Northern Powergrid's faster G99 process compensates well for the North East's slightly lower irradiance — and Teesside Freeport ECA changes the economics dramatically for qualifying TS-postcode sites.
Irradiance and G99
Newcastle NE: 930-970 kWh/kWp/yr. Teesside TS: 950-990 kWh/kWp/yr. Northern Powergrid G99: 4-6 months. Standard logistics payback: 5-6 years (4.5-5 years AIA optimised).
Teesside Freeport ECA
Designated tax sites: TS1-TS3, TS10, TS17-TS18. 100% ECA on qualifying plant and machinery. For £1.5m qualifying project: £375k year-one tax shield (25% CT). South Tees Development Corporation (former Redcar steelworks) — up to 5 MW PV viable.
Team Valley and Gateshead
Team Valley Trading Estate (NE11 — 500+ businesses): mixed manufacturing and logistics (400 kW-2 MW PV per shed). Washington (NE37/NE38 — Nissan supply chain, Amazon, DHL). Self-consumption: 75-82%. Payback: 5-6 years.
Port of Tyne logistics
Howdon terminals (NE28): bonded warehousing and customs sheds. Jarrow/South Tyneside industrial (NE32): steel and chemicals supply. Port cold store self-consumption: 88-94%. Payback: 4-5 years.
See more
Newcastle guide: /guides/warehouse-solar-newcastle/. Freeport guide: /guides/warehouse-solar-freeport/. Contact: /contact/.