Manufacturing self-consumption — sector-by-sector breakdown
Self-consumption rate by manufacturing type: (1) Food and drink processing (continuous, 24/7 operations — blast freeze, pasteurisation, mixing, milling): 88-94%. (2) Pharmaceutical manufacturing (sterile fill-and-finish, solid-dose — clean room HVAC continuous): 90-96%. (3) Automotive manufacturing (two-shift or three-shift — presses, robots, assembly): 85-91%. (4) Aerospace manufacturing (single-shift, high-precision CNC, autoclaves): 82-87%. (5) Ceramics and glass (kiln-based, solar offsets ancillary loads): 78-84%. (6) Metal forming and casting (foundry, heat treatment): 84-90%. High self-consumption means every kWh of PV generation has full value as grid import displacement (25-32p/kWh) rather than export (8-15p/kWh). This single factor is the most important driver of manufacturing solar economics.
IETF grant eligibility — manufacturing sector by sector
IETF (Industrial Energy Transformation Fund) eligible manufacturing sectors: (1) Food and drink: dairy (pasteurisation, UHT, butter, cheese), bakery (industrial ovens), cider and brewing (pasteurisation, filtration), meat processing (slaughter, cutting, chilling), fish processing (blast freeze, smoking). (2) Pharmaceutical: sterile fill-and-finish, solid-dose tablet/capsule, API synthesis, lyophilisation. (3) Chemical: bulk chemicals, specialty chemicals, polymers, adhesives, paint. (4) Ceramics, glass, cement: tunnel kilns, continuous casting, annealing lehr. (5) Metal: rolling, forging, casting, annealing, heat treatment, galvanising. (6) Paper and board: paper mills, board mills, tissue. NOT eligible: pure distribution/logistics, retail, HVAC-only operations, data centres. IETF Phase 3 intervention rate: 30-50% of eligible capex. Maximum award: £10m. Minimum project: £100k. Application requires ESOS or equivalent energy audit.
Automotive Scope 3 supply chain mandates in detail
JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) Reimagine strategy: Scope 3 supplier requirement. JLR Tier-1 and Tier-2 suppliers undergo annual sustainability assessments. Renewable energy adoption (verified on-site generation): scored criterion with 2027 expectation for all major suppliers. Nissan Sunderland (Envision AESC Gigafactory adjacent): net zero plant ambition 2030. Tier-1 suppliers at Washington DC and Sunderland: Scope 3 assessment active from 2026. BMW Group (MINI Oxford, BMW UK): Scope 3 SBT-aligned programme. Oxfordshire and West Midlands suppliers face active BMW supplier assessment. Toyota UK (Burnaston, Derbyshire): Toyota supplier sustainability programme. Airbus Broughton (net zero 2030): Welsh and North West aerospace Tier-1/Tier-2 suppliers. We provide all major automotive programme-compatible verification certificates.
Manufacturing solar payback: sector-by-sector summary
After-tax payback (100% AIA, 25% corporation tax): Food processing (with IETF 40%): 2.5-3.5 years. Pharmaceutical manufacturing (with IETF 40%): 3-4 years. Automotive manufacturing (no IETF, customer Scope 3 driver): 3.5-5 years. Aerospace manufacturing (no IETF, Airbus/GKN Scope 3 driver): 3.5-5 years. Ceramics and glass (with IETF 35%): 3.5-4.5 years. Metal forming (with IETF 38%): 3-4 years. Paper/board (with IETF 40%): 2.5-3.5 years. Manufacturing in Freeport zones (stacking ECA): subtract 0.5-1.5 years from all figures above.
Common questions
Is my factory IETF-eligible?
IETF eligibility depends on SIC code and energy intensity. Most manufacturing operations with process heat, refrigeration, high-voltage machinery, or energy-intensive transformation of materials are IETF-eligible. Distribution-only warehouses, logistics, and retail are not. We provide a written IETF eligibility assessment at free desk feasibility.
How do I demonstrate solar to an automotive supply chain assessor?
Our standard audit pack satisfies all major automotive supply chain assessments: PVSyst yield model, MCS commercial certificate, monthly generation export (CSV + PDF), embodied carbon LCA, customer-specific verification certificate. JLR, Nissan, BMW, Toyota, and Airbus supply chain assessors have accepted our documentation on all manufacturing installs to date.