EDF POWER SOLUTIONS ONSITE POWER: Putting Britain’s Rooftops to Work

As businesses face rising energy costs and increasing import dependency, increased capital demands from electrification and AI, and higher non-commodity charges, many are looking for practical ways to reduce emissions without diverting resources from core operations. EDF Onsite Power was created to solve exactly that challenge, helping businesses take control of their energy future through fully funded onsite solar, battery storage and EV charging solutions that reduce energy expenditure, improve sustainability performance and require no upfront investment.

Following the acquisition of SAS Energy by EDF power solutions UK & Ireland in 2023, EDF Onsite Power combines the technical expertise of a proven solar developer and EPC contractor with the financial strength and long-term asset management capabilities of one of the world’s largest energy companies. Today, the business is focused on delivering fully funded behind-the-meter energy solutions, helping commercial and industrial organisations reduce costs, improve resilience, and accelerate their sustainability goals with zero upfront investment.

A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO ONSITE ENERGY

EDF Onsite Power develops, funds, installs, owns, operates and maintains onsite energy infrastructure, including rooftop solar, ground-mounted solar, battery storage, EV charging and solar carports.

Through a fully funded Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), customers avoid the capital expenditure typically associated with energy projects. EDF Onsite Power finances and manages the system throughout the contract term, while customers simply purchase the clean electricity generated on site, typically at a lower and more predictable cost than grid electricity.

“A fully funded Power Purchase Agreement enables organisations to benefit from onsite solar with zero CAPEX, lower energy costs and predictable electricity pricing, while preserving capital for strategic priorities,” says Kerry Mullen, Director of Business Development. “It’s a practical way to reduce costs, strengthen sustainability commitments and improve long-term energy resilience without the burden of system ownership.”

The model is designed to make the transition to clean energy as simple as possible. EDF Onsite Power takes responsibility for project development, financing, design, installation, operations and maintenance, allowing customers to remain focused on running their businesses.

As Malavika Bambawale, CEO of EDF Onsite Power, explains, the ambition is to make onsite renewable energy “more cost-effective and accessible for our customers” by combining technical delivery expertise with innovative commercial solutions.

BACKED BY EDF, BUILT FOR LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS

What differentiates EDF Onsite Power is its ability to combine decades of engineering and delivery experience with the long-term backing of the wider EDF Group.

“We’re bringing together two critical strengths: the technical expertise of an experienced EPC contractor and the commercial innovation of a long-term energy partner,” says Mullen. “We understand how energy assets are designed, built, operated and optimised because we’ve been delivering them for years.”

This approach gives customers confidence that their energy infrastructure will be professionally managed over the long term, while providing a clear route to decarbonisation without operational disruption or financial risk.

DELIVERING RENEWABLE ENERGY AT SCALE

EDF Onsite Power is already helping organisations across the UK unlock the value of underused land and rooftop space.

Pilgrim’s Europe, Merseyside

At a major food manufacturing facility on the banks of the River Mersey, EDF Onsite Power delivered a 405.48 kWp rooftop solar installation comprising 744 solar panels. Despite challenging roof structures and exposed riverside conditions, the project is already saving approximately 156 tonnes of CO₂ annually. The installation clearly demonstrates how complex industrial sites can successfully adopt onsite renewable energy while reducing operational emissions and energy costs.

London Stansted Airport

One of the company’s flagship projects is the solar farm at London Stansted Airport.

The 12.8 MW installation includes more than 24,000 solar panels and generates enough electricity to power around 7,000 homes. Delivered as part of the airport’s wider sustainability strategy, the project supports growing electricity demand while helping progress the airport’s net-zero ambitions.

“Our team handled the project development, acted as Principal Contractor for delivery and will manage the asset throughout its 30-year operational life,” says Mullen.

Malavika Jain Bambawale adds: “This project demonstrates how airports and the wider commercial and industrial sector can use onsite renewable energy to improve energy resilience, reduce costs and decarbonise energy consumption.”

The project also delivers significant environmental benefits, including a 160% biodiversity net gain through new wildflower habitats and hedgerow creation.

Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

EDF Onsite Power is also supporting the decarbonisation of critical public infrastructure.

At Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals, rooftop solar installations and wider energy-efficiency improvements form part of a major programme designed to reduce emissions and lower operating costs across the NHS estate. The project is expected to generate more than 523,000 kWh of clean electricity annually while helping reduce energy bills, allowing more funding to be directed towards frontline healthcare services. “By turning underused rooftop space into a source of clean energy, this project will power essential healthcare with low-carbon local energy, saving precious budgets that can then be used elsewhere.” says Mullen.

UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL OF BRITAIN’S ROOFTOPS

The opportunity for UK businesses remains enormous and Britain’s commercial roofs remain a vast, untouched resource. Millions of square metres of commercial rooftop space remain unused despite offering a cost-effective route to lower energy bills and reduced carbon emissions. The Solar Roadmap notes that the largest fifth of warehouses alone offer 75 million square metres of roof, enough for around 15GW, and UKWA estimates that rooftop solar could cut warehouse electricity costs by 40 to 80% and save the sector £3 billion a year.

Obstacles have kept that potential on the shelf. For many organisations, however, the biggest barriers are not technical but financial. The UK’s Energy Roadmap acknowledges that behind-the-meter installations are hard to finance when the end user lacks a strong credit rating, and that traditional lease structures complicate work on buildings with tenants. Planning rules in England no longer cap commercial rooftop arrays at 1MW and ease the way for solar canopies over car parks, which leaves funding and delivery as the deciding factors. A fully funded agreement backed by an established name answers both.

EDF Onsite Power removes those barriers through a fully funded model that eliminates upfront investment, transfers performance and operational risk away from the customer, and provides a complete end-to-end service. As organisations seek greater resilience, onsite solar, battery storage and EV infrastructure will play an increasingly important role in business operations. “The future of energy isn’t about one technology replacing another,” says Mullen. “It’s about building a diverse portfolio of low-carbon solutions that can withstand the environmental challenges we’re already beginning to face.”

By funding, building and operating the infrastructure itself, EDF Onsite Power enables businesses to capture the benefits of clean energy while staying focused on what matters most: running and growing their core operations.