Who can apply
Salix is open to: schools and academies, FE colleges, NHS Trusts, central and local government, universities, blue-light services, registered charities operating in the public interest. Private companies cannot apply — but a PPA-based finance model can mimic the same cashflow profile.
How the loan structure works
Salix loans are interest-free (0% APR), repaid in equal annual instalments from the projected energy bill savings. Repayment periods typically run from five to eight years, set by how quickly the project pays back. Application requires a project savings forecast — KMM produces this as part of the survey, modelled against your half-hourly data.
The application timeline (real)
Week 0–2: Pre-application call with Salix and KMM to verify project eligibility. Week 2–6: Application drafted with Salix portal — financial savings forecast, project programme, supplier quote (KMM provides bound-in quote with installation programme). Week 6–10: Salix decision (median 6 weeks). Week 10+: Loan offer issued, signed, project starts. The Rutland school case study took 7 weeks from kick-off to award.
What Salix audits in the application
Five core checks: (1) Annual electricity baseline (HH data preferred, billed kWh acceptable). (2) Generation forecast (PVGIS or similar, ideally site-surveyed). (3) Realistic savings projection (electricity bill saving — not gross generation × export tariff). (4) Project programme with delivery date. (5) Supplier credentials — MCS certified, financial standing, recent comparable installs. KMM submits all 5 routinely.
The biggest application mistakes we see
Three common errors: (1) Over-optimistic generation forecast — Salix benchmarks against MCS-certified PV models. (2) Treating gross generation as the saving — Salix wants saved kWh × import tariff, not all generated kWh × export. (3) Missing risk-adjusted contingency — most Salix awards require 5–10% contingency in the budget.
How the repayment works in practice
Loan is drawn down once installation invoices are paid. School/Trust then makes equal annual repayments over the loan period. Repayments come from operating budget against the energy bill saving. If actual savings exceed the model, the school keeps the surplus. If savings under-perform, the school still pays — though Salix has historically been flexible on schedules where the under-performance is documented.
Combining Salix with other funding
Salix can be stacked with: DfE LCSF (Low Carbon Schools Fund), public sector decarbonisation funding, university research grants. It can also be stacked with PPA models for the unfunded portion. Salix CANNOT be combined with: any grant that requires applicant to fund directly (mutually exclusive on a capital basis).
What happens when the loan is repaid
Once repaid, the solar system continues to generate savings for the remaining 20–25 years of its life — those savings flow to the school's operating budget unencumbered. Across a 25-year asset, the post-repayment savings dwarf the loan amount.
