- System size
- 200-600 kW
- Capex
- £180k-£540k
- Modelled payback
- 6.0 yrs
- G99 timeline
- Ask SP Manweb
Why general FE colleges solar works on SP Manweb
General FE colleges in the SP Manweb territory share three structural advantages for solar PV programmes:
- Sub-vertical fit. General FE colleges have large mixed-use estates (8,000-30,000 sqm typical) with workshops, teaching blocks, sports halls and refectories — strong PV-friendly roof area and good self-consumption from year-round adult and apprentice cohorts.
- DNO characteristics. SP Manweb covers Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales. Check its published connection guidance and network capacity information before sizing the array; constraints vary by substation.
- Funding routes to check. Status verified 20 October 2026: Salix has no scheme open for England, the Scottish and Welsh Salix loans are open, and PSDS Phase 4 is closed to new applications. Welsh colleges can look at the Wales Funding Programme (Salix) and Welsh Government energy support; English colleges in the area should check Liverpool City Region and Cheshire authority programmes.
Colleges in the SP Manweb territory
For orientation only, these general FE colleges sit in the SP Manweb territory. This is not a list of clients or completed projects:
- Coleg Cambria
- Grŵp Llandrillo Menai
- Reaseheath College
- The City of Liverpool College
G99 connection planning
For general FE colleges on SP Manweb, installs in the 200-600 kW band need a G99 application and DNO approval before connection. Ask SP Manweb for its current published timescales and plan the application early: the DNO process is usually the critical-path item.
Detailed regional DNO guide: SP Manweb G99 connections for college solar.
Funding stack for general FE colleges on SP Manweb
- Salix funding — no scheme open for England (20 October 2026); Scottish and Welsh loans open
- PSDS Phase 4 — closed to new applications in November 2024
- FE Capital Transformation Fund — embedded sustainability inside major refurb
- T-Level Capital — for new workshop builds with embedded solar
- MCA decarbonisation grants where applicable to specific campuses