TMS Grid Expands into Solar with the Launch of TMS Solar
TMS Grid has expanded into solar technology, acquiring Solar Capture Technologies and relaunching it as TMS Solar, bringing 38 years of UK solar engineering heritage into the Group.
TMS Grid Expands into Solar with the Launch of TMS Solar
TMS Grid has expanded into solar technology, acquiring Solar Capture Technologies and relaunching it as TMS Solar, bringing 38 years of UK solar engineering heritage into the Group.
38+ Years of solar R&D heritage · 2 world efficiency records · UK-Assembled, designed and assembled in Britain
A New Chapter for TMS Grid
The acquisition, completed by Washington Wealth Holdings Limited, creates a dedicated platform focused on solar technology, renewable energy and sustainable solutions, sitting alongside TMS Grid’s existing high-voltage grid connections work. It’s a natural pairing: TMS Grid has spent years connecting energy demand to the network, and TMS Solar now lets the Group generate it too.
“Solar and high-voltage power aren’t two different businesses, they’re two halves of the same grid. We’ve spent years connecting demand to the network. Now, with TMS Solar, we can generate it too. That’s not diversification, that’s completing the picture.”
Peter Eagle, Chief Executive Officer, TMS Grid
Three Decades of Record-Breaking Innovation
TMS Solar carries a genuine track record of UK solar firsts, spanning more than thirty years:
- 1990: set a world efficiency record for CdTe thin-film solar cells, with active layers thinner than a tenth of a human hair
- 2003: set a further world record of 18.3% Saturn cell efficiency, achieved through BP Solar engineering
- 2005: selected for a major UK roadside infrastructure contract, supplying emergency telephone units
- 2019: awarded a Trinity House tender for bespoke offshore navigation modules
- 2021: won Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Energy Entrepreneurs Fund backing for the Composite Solar Roof Tile
The Composite Solar Roof Tile
Leading the new portfolio is the Composite Solar Roof Tile, a patented, building-integrated solution that combines the function of a traditional roof tile with solar energy generation, offering a discreet, flush-finish alternative to conventional rooftop solar. Designed in the UK and assembled on TMS Solar’s own dedicated production line, it incorporates 42 high-efficiency Mono PERC solar cells within a fully laminated, watertight construction, with bypass diodes to reduce shading impact and a traditional tile interlock for straightforward installation. The tile is certified to Kiwa and MCS standards and has achieved a BROOF(T4) rating, the highest fire safety classification available for a roof system.
200W+ maximum power · 22.5% cell efficiency · 16kg tile weight, under half standard PV
7,194N wind uplift resistance · 15-year product warranty · 25-year electrical warranty · 90% output guaranteed at 20 years
All performance figures, including the wind uplift rating, are independently tested rather than manufacturer estimates.
Offshore, Marine and Specialist Solutions
TMS Solar also brings long-standing experience designing and assembling specialist offshore-grade GLA panels for harsh marine environments. Built using marine-grade aluminium, these panels are used on aids to navigation such as offshore buoys and remote lighthouse installations, supplied through the General Lighthouse Authorities framework to major maritime safety organisations, one of the most demanding proving grounds for outdoor solar equipment in the UK.
Alongside this sits an established, income-generating product range assembled at TMS Solar’s own UK facility, across two dedicated production lines:
- OEM Solar Panels: custom PV modules engineered for critical infrastructure, including roadside telephones, traffic loop counters and illuminated signage
- GLA Panels: marine-grade, offshore solar panels for buoys and lighthouse installations
- Composite Roof Tile: the patented, flush-finish building-integrated solar tile detailed above
UK Manufacturing and R&D Heritage
TMS Solar’s product range is underpinned by genuine research and development heritage. For many years the business ran a research team qualified up to PhD level, including in-house facilities for Laser Grooved Buried Contact (LGBC) solar cell processing, and a history of coordinating UK and EU collaborative research programmes. That expertise hasn’t left: former R&D specialists are now embedded within TMS Solar’s UK manufacturing and quality teams. Products are assembled and tested within an ISO Class 7 cleanroom environment, across two dedicated production lines, and the business holds ISO 9001, ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 accreditation. Genuine domestic fabrication is rare in this industry: TMS Solar is one of only two UK companies that fully fabricate conventional solar panels on British soil.
Looking Ahead
TMS Grid describes the acquisition as the beginning of a new chapter, positioning TMS Solar to expand its capabilities, develop new products, strengthen UK assembly and quality control, and support the wider renewable energy transition as part of the Group’s growing energy offering. Having established a credible platform and a proven product range, TMS Solar is now inviting the right partners, developers and communities to help take UK solar to its next stage of growth, whether through co-development, investment, or new routes to market.
Media Enquiries
Vanessa Grace, Marketing Associate, TMS Grid
Email: vanessa.grace@tmsgrid.com
Tel: +44 7414 990587 | +44 191 417 2222