Cheshire combines major chemical industry (Runcorn, Northwich, Crewe — Croda, INEOS, Tata Chemicals) with food production (Crewe — McVitie's; Macclesfield — major dairy) and cold chain. The combined sector mix produces dense industrial estate ideal for solar PV.
Local context — Cheshire
Cheshire industrial sites typically run 24/7 process operations with continuous electrical baseload. Self-consumption ratios of 90-95% are routine for chemical plants and food production. SP Energy Networks DNO provides grid connection. Many operators are IETF-eligible (fund closed July 2025) (chemical SIC codes 20.x, food and drink 10.x, 11.x).
Modelled scenario — Cheshire
Illustrative worked example — modelled from this site's indicative bands, not a real project.
A 1.2 MW solar PV install on a Cheshire dairy processing facility (24/7 operation). First-year generation 1.11 GWh. Self-consumption 93%. Annual savings £247,000. Simple payback 4.2 years; 25-year IRR 25%.