UK Pilot Project Permit Checker

Energy and industrial pilot projects · Free screening tool

What this tool does

Setting up a small-scale energy or industrial pilot project in the UK — hydrogen production, battery storage, small-scale renewables, or similar — often means navigating a patchwork of permits, consents, and registrations spread across different regulators and written in dense legal language.

This tool asks you a short set of questions about your project and returns a plain-English list of the permits and consents you’re likely to need, with the specific rule that triggered each requirement. For example:

“As your pilot project involves storage of more than 2 tonnes of hydrogen, you will require Hazardous Substances Consent.”

It covers UK planning permission, hazardous substances consent, COMAH registration, environmental permits, F-gas certification, and more. Use it to get a quick picture of what you’ll need to investigate further, and who to contact.

This is a screening tool, not regulatory or legal advice. Permit requirements depend on many project-specific details and regulations change. Always confirm your obligations directly with the relevant regulator or a qualified advisor before proceeding. Each result links to the official guidance so you know exactly where to start.

Your information stays on your device

All processing happens instantly in your browser. Nothing you enter is sent to any server, stored anywhere, or visible to anyone — including us. There are no accounts, no cookies tracking your inputs, and no third-party scripts that could intercept your project details.

About your project

Answer the questions below about your pilot project. Leave any field blank if it’s not relevant. When you’re ready, click Check my permits to see your results instantly.

About your site
Does the project involve a change of land use?
Is the project on existing industrial or warehouse land?

Land currently used for manufacturing, processing, research and development, or similar industrial activities. Select No for greenfield or brownfield sites not currently in industrial use.

Location characteristics (tick all that apply)
Structures

Leave blank if no permanent structures are planned. Temporary or demountable structures may be treated differently in planning terms — if your project uses temporary structures only, seek pre-application advice from your local planning authority.

Total floor area being created across all new buildings and extensions. Used to determine whether the application is major development (threshold: 1,000 m²). Leave blank if no new floor space is being created.

Chemicals and substances

List any hazardous or regulated substances that will be stored or handled on site, with the maximum quantity that could be present at any one time.

Equipment and operations
Does the project involve equipment containing fluorinated gases (F-gases)?

Examples: refrigeration units, heat pumps, air conditioning, ORC systems.

Will the project involve emissions or discharges to air, water, or land?

For example: exhaust gases, process water discharge, leachate, or waste to land.

Does the project require a new or upgraded grid connection?
Energy generation and heat

Select any energy generation or heating equipment your project includes. Rules in this section assume non-domestic premises — if your project is on a domestic property, seek separate advice.

Equipment types (tick all that apply)

Total rated electrical output for solar PV, wind, or other electricity-generating equipment. Leave blank if not applicable or not yet determined.

Total rated thermal output for heat pumps, biomass heating, CHP, or other thermal equipment. Leave blank if not applicable or not yet determined.