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Project Overview
Jacksons Nurseries is a traditional family-owned garden centre in Bagnall, north Staffordshire, operating a thriving tea room, farm shop and plants-led nursery. Following an expansion of their café kitchen facilities, Luke Jackson and the team faced a significant increase in electricity consumption—and with it, rising energy bills that threatened to erode the returns from their growth investment.
After extensive research, Jacksons Nurseries identified solar PV as the strongest capital investment available to the business, offering both a short payback period and meaningful progress toward their corporate sustainability goals. Our team designed and installed a 56kW commercial solar system featuring 123 Aiko 455W panels paired with a Solis 50kW 3-phase string inverter.
The system now generates 44,320 kWh of clean energy annually, covering 31% of the garden centre's total energy needs and reducing their monthly electricity bills from £3,478 to just £1,090. With an exceptional 2.5-year payback period and projected 20-year system profit of approximately £200,000, this installation represents outstanding value for a growing commercial business. As an MCS certified and NICEIC approved installer with over 14 years of experience in commercial solar installations, we were well-positioned to deliver exactly what Jacksons Nurseries needed.
This Project Is Ideal If You Have:
A garden centre, nursery, or horticultural business with substantial roof space
On-site catering, cafés, or tea rooms driving up energy consumption
Daytime operations that align with solar generation hours
A desire to demonstrate corporate environmental responsibility
The Challenge
Jacksons Nurseries' recent café kitchen expansion had substantially increased their daytime electricity consumption. With commercial catering equipment drawing significant power during peak trading hours, their monthly bills had climbed to £3,478—eating into the returns they'd hoped to see from growing the business.
The roof itself presented a straightforward installation opportunity. Their horticultural buildings featured trapezoidal metal roof coverings, ideally suited to the Renusol MetaSole fixing system. The project also fell within permitted development, avoiding lengthy planning applications.
The real technical challenge lay in the AC cable routing—a common complexity in commercial solar installations. The route from the roof-mounted array to the inverter location required running a large 5-core cable through a working garden nursery plant room, then outside a storage building, through underground ducting beneath a busy vehicle working area, and finally into the plant machinery building where the inverter would be sited. This type of complex routing demands experienced engineers and careful planning to execute cleanly without disrupting daily operations.
Beyond the technical considerations, Luke Jackson was thorough in his approach to supplier selection, running a detailed competitive tendering process. He needed a partner who could combine technical capability with genuine attention to detail—something our experience in solar solutions for growers positioned us well to deliver.
Our Solution
We designed a 55.97kW solar PV system using 123 Aiko 455W panels mounted across the trapezoidal metal roof. Aiko panels were selected for their excellent efficiency and proven reliability in UK commercial applications—their ABC (All Back Contact) technology delivers strong performance even in variable light conditions typical of the British climate.
At the heart of the system sits a Solis 50kW 3-phase string inverter, converting the DC electricity generated by the panels into usable AC power for the nursery's operations. The Solis inverter provides excellent efficiency alongside comprehensive monitoring via SolisCloud—giving Luke and his team real-time visibility of generation, consumption, and savings through a simple smartphone app.
Before finalising the design, we worked through detailed scenario modelling with Luke to answer critical questions: Which roof section would deliver the best yield? What size array would match their consumption pattern? Where should the DC-to-AC conversion happen? Should we cover the skylights? Each decision was backed by detailed modelling based on the specific energy profile of the business, including the phasing of their electricity use throughout the day.
The array was mounted using the Renusol MetaSole system—engineered specifically for trapezoidal metal roofs and offering a secure, low-profile installation without compromising the roof's weatherproofing. This combination of components delivers strong performance today whilst providing the reliability needed for a 25+ year investment.
Technical Specifications
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Installation Process
The installation was completed in five days—efficient progress given the complexity of the cable routing and the need to work around a busy, operational garden centre. Both Charlie Fletcher and business partner Scott were personally on-site throughout the project, ensuring the highest standards of health and safety alongside smooth commissioning.
The roof-mounted array went up cleanly using the Renusol MetaSole fixing system. Our team worked systematically across the trapezoidal metal roof, securing each of the 123 Aiko panels to the pre-installed rails. The straightforward roof design allowed for rapid progress despite some treacherous weather conditions over the course of the installation.
The AC cable run proved to be the most demanding element of the project. Three of our engineers spent a full day installing the 5-core cable from the rooftop point of connection, through the working plant room, outside the storage building, through underground ducting beneath the vehicle working area, and finally into the plant machinery building where the inverter is sited. Attention to detail at each transition was essential—both for performance and for leaving a tidy, professional finish.
The whole Spectrum team was pragmatic and flexible in working around the day-to-day operation of the nursery, minimising any disruption to customers visiting the tea room, farm shop and plant sales areas. All electrical work was completed by our NICEIC-qualified electricians, and the Solis inverter was fully commissioned with the SolisCloud monitoring app configured for the team. Our expert commercial solar fitting approach ensures every project is delivered to the highest standards.
Project Video
Watch our installation team in action at Jacksons Nurseries, showcasing the scale of this commercial solar project and the attention to detail required for a complex cable routing installation.
