Ynni Cymru is Welsh Government’s capital grant scheme for renewable energy and energy efficiency in Welsh businesses. The 2026-27 round has approximately £10 million available, with individual awards ranging from £25,000 to £1 million per project. It is one of the few genuinely meaningful capital contributions available to a Welsh business installing commercial solar, and it is significantly underused by SMEs who either do not know it exists or assume the application is too complex.
It is not too complex. This is a plain-English guide to eligibility, what the application requires, and what FLD provides to support it.
Who can apply
The scheme is open to any business that:
- Is legally constituted and trading in Wales
- Is not in financial difficulty (standard EU state aid definition)
- Is installing a qualifying technology on a Welsh property it owns or occupies under a lease of at least 10 years remaining
- Is not a public sector body (those are handled under separate programmes)
Sole traders, partnerships, limited companies, community benefit societies, and cooperatives all qualify. Charities with commercial income may qualify depending on the nature of the project. Housing associations have their own strand.
There is no minimum turnover and no employee threshold for most of the scheme, which means a 5-person manufacturer in Neath is as eligible as a 500-person logistics company in Newport.
What qualifies for funding
Technologies currently in scope for the 2026-27 round:
- Solar photovoltaic (all scales)
- Battery storage (standalone or co-located with solar)
- Air source and ground source heat pumps
- Biomass boilers (subject to sustainability criteria)
- Small wind (under 500 kW)
- EV charging infrastructure (commercial and fleet)
- Energy monitoring and management systems
Commercial rooftop solar is the most commonly funded technology, both because it has a clear payback model and because the project costs align well with the grant range. A 100 kWp system at approximately £85,000 installed cost fits comfortably within the lower end of the award range, while a 500 kWp factory array at £350,000 to £400,000 would typically attract an award of £75,000 to £150,000 depending on the scoring criteria.
How much can you get
Ynni Cymru is not a percentage grant — it is a competitive award against an available pot. Welsh Government does not publish a fixed rate, but in practice awards have typically represented 15% to 30% of eligible project cost for commercial solar projects in recent rounds.
The award is subject to state aid rules, which means a maximum of £500,000 per business under the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance (SAFA) route, or up to £2 million under the GBER Energy and Environment Aid rules for qualifying projects.
The application process
The process has five stages:
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Expression of interest — submit a brief online form describing the project, technology, estimated cost, and energy savings. Welsh Government uses this to confirm eligibility before you invest time in a full application.
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Full application — a more detailed submission covering business information, project specification, cost breakdown, energy baseline, projected savings, and procurement approach. You will need a technical specification from a qualified installer.
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Scoring — applications are scored on economic impact, carbon reduction, Welsh language considerations (a statement of intent is sufficient for most businesses), and value for money.
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Award letter — if successful, you receive a formal award letter setting out the grant amount, conditions, and reporting requirements.
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Claim and payment — the grant is paid in arrears on submission of invoices and evidence of installation. Welsh Government typically pays within 30 days of a valid claim.
The full process from expression of interest to award letter has been running at 8 to 16 weeks in recent rounds.
What you need to start
To submit an expression of interest, you need:
- A basic project description (technology, site, approximate scale)
- An estimate of current annual energy consumption and cost
- Confirmation that your business trades in Wales and owns or long-leases the property
To progress to a full application, you will need:
- A formal technical specification from an MCS-certified installer (for sub-50 kW) or an appropriately qualified engineer (above 50 kW)
- A PVGIS-modelled generation estimate with financial payback analysis
- Evidence of property ownership or lease
- Three years of accounts or equivalent financial information
FLD provides a complete technical specification and generation model as part of our standard commercial quotation at no additional charge. The pack is formatted to meet Welsh Government’s application requirements.
The critical timing rule
Ynni Cymru requires that you apply and receive an award letter before committing to procurement. You cannot install the system, then apply retrospectively. This is the most common reason businesses miss out — they proceed with an installation before they know about the grant, and then find they are ineligible.
The practical implication: if you are considering commercial solar in Wales, submit an expression of interest at the same time as you begin getting quotes. The application does not commit you to proceeding, and it costs nothing.
Development Bank of Wales green loans alongside Ynni Cymru
A Ynni Cymru grant does not preclude a Development Bank of Wales green loan for the balance of the project cost. The Development Bank offers fixed-rate loans from £1,000 to £5 million for Welsh businesses, with a specific green loan product at competitive rates for energy projects. Combining a grant with a DBW green loan means a qualifying business can potentially install commercial solar with minimal or zero capital from its own balance sheet.
How to apply
The Ynni Cymru portal is at the Welsh Government Business Wales website. FLD can accompany the technical elements of your application. If you want to discuss a project before submitting an expression of interest, call Paul on 01792 680611 or use the contact page.