Backup generator finance
Funding for standby generating sets that keep a site running through a power cut, from packaged canopied units to containerised plant with bulk fuel.
Whole-of-market — 60+ lenders searched, including
Can you finance a backup generator?
Yes, and standby generators are among the most straightforward assets in this sector to fund. A canopied or containerised set is a serial-numbered machine with a strong, liquid second-hand market, so funders can see genuine recovery value rather than lending purely against your covenant. The installation elements — the base, bunded fuel tank, cabling and automatic transfer switch — are site works and are treated more conservatively. Ownership of the premises helps but matters far less here than it does with fixed renewable plant.
Used kit: Yes. Low-hour used and ex-hire standby sets are actively traded and readily funded where hours and service records are documented.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
What would a backup generator cost per month?
Asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what the buttons show, with the equivalent APR beside it. Your exact rate depends on the asset, the term, the deposit and the lender.
Prime is an established, profitable business with clean credit. Specialist covers newer businesses and credit that needs explaining — the asset itself carries part of the risk, which is why finance is often available where an unsecured loan is not.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 5.15% flat rate (equivalent to 9.9% APR representative), you would repay around £628 a month; total amount repayable approximately £30,150, of which £5,150 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Rates shown are indicative flat rates with the equivalent APR alongside — the two are not the same number. Indicative only and does not constitute a quote or an offer of finance. Subject to status and lender approval.
How lenders treat it
Standby sets are the easiest sell in this corner of the market. Unlike a heat pump or a roof array, a canopied generator sits on a base and can be craned onto a lorry, and there is a deep international trade in used sets from recognised manufacturers. Funders therefore price the asset rather than relying solely on the trading covenant, which widens choice and helps tenants who could never fund a fixture. Running hours are the key valuation input, and standby units accumulate very few. The unfundable parts are the concrete plinth, the buried fuel line and the switchgear works, which some funders exclude. Where a site holds a demand response contract, that income can be presented as supporting evidence.
Makes and models we fund
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| FG Wilson P200-3 generator set | Standby diesel generating set |
| FG Wilson P500-1 generator set | Large standby generator set |
| Cummins C275 D5 generator set | Diesel standby generating set |
| Cummins C1100 D5A generator set | High output standby generator |
| Kohler KD Series generator | Industrial diesel generating set |
| FG Wilson HVO compatible sets | Renewable diesel ready generator |
| Cummins containerised standby plant | Containerised generator installation |
| Eaton automatic transfer switch | Automatic mains failure changeover panel |
| Riello UPS Master MPS | Uninterruptible power supply system |
| Bunded fuel tank and pipework package | Fuel storage and supply installation |
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
Who buys one
Cold stores and food producers who lose stock within hours, care homes and clinics with clinical continuity obligations, data-dependent offices, poultry units where ventilation failure is catastrophic, and event and hospitality venues. The trigger is generally a power cut that has already cost real money, an insurer or auditor asking about resilience, or a new contract that requires evidenced business continuity arrangements.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
How it is treated for tax
Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
Backup generator finance questions
Why is a standby generator easier to fund than solar?
Because it can be taken away. A canopied set sits on a plinth and can be lifted onto a lorry, and there is a busy resale market for used sets, so a funder has real security. A roof array bolted to your building offers nothing comparable.
Can I finance a standby set as a tenant?
Usually yes, and far more easily than fixed renewable plant. Because the generator is removable, the fixture problem largely disappears. Your landlord may still need to consent to the installation and the fuel storage, but the funding conversation is much more ordinary. Confirm where the set can stand and how it will be fuelled.
Does the fuel tank and installation get included?
Often partly. Bunded tanks supplied as a package with the set are usually funded; the concrete base, trenching and electrical works are site improvements and may be discounted. Ask the supplier to itemise the quote so we can see what is machine and what is installation.
Are used standby generators fundable?
Yes, and they are one of the few assets here where the used market is genuinely easy. Standby sets run very few hours, so a machine several years old can be barely used. Funders will want the hours meter reading, service records and ideally a load bank test.
Can the set run on renewable diesel?
Many modern sets are approved for HVO and manufacturers publish which models are suitable. It makes no difference to how the finance is assessed, though it can matter for your own reporting. Confirm approval with the supplier before ordering rather than afterwards. Fuel storage and bunding requirements are the same either way.
Get a quoteor call 0333 772 4864
Also in renewable energy and solar finance
- Commercial solar finance
- Solar carport finance
- Battery storage finance
- EV charger finance
- Rapid charger finance
- Air source heat pump finance
- Ground source heat pump finance
- Commercial heat pump finance
- Biomass boiler finance
- Anaerobic digester finance
- CHP unit finance
- Wind turbine finance
- Small wind turbine finance
- Hydrogen electrolyser finance
- Voltage optimisation finance
- Energy monitoring finance
- Building management system finance
- LED lighting retrofit finance
- Insulation retrofit finance
- Rainwater harvesting finance
- Water recycling system finance
- Waste compactor finance
- Recycling baler finance
- Carbon capture equipment finance
See everything we fund in renewable energy and solar finance →
Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Get your quote
Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
Prefer to talk? Call 0333 772 4864 · serving Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wakefield, Selby, Tadcaster & across North & West Yorkshire.