Commercial laundries are among the most energy-hungry businesses in the country. Continuous cycles of washing, extracting, tumble drying and ironing mean the meter barely stops turning during working hours — and those hours fall squarely in daylight. That combination of heavy, daytime electricity demand is exactly what makes solar panels for commercial laundries such a strong investment. This guide explains why the numbers stack up, what savings to expect, and how a fully funded system can put solar on your roof with no upfront cost.
Why a laundry’s energy profile suits solar so well
Solar only saves you money on the power you use while the sun is shining. Some businesses export most of their generation for a few pennies; a laundry uses almost all of it. Washer-extractors, tunnel washers, tumble dryers, flatwork ironers and hot-water heating all run through the day, precisely when a rooftop array is producing.
Laundries also tend to have exactly the roofs solar loves: large, flat or gently pitched industrial units with plenty of unshaded space. A single commercial roof can host a system big enough to cover a meaningful share of daytime demand. Because self-consumption is so high, more of every generated unit offsets electricity you would otherwise buy from the grid at 25–30p or more — rather than being exported cheaply.
Where laundries carry a significant electrical heating or heat-pump hot-water load, the case gets even stronger. Heating water is one of the biggest costs in the building, and using free solar generation to do it is one of the fastest ways to cut a bill.
What could you realistically save?
For a well-designed commercial system sized around genuine daytime demand, a 40–70% reduction in electricity bills is typical, with a payback period of roughly three to five years. After that, the system keeps generating largely free electricity for another two decades or more — today’s panels are usually warrantied to still be producing strongly after 25 years.
The savings do not stand still, either. As grid electricity prices rise, every unit you generate yourself is worth more, so a system that pays back in four years at today’s prices effectively pays back faster if energy costs climb. Adding battery storage lets you capture surplus midday generation and use it during early-morning start-up or late-shift running, pushing self-consumption — and savings — higher still.
No upfront cost: the fully funded option
Not every business wants to tie up capital in equipment, however good the return. That is where a fully funded solar arrangement comes in. Under this model a funder pays for the system and installation, and you simply buy the electricity it generates — usually at a rate well below what you pay the grid — through a power purchase agreement (PPA). There is no capital outlay, and you start saving from day one.
DES recently delivered exactly this kind of project for Leek Town FC: a fully funded 46.8kWp solar array paired with 69kWh of battery storage, installed with no upfront cost to the club. The same approach works well for laundries, where a large, steady electricity demand makes a PPA both affordable for the operator and viable for the funder.
Proven with energy-intensive businesses
A commercial laundry has a lot in common with other high-throughput, process-heavy operations — long running hours, hot-water and heat demand, and machinery that runs whenever the doors are open. DES has installed solar for businesses with exactly this kind of profile, including Cowdrys Bakery, a food production operation where ovens, refrigeration and processing equipment drive a heavy, sustained daytime load. As with a laundry, the value came from generating power on site and using it immediately, rather than importing it at premium rates.
Every site is different, so we do not rely on rules of thumb. We look at your actual half-hourly consumption data, your shift patterns and your roof, and design a system around how your laundry really runs — not a generic template.
Why choose DES Renewables
DES Renewable Energy is a commercial solar installer based in Wimborne, Dorset, working with businesses across the South and beyond. Our installations are MCS accredited, and we hold NAPIT, RECC and City & Guilds qualifications — the accreditations that matter for quality, electrical safety and consumer protection on commercial work. That means a system designed and signed off to the standards that funders, insurers and building owners expect.
We handle the whole process: site survey, system design, grid application where needed, installation and commissioning, so your laundry keeps running with minimal disruption.
Find out what your laundry could save
The best way to see whether solar makes sense for your laundry is to start with your bills. Our free business energy bill check reviews your current usage and costs, and gives you a realistic picture of the savings and payback a solar system could deliver — with no obligation.
To get started, request your free bill check online, email madeleine@desrenewables.com, or call the team on 01202 985 888. We will tell you honestly whether solar is right for your site, and how a fully funded option could get you there with no upfront cost.