups or new ventures access specialist finance?
Yes - specialist lenders routinely fund new-entrant farmers, newly-incorporated transport operators and first-time business asset buyers. Strong industry experience, a viable business plan and a reasonable deposit typically carry more weight than company trading history.
Explore related pages
Other Doulton specialisms and lenders that commonly fit alongside this one. We always compare the full 130+ lender panel before recommending a deal.
Specialist Finance
Agricultural, construction and commercial vehicle finance.
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