Results & Impact
Since commissioning, the 56kW system has delivered results that closely match the detailed modelling Charlie presented during the tendering process. The combination of high-efficiency Aiko panels, an intelligently specified Solis inverter, and careful attention to the nursery's consumption patterns has produced exactly the outcomes we projected.
Key Results
Monthly electricity bills have dropped from £3,478 to just £1,090—a reduction of 69% that translates to nearly £29,000 in annual savings. Over the 20-year projected lifetime of the system, Jacksons Nurseries can expect approximately £200,000 in cumulative profit after recouping their initial investment.
With an exceptional payback period of just 2.5 years, this is one of the strongest commercial returns we've delivered. After payback, the system continues generating clean electricity for 25+ years with minimal ongoing costs—effectively locking in substantial energy savings for decades to come.
Beyond the financial results, the installation saves approximately 8.6 tonnes of CO₂ annually, providing tangible evidence of the nursery's commitment to environmental responsibility. For a business whose customers increasingly value sustainability credentials, this adds real value alongside the direct bill savings.
The SolisCloud monitoring app gives Luke and his team real-time visibility of generation and savings directly on their phones—a practical tool that turns the abstract concept of solar generation into concrete, trackable numbers they can share with customers and stakeholders. For businesses considering similar investments, our guide to smart solar investment provides detailed insights into maximising return on investment from commercial solar installations.
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What Our Client Says
Spectrum gave us the right balance between a company that is large enough to have the capability and resources to do the job effectively, but also small enough to genuinely care about our solar project. Charlie's level of high-touch, personal service was exceptional throughout the whole process. Nothing was ever too much trouble and we were delighted with the end result. Electricity generation and monetary savings from our investment are so far in line with what we had hoped to achieve and consistent with the modelling Charlie laid out for us.— Luke Jackson, Jacksons Nurseries
Luke was particularly complimentary about four specific areas of our service: expert advice with his interests at heart, detailed scenario analysis and support through design iterations, hands-on involvement from Charlie and Scott during the install, and comprehensive aftersales support including setup and guidance on the SolisCloud monitoring app. The detailed modelling we presented during the tender has been validated by real-world performance since commissioning—giving Luke and the team the confidence that their capital investment is delivering exactly what we promised.
Project Gallery
Common Questions Before Going Solar
"Is my garden centre suitable for solar?"
Garden centres and nurseries are often ideal candidates. Horticultural buildings typically offer extensive roof space, daytime operations align well with solar generation, and many installations fall under permitted development—as was the case at Jacksons Nurseries.
"What if the cable routing is complex?"
Complex cable routes are common in commercial sites and entirely manageable with the right team. At Jacksons we ran cabling through working buildings and underground ducting—complex, but executed cleanly by three experienced engineers in a single day.
"Will installation disrupt my business?"
Minimising disruption is a priority. At Jacksons Nurseries we worked flexibly around the nursery's day-to-day operations, protecting customer experience throughout. The install was completed in 5 days despite challenging weather conditions.
"Why choose Spectrum over other installers?"
We combine the capability of a larger firm with the personal attention of a smaller one. For Jacksons, our directors Charlie and Scott were personally on-site for the install—ensuring quality and accountability at every stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden centres and nurseries are often excellent candidates for commercial solar. They typically have large horticultural buildings with extensive roof space, operate primarily during daylight hours when solar generation peaks, and many installations fall under permitted development. Jacksons Nurseries achieved a 69% bill reduction with a 56kW system installed on their existing roof space—a strong example of the potential for horticultural businesses.
Most commercial solar installations on garden centres fall under permitted development rights and don't require planning permission. Jacksons Nurseries was able to install their 56kW system without planning approval. However, sites in conservation areas or with listed buildings may need additional checks, which we handle as part of our service. We conduct all planning checks during our initial assessment to confirm the route forward.
Commercial solar payback periods typically range from 3-7 years depending on system size, your energy usage patterns, and current electricity costs. Jacksons Nurseries achieved an exceptional 2.5-year payback period with their 56kW system—one of the strongest returns we've delivered. Garden centres with high daytime energy consumption, particularly those with cafés, tea rooms, or propagation facilities, often see the strongest returns from commercial solar installations.
AC cable routing for commercial solar often requires careful planning, particularly when the inverter is located far from the array. At Jacksons Nurseries, a 5-core cable was installed from the roof connection point, through a working plant room, past storage buildings, and through underground ducting beneath a busy vehicle area before reaching the inverter. This type of installation requires experienced engineers and took three of our team a full day to complete—demonstrating the importance of choosing an installer with proven commercial experience.
Savings depend on your current electricity costs and consumption patterns. Jacksons Nurseries reduced their monthly bills from £3,478 to £1,090—a saving of nearly £29,000 per year. Over the 20-year projected system lifetime, this represents approximately £200,000 in cumulative profit after the initial investment is recouped. We provide personalised savings projections based on your actual bills during our assessment.
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Learn More About Commercial Solar
If you're considering a commercial solar installation for your garden centre, nursery or other horticultural business, our comprehensive resources can help you understand the process, benefits, and what to expect. Read our complete business solar guide for detailed information on system sizing, ROI calculations, and the installation process.
Browse more examples of our work across various sectors in our commercial solar case studies, explore our dedicated solar solutions for agriculture, or learn about our ongoing maintenance and care services that keep systems performing at their best for decades.
