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Solar Panels in AB53 (Aberdeenshire)

See if solar pays off for you in Aberdeenshire — price, savings and payback in under a minute (official UK data).

Solar Calculator

Change the settings below to see how costs and savings work for your situation.

System Size

Roof Direction

Battery Storage

Export Value

Your Numbers

Break-even
14.0 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£726
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£7,965
After paying itself off, you're this much ahead

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How we calculate this

Solar generation: Based on typical south-facing roof at 35° angle. We account for weather, dirt, and system losses (14%).

How much you'll use directly:

  • Without battery: You'll use about 40% of what you generate. The rest gets sold back to the grid.
  • With 5 kWh battery: You'll use about 70% (battery stores extra for evening use).
  • With 10 kWh battery: You'll use about 75% (more storage means less exported).
  • Panel-only payback: Bigger systems don’t shorten payback—cost and savings rise together per kW.
  • Battery & payback: Batteries raise self-use and cut bills, but added hardware cost often lengthens break-even at typical UK rates.
  • When a battery can still make sense:
    • Evening-heavy usage patterns
    • Time-of-use tariffs / cheap night rates
    • Low export rate vs. high unit rate
    • Heat pump or EV charging synergy
    • Optional backup/resilience (system-dependent)
    • Lower evening-hour CO₂ vs. grid

Costs: Battery prices are typically £700 per kWh. Export tariffs vary by supplier (usually 5–15p per kWh).

Grid connection: Systems up to about 3.7 kW typically need just a notification (G98). Larger systems may need permission (G99).

These are typical values based on average usage patterns. Your actual results will vary based on your roof, shading, and how you use electricity.

Your area in context

In Northern Scotland, the current unit rate is 27.06p/kWh with a 61.00p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 862 kWh/kW — 47 above the regional median (815).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 5.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 862 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 27.1p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
27.1p/kWh
Standing charge
61.0p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
862 kWh/kW
Export price (baseline)
10p/kWh

Browse the scenarios below. Each battery size has its own expand — open the one that matches your plan (or just explore). For each system size (2–8 kW) we show annual output, how much you use directly, what gets exported, annual benefit, upfront cost, break-even, and a 20-year net. Negative numbers are possible — that’s the honest trade-off when adding more battery than your usage profile justifies.

No battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £726, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 14.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1725 kWh 690 kWh 1035 kWh £187 £103 £290 £4,069 14.0 yrs £1,735
3 kW 2587 kWh 1035 kWh 1552 kWh £280 £155 £435 £6,104 14.0 yrs £2,602
4 kW 3450 kWh 1380 kWh 2070 kWh £373 £207 £580 £8,138 14.0 yrs £3,470
5 kW 4312 kWh 1725 kWh 2587 kWh £467 £259 £726 £10,173 14.0 yrs £4,337
6 kW 5175 kWh 2070 kWh 3105 kWh £560 £310 £871 £12,207 14.0 yrs £5,205
7 kW 6037 kWh 2415 kWh 3622 kWh £653 £362 £1,016 £14,242 14.0 yrs £6,072
8 kW 6900 kWh 2760 kWh 4140 kWh £747 £414 £1,161 £16,276 14.0 yrs £6,940

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, battery £/kWh = 700.

3 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £873, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 14.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1725 kWh 1035 kWh 690 kWh £280 £69 £349 £6,169 17.7 yrs £812
3 kW 2587 kWh 1552 kWh 1035 kWh £420 £103 £524 £8,204 15.7 yrs £2,268
4 kW 3450 kWh 2070 kWh 1380 kWh £560 £138 £698 £10,238 14.7 yrs £3,724
5 kW 4312 kWh 2587 kWh 1725 kWh £700 £172 £873 £12,273 14.1 yrs £5,180
6 kW 5175 kWh 3105 kWh 2070 kWh £840 £207 £1,047 £14,307 13.7 yrs £6,636
7 kW 6037 kWh 3622 kWh 2415 kWh £980 £241 £1,222 £16,342 13.4 yrs £8,092
8 kW 6900 kWh 4140 kWh 2760 kWh £1,120 £276 £1,396 £18,376 13.2 yrs £9,548

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, battery £/kWh = 700.

5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £946, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 14.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1725 kWh 1207 kWh 517 kWh £327 £52 £378 £7,569 20.0 yrs £1
3 kW 2587 kWh 1811 kWh 776 kWh £490 £78 £568 £9,604 16.9 yrs £1,751
4 kW 3450 kWh 2415 kWh 1035 kWh £653 £103 £757 £11,638 15.4 yrs £3,501
5 kW 4312 kWh 3019 kWh 1294 kWh £817 £129 £946 £13,673 14.4 yrs £5,252
6 kW 5175 kWh 3622 kWh 1552 kWh £980 £155 £1,135 £15,707 13.8 yrs £7,002
7 kW 6037 kWh 4226 kWh 1811 kWh £1,144 £181 £1,325 £17,742 13.4 yrs £8,752
8 kW 6900 kWh 4830 kWh 2070 kWh £1,307 £207 £1,514 £19,776 13.1 yrs £10,502

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, battery £/kWh = 700.

