Beamish Park Golf Club in County Durham utilised finance through Bluestone to fund a full solar panel installation across their clubhouse roof, substantially reducing their monthly energy bills to £1,200 from £5,000

They used a £31,500 Hire Purchase through Bluestone to finance the cost of the solar panels. The repayments were spread over time at a fixed cost removing the need for a large upfront capital investment and providing them with some financial comfort.  

Financing Solar Panels

The club was approaching the end of their fixed-year energy contract and facing a major uplift in cost with their unit rate rising from £0.14 to £0.70, increasing their annual bill from £12,000 to almost £70,000. This level of increase was unsustainable, and they needed a long-term solution.

They looked at installing solar panels on the roof of the golf club, but the upfront installation cost and staged-payment structure made traditional lending difficult.

Bluestone worked closely with the club to understand their objectives, cashflow pressures and project requirements to deliver a bespoke solution that made the solar installation possible.

“In January, February and March of 2023 the club’s monthly electricity bills were approximately £5,500 per month. After negotiating a better tariff with British Gas and installing the solar panels, our monthly electricity bills, and the finance repayment combined cost us just £2,000 per month.”

‍Phillip Dobson, Treasurer of Beamish Golf Club

Since installing the solar system, Beamish Park Golf Club has seen:

• A significant reduction in monthly energy bills, dropping from over £5,000 to just £1,200.

• Predictable monthly costs totalling £2,000 per month

• Instant savings of £3,000 per month.

• Stronger cashflow, allowing reinvestment into other areas of the club.

• Lower carbon emissions and measurable sustainability progress.

“When we found Bluestone, it was clear that they understood the process, so we were able to go ahead without a problem. It was very smooth – the finance was secured within 4 days and was released on time without a hiccup – and the administration back-up was second to none.”

‍Phillip Dobson, Treasurer of Beamish Golf Club

‍

Funding for your solar panel project: An Example

The following illustration* outlines the financial advantages of paying in cash vs utilising a Hire Purchase agreement to spread the cost of the solar panels over time.

Over the likely 25-year lifespan of a solar installation there is marginal difference between paying with capital or using finance in terms of cash generation for the business, but by paying with cash the business is unlikely to see any ROI (Return On Investment) until year 3-4, depending on the output and cost of the installation, leaving them in a cash negative position for at least the first couple of years.

Paying for the solar panels via hire purchase means that the company will pay a fixed rate of interest. On the surface this may appear the more expensive option, but by spreading the cost over time – paying £1,683 per month for 5 years – you not only retain capital for stability and investment in growth but also unlock greater tax savings. For more profitable companies paying corporation tax at the higher rate of 25%, there would be even more to save.

Working with Solar Panel Installers

Bluestone also works directly with solar installers, renewable energy companies, and UK businesses to create accessible finance packages that enables customers to adopt clean energy sooner and whilst making it much more affordable.  

Find out more here.

If you are planning to install solar panels on your commercial premises and are interested in financing the project, contact us here and one of our dedicated account managers will be in touch.  

Bluestone is an ethical and FCA-regulated finance intermediary. We are committed to ensuring that our clients make informed financial decisions based on their requirements and always recommend that our clients seek independent financial advice from an authorised source before committing to any financial agreements.  

Further information about finance solutions for solar panels can be found here.  

Alternatively, you can read our blog from Mark Johnston, one of our Key Account Managers and an expert in finance for solar projects here.  

*The above illustration is based on the following assumptions and forecasts: Total cost of solar panels and installation: £76,984, Customer’s current electricity cost: £0.31 per kWh, Forecast annual energy generation: 84,155 kWh, System performance degradation per annum: 0.06%, Annual electricity price inflation: 8%, Corporation tax rate: 19%, Electricity savings estimated and subject to seasonal daylight/sunshine hours. Tax benefits assume 100% of AIA is available to use. Repayments are in no way linked to savings and the above model is purely an indicator of the cash position the business could experience as a result of installing solar on finance. All prices exclude VAT at 20%. Finance repayments are indicative and subject to credit checks.

_{Version Number: BS2025.11.01CS31. Last Updated: November 2025.}