Renewable energy provider Two Blues Solar has completed the installation and powering of a 165kWp system at one of a livestock feed provider’s sites in Stoke-on-Trent.
ForFarmers UK’s site in Newcastle-under-Lyme has 388 solar PV panels on its rooftop, which will provide close to 100% of the site’s power consumption. The company is committed to reducing its carbon emissions by one-third by 2030.
Two Blues Solar financed 100% of the solar installation cost, meaning no upfront cost to ForFarmers. Operating under a power purchase agreement (PPA) model, having covered project costs, Two Blues Solar will sell the energy generated by the solar array back to ForFarmers at a fixed, below market rate for the contract’s 25-year lifespan.
Working with its partners Photon Energy and North PM, Two Blues Solar managed and financed the full scope of the project, from initial roof repairs and re-sheeting to mounting system installation, solar panel fitting and testing and on-site client training. The system went live in early November 2024.
Craig Rogers, regional operations manager at ForFarmers, said the eight-week installation caused no disruption to operations at the site.
Daniel Levene, co-founder of Two Blues Solar, explained: “By looking after the financing and handling of both the roof repairs and the solar installation, we minimise overall project costs and disruption, enabling businesses to quickly benefit from lower energy costs and reduced emissions.”
Two Blues Solar specialises in reducing costs for high energy demand companies through solar installation, offering PV arrays for rooftop, carparks and land. The UK renewable energy company was founded using a government Start Up Loan and in 2024 it announced a joint venture agreement with True Green Capital Management (TGC).
TGC is a renewable energy infrastructure private equity firm focused on the US and Europe. When the joint venture with Two Blues Solar was announced, Dillon Cane, the company’s other co-founder, said the deal would enable the installation of about 300 new on-site solar projects with a combined capacity of up to 120MW.
Solar ‘subscriptions’ and upfront fees
Two Blues Solar’s strategy focuses on commercial projects costing upwards of £200,000, a segment including smaller system sizes than traditional lenders typically provide for.
Financing models like subscriptions and leasing have proven to accelerate solar adoption rates, particularly among those who aren’t top earners. This pattern has been seen in the US, where similar models have driven growth in recent years.
In the residential market, similar offers are available; in March last year, Norwegian-based solar marketplace Otovo launched its solar subscription product in the UK, enabling UK homeowners to access installed solar systems without upfront costs.
