Solar Fast
Solar Fast was a UK-based residential solar panel installation company that served as the exclusive installation partner for Wickes Solar, completing 5,000+ UK installations before being acquired by the Wickes group in 2025 and rebranded into Wickes Solar.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersCastleford, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Solar Fast does
Solar Fast was a UK-based residential solar panel installation company founded in 2019 and headquartered in Castleford. Its core offering was end-to-end solar PV system installation for UK homeowners, including panels, inverters, and battery storage solutions, supported by flexible consumer finance (10% deposit, 5/10/15-year plans). The company operated as the exclusive installation arm of Wickes Solar, leveraging Wickes' nationwide retail and digital distribution channels for customer acquisition rather than building an independent sales pipeline. Under the Wickes Solar partnership, Solar Fast completed over 5,000 residential installations across the UK and held MCS accreditation required for UK renewable energy installations.
In 2025, Solar Fast was acquired by the Wickes group (Wickes Building Supplies Limited, itself part of the Travis Perkins group lineage) and consolidated into Gas Fast Ltd. The brand was subsequently absorbed into a unified Wickes Solar identity, with operations now wholly owned and controlled by the parent conglomerate. Prior to and during the acquisition, Solar Fast was a regional installation partner of HYXI (formerly HYXiPOWER) and received the Installers Award 2025 at HYXI's Europe partner conference, validating installation quality among HYXI's European network. The headcount is reported at 11-50 employees, consistent with a regionally concentrated specialist installer rather than a scaled national operator.
Solar Fast firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Solar Fast
- Legal name
- Solar Fast
- Website
- https://solarfast.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Solar Fast was a UK-based residential solar panel installation company that served as the exclusive installation partner for Wickes Solar, completing 5,000+ UK installations before being acquired by the Wickes group in 2025 and rebranded into Wickes Solar.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Solar Fast industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Solar Panel Installation Services
- NAICS
- Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)
- SIC
- Electrical Work (1731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro) (EUACALAJ)
Keywords
Where Solar Fast is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Castleford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
Solar Fast business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Solar Fast product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Solar Fast provided residential solar panel installation services in the UK, including solar PV systems, battery storage, and inverter solutions, paired with flexible consumer finance (10% deposit, 5/10/15-year plans). The company operated as the technical installation arm of Wickes Solar, completing over 5,000 installations nationwide before being acquired and rebranded into Wickes Solar under Gas Fast Ltd.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Residential Solar Panel Installation (Wickes Solar powered by Solar Fast) End-to-end residential solar PV system installation for UK homeowners, including solar panels, battery storage, and inverter solutions, with consumer finance options (10% deposit, 5/10/15-year plans). Originally delivered as Wickes Solar powered by Solar Fast, then consolidated under the unified Wickes Solar brand following acquisition.
- Battery and Inverter Solutions
Quantifiable outcome
- Wickes Solar has completed over 5,000 installations nationwide
Companies that use Solar Fast
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Solar Fast technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Solar Fast partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- HYXIcoreSolar Fast is a regional partner of HYXI (formerly HYXiPOWER) in Europe. HYXI held its Europe 2026 New Product Launch & Partners Conference in Amsterdam where Solar Fast was presented with the Installers Award 2025, recognizing excellence in solar installations among regional partners.
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Solar Fast competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Solar Energy UK member installers (e.g., Greentech, Midsummer Energy): UK-based residential and commercial solar PV installation firms operating in the same market as Solar Fast, competing on installation quality, MCS accreditation, and customer finance offerings.
- Solarcentury (Statkraft): Solarcentury was a leading UK solar PV installer and developer, providing residential and commercial solar installations before being acquired by Statkraft. It represents a directly comparable specialist installer profile to Solar Fast's pre-acquisition business.
Broad incumbents
- EDF Solar (EDF Renewables UK): EDF offers residential solar PV and battery installation services in the UK alongside its core energy supply business, competing with Solar Fast through cross-subsidized marketing and bundled energy-plus-solar propositions.
- E.ON Solar Solutions: E.ON provides residential solar panel and battery installations in the UK as part of its broader energy services portfolio, leveraging its large existing customer base to drive solar leads similar to how Wickes supported Solar Fast.
- British Gas Solar & Storage: British Gas offers residential solar PV, battery storage, and EV charger installations across the UK, leveraging its incumbent energy supplier brand and existing customer relationships to compete directly with Solar Fast's rooftop solar offering.
- Octopus Energy (Octopus Solar): Octopus Energy has expanded into residential solar and heat pump installation in the UK, leveraging its large consumer energy base and strong brand to compete with Solar Fast on rooftop solar and integrated energy solutions.
- Statkraft (UK solar operations): Statkraft acquired Solarcentury and operates UK residential and commercial solar installation activities, representing a larger incumbent that competes with Solar Fast on scale and financing capability.
Emerging players
- Hometree (Home Services): Hometree is a UK home energy services company offering residential solar, battery, and heat pump installations with subscription-style finance, serving a similar homeowner segment to Solar Fast with comparable bundled low-carbon home upgrade offerings.
Others
- GreenMatch Solar UK: GreenMatch operates a UK solar installer comparison and lead-generation platform, connecting homeowners with vetted installation firms including those competing with Solar Fast. While not a direct installer, it shapes customer acquisition dynamics for the entire UK residential solar installer market.
Regional players
- OYSTA Energy (formerly Swiftren): OYSTA Energy is a residential solar and battery installer operating in select UK regions with finance offerings, serving a comparable homeowner customer base to Solar Fast though with a more limited geographic footprint.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Solar Fast social profiles
Digital presenceSolar Fast financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Solar Fast leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Solar Fast funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Solar Fast M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Solar Fast
What does Solar Fast do?
Solar Fast provided residential solar panel installation services in the UK, including solar PV systems, battery storage, and inverter solutions, paired with flexible consumer finance (10% deposit, 5/10/15-year plans). The company operated as the technical installation arm of Wickes Solar, completing over 5,000 installations nationwide before being acquired and rebranded into Wickes Solar under Gas Fast Ltd.
Is Solar Fast a public or private company?
Solar Fast is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Solar Fast founded?
Solar Fast was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Solar Fast based?
Solar Fast is headquartered in Castleford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
Who are Solar Fast's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Solar Energy UK member installers (e.g., Greentech, Midsummer Energy) and Solarcentury (Statkraft). Broad incumbents are EDF Solar (EDF Renewables UK), E.ON Solar Solutions, British Gas Solar & Storage, Octopus Energy (Octopus Solar) and Statkraft (UK solar operations). Hometree (Home Services) is listed as an emerging player. GreenMatch Solar UK is listed as an others. OYSTA Energy (formerly Swiftren) is listed as a regional player.
Does Solar Fast have an API?
No public API is recorded for Solar Fast.
What industry is Solar Fast in?
Solar Fast's product category is Solar Panel Installation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMABAB, Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System), with a secondary code of EUACALAJ, Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro). Its NAICS code is 221114 and its SIC code is 1731.