The UK’s renewable energy sector continues its rapid expansion, driven by ambitious net-zero targets and growing demand for sustainable power.
For commercial solar panel installers and solar consultants, commercial rooftop solar installations represent one of the fastest-growing opportunities — offering reduced energy costs for property owners while creating scalable, profitable project pipelines.
However, finding suitable commercial buildings for solar remains challenging. Traditional site sourcing tools struggle to assess roof suitability, ownership structures, and grid connectivity simultaneously. The result? Bottlenecks that slow solar project development.
The hidden data problem in commercial solar site sourcing
Most property databases tell you where a building is and what it’s used for - but not whether it’s right for solar.
For solar developers and installers, that’s the crucial missing piece.
What makes a roof suitable for solar?
Commercial solar projects need more than just space. They require roofs with the right size, orientation, pitch, and material.
- Roof size: Projects under 250 m² rarely achieve commercial viability. Large industrial units, warehouses, and manufacturing facilities typically deliver the best ROI.
- Orientation: South-facing roofs maximise daily output. East- and west-facing roofs can still work, but north-facing ones generally aren’t viable in the UK.
- Roof pitch: Angles between 10° – 40° are ideal. Steeper roofs increase mounting complexity and cost.
- Material composition: Strong, modern roofing materials make installations simpler. Older asbestos roofs often need replacement - changing project economics.
- Existing installations: Buildings with panels already installed are off-limits, but few data sources flag this information.
Problem: None of these factors appear in standard property datasets. Historically, identifying suitable roofs required costly aerial surveys or time-consuming site visits - limiting scale.
The ownership complexity for solar consultants
Ownership data adds another barrier for solar project developers.
- Owner-occupied properties are ideal - the decision-maker directly benefits from lower energy bills.
- Leased premises can work if tenants have high energy demand and long leases, but negotiating landlord consent adds friction.
- Corporate ownership often means multiple stakeholders and complex approvals - making contact discovery crucial.
Accurate ownership and occupancy data is essential to avoid wasted outreach.
Building a future-ready solar pipeline
The best commercial solar opportunities aren’t always built yet.
Industrial developments, distribution centres, and manufacturing sites still in planning represent future goldmines for proactive solar consultants.
“If I see an industrial development in planning, I’ll reach out right away - even if the build is a year off,” says Michael Duppa-Miller, Founder of Honeycomb Developments.
“It’s about being first in the landowner’s mind when they’re ready to install.”
How Searchland helps commercial solar installers find the right sites
Advanced building intelligence
Searchland's industry-first Buildings tool reveals the roof specifications that traditional property data misses:
- Roof size, pitch, and orientation
- Material composition
- Existing solar presence
This enables desk-based solar site assessment at scale, helping solar developers identify viable properties in minutes instead of weeks.
Integrated ownership & grid infrastructure data
Searchland integrates commercial ownership, lease details, and corporate structures with building data - so you know exactly who owns or occupies the property and who to contact.
Overlaying DNO (Distribution Network Operator) data reveals nearby substations, available capacity, and connection queues - avoiding sites where grid connection would kill profitability.
Systematic solar pipeline development
Searchland enables smart filtering and automation for solar consultants:
- Commercial buildings > 250 m²
- South-facing roofs near substations
- Owner-occupied or long-term leases
- Specific building sectors (e.g. logistics, manufacturing)
This transforms manual research into data-driven solar site sourcing across the entire UK.
Planning application monitoring
Searchland’s planning data tool updates daily, allowing solar developers to track new commercial builds and engage early with landowners - long before competitors.
Desk-based assessment and automated outreach
Integrated satellite imagery and Street View allow visual verification before site visits.
Once suitable buildings are shortlisted, Searchland’s letter-sending tool enables personalised, large-scale outreach directly to owners.
Case study – Honeycomb Developments’ rapid growth
Within three months of using Searchland, Honeycomb Developments grew from zero viable solar leads to 20+ qualified opportunities - thanks to integrated data, ownership visibility, and grid insights.
“Searchland has completely changed how I work,” says Duppa-Miller.“It combines layers of insight you wouldn’t normally find in one place - uncovering opportunities no one else is seeing.”
Ready to accelerate your commercial rooftop solar pipeline? Book a free Searchland demo today to discover how you can identify and secure prime commercial buildings before competitors.
