05/06/2026
News
As the price of Brent crude rises and the cost of energy with it, manufacturers are facing fresh distress from another increase in operating costs. The question Nazar Soofi, BTG Eddisons’ head of sustainability and decarbonisation, and Dave Mathieson, managing director in funding and insurance at BTG, put to readers of Food Manufacture is whether that pressure could push businesses to generate their own energy and take back control of one of their largest outgoings.
Even before the latest energy crisis, businesses were investing in renewables to manage volatile costs. In 2025, 7.78GW of solar projects were approved, ahead of the previous high of 5.72GW the year before and a long way from the 0.37GW approved in 2019. The same acceleration shows in storage, with more than 35GW of battery capacity approved in 2025. The move towards on-site generation is well underway.
For large food manufacturing sites, the starting point is knowing what the estate can carry.
An estate review can quickly uncover the opportunities for solar PV installations, particularly rooftop and car park solar installations for large food manufacturing sites. This includes suitable areas for battery installations to accompany them.
We design, cost and project manage installations, including analysis of current energy spend, potential savings and payback periods for the site, to provide the best solution.
That work matters most where it is hardest to justify. For manufacturers already under financial pressure, a move to renewables can look like a problem for another year. The point Nazar and Dave make is that a long-term energy strategy is still viable mid-distress, provided the funding is structured around it.
Energy from renewables is no longer being viewed as just a sustainability or ESG policy move, it is now a cost control and financial planning move. Many lenders – both high street and alternative – have become more accustomed to financing solar projects. This is especially true when exploring asset-backed finance against large machinery or even buildings."
Their shared conclusion is a measured one. Renewables are being used to bring a little stability to one of the largest costs manufacturers carry. Whether the trend can give the industry long-term control over the bottom line is the question worth watching.
Read the full article on Food Manufacture.
A belts and braces approach to decarbonisation
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