Sustainability: Generating Your Own Electricity

As a small business owner, energy is likely to be one of your biggest costs, but it is now possible to generate some, if not all of your own electricity. While there are a number of ways to generate your own renewable energy, not all of them will be practical for your business, depending on the space you have available, your budget and your energy consumption.

Ways to Generate Your Own Electricity

1. Solar Panels

A popular and suitable option for small retail or business premises, solar panels are typically installed on the roof to generate electricity during daylight hours. Power is used directly by the business, with any excess exported to the grid.

Why it suits florists

• Daytime energy use (lighting, refrigeration, POS systems) matches solar output well.

• Low maintenance.

• Quiet and visually unobtrusive.

Typical setup

• 4–10 kW system for a small shop.

• Roof space required: 25–50 m².

• Lifespan: 25+ years.

Cost

• Cost: £6,000–£14,000.

• Annual estimated savings: £800–£2,000+.

• Payback: 5–8 years.

• Can earn income via exporting energy back to the grid (Smart Export Guarantee).

2. Solar + Battery Storage

A good option if you have refrigeration that runs overnight, as the batteries store excess solar energy for evening/night use. It reduces reliance on electricity from the national grid during peak rates and will help keep fridges running during power outages.

Drawbacks

• Adds cost.

• Batteries eventually need replacing (10–15 years).

Cost (in addition to solar panels)

• £3,000–£6,000 depending on battery size.

3. Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP)

An external unit (about the size of a large air conditioning unit) is usually wall‑mounted or ground‑mounted outside the premises, with no major groundworks required. Heat is extracted from the outside air and delivered as heating and hot water in the building. It offers lower running costs than direct electric heating and can also be paired with solar panels.

Cost

• £8,000–£15,000 installed.

• Running costs typically 30–50% lower than gas heating (depending on insulation and tariff).

Important considerations for florists

• Works best with good insulation.

• Lower heat output temperature may require oversized or upgraded radiators.

• Doesn’t replace refrigeration (flower chillers stay separate).

4. Small Wind Turbines

Only really viable in very specific locations such as rural or very exposed sites with consistent strong wind. Planning permission is usually required.

5. Biomass / Bioenergy boilers

Again, only viable in locations with sufficient space to accommodate the large boiler and somewhere to store the fuel (wood pellets, etc.). Boilers are used primarily to generate heat rather than electricity and can attract higher maintenance needs.

6. Ground source heat pump

Sunk deep in to the ground, these are rarely practical unless you have land and long‑term ownership.  They use heat from underground delivered via pipes in trenches or boreholes. Whilst a very efficient and stable source of heat, these pumps require large outdoor land area or deep drilling, incur very high upfront cost and disruptive installation, making them hard to justify for small retail energy demand.

Grants & Support

Florists may be eligible for:

• Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) – grants for heat pumps (rules apply to businesses)

• Green finance or low‑interest SME loans

• Enhanced Capital Allowances (tax relief)

(Eligibility depends on ownership, building type, and existing heating system.)

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