EDF partners with Heliotec to cut SME energy bills

EDF and Heliotec have launched a joint programme designed to help small and medium enterprises install solar panels and battery storage at competitive rates. The partnership combines EDF's supply infrastructure with Heliotec's project expertise, streamlining procurement and simplifying financing. For businesses facing volatile grid prices and rising facilities costs, on-site generation offers price certainty and a tangible step toward net zero. The scheme is particularly relevant to operators with depots, warehouses or large roof areas that can host arrays and support overnight EV charging.

Fleet operators evaluating the switch to electric vans or cars often focus on vehicle cost and public charging tariffs, overlooking the potential of self-generated power. Installing solar and storage at a home depot can slash the per-kilowatt-hour cost of charging, improve load management and reduce demand charges. It also de-risks the transition by giving the business control over a critical input. For facilities-management providers, the same infrastructure can lower lighting, heating and equipment running costs, with surplus energy exported back to the grid or used to future-proof expansion.

The financial case depends on roof suitability, local grid connection and usage patterns, but paybacks of five to seven years are now common, and grants or enhanced capital allowances can shorten that further. Businesses should model charging demand over a typical week, factor in battery cycling and compare the levelised cost of self-generated power against forecasted grid rates. Combining a solar investment with an EV fleet rollout can unlock synergies that neither project would deliver in isolation.

Bluepoppy's Fleet Cost Review includes EV readiness and total-cost modelling that accounts for energy as well as vehicle expense. If you're exploring electric vans or cars and have depot space, we can help you quantify the benefit of on-site charging and point you toward trusted partners for feasibility and installation. Let's make sure your EV business case reflects every saving available and sets you up for long-term success.

Bluepoppy view: Pairing depot solar with EV charging turns two capital projects into one integrated cost-reduction and decarbonisation play.

Source: FMUK Online — summarised and written from a Bluepoppy perspective. We don’t reproduce the original article.