7.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £968, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1725 kWh 1259 kWh 466 kWh £341 £47 £387 £9,319 24.1 yrs £-1,573
3 kW 2587 kWh 1889 kWh 699 kWh £511 £70 £581 £11,354 19.5 yrs £266
4 kW 3450 kWh 2518 kWh 931 kWh £681 £93 £775 £13,388 17.3 yrs £2,104
5 kW 4312 kWh 3148 kWh 1164 kWh £852 £116 £968 £15,423 15.9 yrs £3,943
6 kW 5175 kWh 3778 kWh 1397 kWh £1,022 £140 £1,162 £17,457 15.0 yrs £5,782
7 kW 6037 kWh 4407 kWh 1630 kWh £1,193 £163 £1,356 £19,492 14.4 yrs £7,620
8 kW 6900 kWh 5037 kWh 1863 kWh £1,363 £186 £1,549 £21,526 13.9 yrs £9,459

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, battery £/kWh = 700.

10 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £983, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1725 kWh 1294 kWh 431 kWh £350 £43 £393 £11,069 28.2 yrs £-3,205
3 kW 2587 kWh 1941 kWh 647 kWh £525 £65 £590 £13,104 22.2 yrs £-1,308
4 kW 3450 kWh 2587 kWh 862 kWh £700 £86 £786 £15,138 19.3 yrs £590
5 kW 4312 kWh 3234 kWh 1078 kWh £875 £108 £983 £17,173 17.5 yrs £2,487
6 kW 5175 kWh 3881 kWh 1294 kWh £1,050 £129 £1,180 £19,207 16.3 yrs £4,385
7 kW 6037 kWh 4528 kWh 1509 kWh £1,225 £151 £1,376 £21,242 15.4 yrs £6,282
8 kW 6900 kWh 5175 kWh 1725 kWh £1,400 £172 £1,573 £23,276 14.8 yrs £8,180

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, battery £/kWh = 700.

13.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £998, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1725 kWh 1328 kWh 397 kWh £359 £40 £399 £13,519 33.9 yrs £-5,537
3 kW 2587 kWh 1992 kWh 595 kWh £539 £60 £599 £15,554 26.0 yrs £-3,581
4 kW 3450 kWh 2656 kWh 793 kWh £719 £79 £798 £17,588 22.0 yrs £-1,625
5 kW 4312 kWh 3320 kWh 992 kWh £899 £99 £998 £19,623 19.7 yrs £331
6 kW 5175 kWh 3985 kWh 1190 kWh £1,078 £119 £1,197 £21,657 18.1 yrs £2,288
7 kW 6037 kWh 4649 kWh 1389 kWh £1,258 £139 £1,397 £23,692 17.0 yrs £4,244
8 kW 6900 kWh 5313 kWh 1587 kWh £1,438 £159 £1,596 £25,726 16.1 yrs £6,200

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, battery £/kWh = 700.

Figures are illustrative and use the same method as the calculator above. For exact results, adjust your roof direction, tariff, and usage in the calculator.

Insights for AB53

Figures below are tailored to AB53 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2445 of 2997
12.2 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£669 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2784 of 2997
33.3% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£223 fixed • ~£669 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.06p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
61.00p/day
Local Sunshine
862kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~862 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
5.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

Local Property Data

Property Types

No EPC data available for this outcode

Coverage

Aberdeenshire (100%)

Areas Covered

Turriff and District, Troup, Central Buchan, Banff and District, Mid Formartine

Data Sources & Assumptions

Solar yield: PVGIS (EU Joint Research Centre), January 2025 data

Electricity rates: Ofgem price cap, Q4 2025

Installation costs: MCS certified installer data, March 2025

Property data: EPC open data (Open Government Licence), aggregated

All estimates are typical values. Actual results vary based on your specific situation, roof characteristics, and usage patterns.

Compare nearby areas

Nearby in Northern Scotland

AB5 (Aberdeenshire)
≈14.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~873 kWh/kWp · +1% vs AB53
AB44 (Aberdeenshire)
≈14.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~852 kWh/kWp · -1% vs AB53
AB45 (Aberdeenshire)
≈15.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~848 kWh/kWp · -2% vs AB53
AB4 (Aberdeenshire)
≈22.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~873 kWh/kWp · +1% vs AB53
AB54 (Aberdeenshire)
≈22.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~842 kWh/kWp · -2% vs AB53
AB52 (Aberdeenshire)
≈24.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~853 kWh/kWp · -1% vs AB53

Similar sunshine across the UK

EH18 (Midlothian)
~862 kWh/kWp · +0% vs AB53
KY8 (Fife)
~862 kWh/kWp · -0% vs AB53
M45 (Bury)
~862 kWh/kWp · -0% vs AB53