Tenby is one of the most planning-constrained solar environments in the FLD coverage area. The medieval town walls are Grade I listed, the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park designation surrounds the town on three sides, and the conservation area imposes a visibility assessment on any rooftop modification. But the solar yield is among the highest in Wales, and the hospitality economy is perfectly shaped for summer-peak self-consumption.
The result is that Tenby solar almost always gets done with in-roof integrated systems — and often faster payback than expected.
In-roof integrated solar: the Tenby default
In-roof integrated solar replaces the roof covering rather than sitting on top of it. The panels sit flush within the roof plane, with a low-profile aluminium frame system that is visually indistinguishable from standard roof tiles or slates when viewed from street level. Pembrokeshire Coast National Park planning officers accept in-roof systems on non-listed commercial and residential buildings without objection, provided the installation does not extend proud of the roof or alter the roofline profile.
The generation performance of in-roof systems is marginally lower than stand-off frame-mounted arrays on the same roof, primarily because in-roof panels run warmer due to reduced airflow underneath. In practical terms at Tenby’s 980 kWh/kWp PVGIS yield, the thermal penalty is approximately 2 to 3% of annual generation — small relative to the planning certainty the specification provides.
In-roof systems also carry a weather-tightness benefit. The panels form part of the roof covering rather than being an addition to it, which means the watertight envelope is maintained or improved rather than compromised by penetrations.
Tenby hospitality: the summer-peak self-consumption case
Tenby’s resident population is approximately 4,700, but summer visitor numbers multiply that figure many times over. Independent hotels, guest houses and holiday cottages running at close to full occupancy through July and August create daytime electrical loads — kitchen equipment, laundry, room HVAC, hot water — that coincide almost precisely with peak solar generation.
Self-consumption rates for Tenby hospitality operators in July and August typically run at 88 to 92%. That means almost every kilowatt-hour generated during the peak summer months is consumed on-site rather than exported, and at a saving of 28p/kWh rather than the 12p Smart Export Guarantee rate. The financial case for summer-peak hospitality solar is proportionally stronger than for year-round flat-demand commercial profiles.
Across the full year, blending summer-peak high self-consumption with shoulder-season and winter export produces an annual self-consumption rate of 78 to 82% for a typical Tenby hotel. That is materially above the 65 to 70% rate typical for standard commercial properties.
Worked example: 50 kWp hotel, Tenby
- Installed cost including in-roof integration: approximately £50,000
- Annual generation at 980 kWh/kWp: 49,000 kWh
- Self-consumption at 80% at 28p/kWh blended (hospitality summer-weighted): £10,976
- Export at 20% at 12p SEG: £1,176
- Year-one benefit: £12,152
- Simple payback: 4.1 years
- Post-tax payback with Annual Investment Allowance: 3.0 years
At 35 kWp for a smaller guest house, installed cost is approximately £36,000 and year-one benefit approximately £8,500, giving similar payback timing.
Pembrokeshire Coast Path and visitor infrastructure
The Pembrokeshire Coast Path celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020 and continues to receive investment in car parks, visitor facilities and refreshment stops. These small commercial properties — often single-storey with simple pitched roofs — are ideal in-roof solar candidates. The investment that National Park visitor infrastructure receives means these buildings are maintained in good condition, and their roof structures are typically sound.
For a Coast Path cafe or visitor centre with moderate daytime electricity demand, a 10 kWp to 20 kWp in-roof system delivers year-one benefit of £3,000 to £5,500 on capex of £12,000 to £20,000. Simple payback 3.5 to 4.0 years.
Planning and conservation consent process
Most commercial rooftop solar in Tenby requires a planning application rather than permitted development, because the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is outside the standard Welsh permitted development rights for solar. FLD submits these applications as part of scope, including the pre-application consultation with the Park’s planning team where the project brief warrants it.
For listed-building or article 4 direction properties, Cadw listed-building consent may be required in addition to planning. We advise on both positions at the pre-survey stage for every Tenby property where constraints may apply.
Getting a Tenby solar quote
FLD is 90 minutes from Tenby. We schedule shoulder-season surveys (May and October) to minimise disruption to peak summer trading. For conservation area and National Park projects, we allow additional lead time for pre-application consultation. Call Paul on 01792 680611 or use the contact page.