Despite the lack of sunshine so far this summer, solar power is the favoured option for companies seeking to generate some of their own energy.

A survey commissioned by the energy consultancy EnergyTeam has found 54 per cent of small to medium companies would choose solar panels, while 44 per cent would prefer wind turbines to cut their reliance on power from the grid. About 13 per cent said their renewable energy preference would be to generate heat and power from biomass.