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Solar panel cost in Midlothian (EH23)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for EH23 (Midlothian) in under a minute using official UK data. Start with the calculator, then get a no-obligation quote from an MCS-certified installer. You can also ask the SolarByPostcode assistant to sanity-check your roof, bills and plans.

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
11.6 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£9,767
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£843
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£11,303
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: The official cost per kW is lower above 4 kW, so a 5–6 kW system can pay back a little faster than a 3–4 kW system on otherwise identical assumptions.
  • 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

Panel costs: Uses March 2026 TIC mean installation costs: £1,827/kW up to 4 kW and £1,628/kW above 4 kW.

Other costs: Battery prices are modelled at £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 Southern Scotland, the current unit rate is 25.85p/kWh with a 64.17p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 860 kWh/kW — 10 above the regional median (850).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 6.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 860 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.9p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.9p/kWh
Standing charge
64.2p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
860 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: £702, Upfront: £8,139, Break-even: 11.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1719 kWh 688 kWh 1032 kWh £178 £103 £281 £3,256 11.6 yrs £2,363
3 kW 2579 kWh 1032 kWh 1547 kWh £267 £155 £421 £4,883 11.6 yrs £3,545
4 kW 3439 kWh 1375 kWh 2063 kWh £356 £206 £562 £6,511 11.6 yrs £4,726
5 kW 4298 kWh 1719 kWh 2579 kWh £444 £258 £702 £8,139 11.6 yrs £5,908
6 kW 5158 kWh 2063 kWh 3095 kWh £533 £309 £843 £9,767 11.6 yrs £7,089
7 kW 6017 kWh 2407 kWh 3610 kWh £622 £361 £983 £11,394 11.6 yrs £8,271
8 kW 6877 kWh 2751 kWh 4126 kWh £711 £413 £1,124 £13,022 11.6 yrs £9,452

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

3 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £839, Upfront: £10,239, Break-even: 12.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1719 kWh 1032 kWh 688 kWh £267 £69 £335 £5,356 16.0 yrs £1,353
3 kW 2579 kWh 1547 kWh 1032 kWh £400 £103 £503 £6,983 13.9 yrs £3,080
4 kW 3439 kWh 2063 kWh 1375 kWh £533 £138 £671 £8,611 12.8 yrs £4,806
5 kW 4298 kWh 2579 kWh 1719 kWh £667 £172 £839 £10,239 12.2 yrs £6,533
6 kW 5158 kWh 3095 kWh 2063 kWh £800 £206 £1,006 £11,867 11.8 yrs £8,259
7 kW 6017 kWh 3610 kWh 2407 kWh £933 £241 £1,174 £13,494 11.5 yrs £9,986
8 kW 6877 kWh 4126 kWh 2751 kWh £1,067 £275 £1,342 £15,122 11.3 yrs £11,712

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £907, Upfront: £11,639, Break-even: 12.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1719 kWh 1203 kWh 516 kWh £311 £52 £363 £6,756 18.6 yrs £498
3 kW 2579 kWh 1805 kWh 774 kWh £467 £77 £544 £8,383 15.4 yrs £2,497
4 kW 3439 kWh 2407 kWh 1032 kWh £622 £103 £725 £10,011 13.8 yrs £4,496
5 kW 4298 kWh 3009 kWh 1289 kWh £778 £129 £907 £11,639 12.8 yrs £6,495
6 kW 5158 kWh 3610 kWh 1547 kWh £933 £155 £1,088 £13,267 12.2 yrs £8,494
7 kW 6017 kWh 4212 kWh 1805 kWh £1,089 £181 £1,269 £14,894 11.7 yrs £10,493
8 kW 6877 kWh 4814 kWh 2063 kWh £1,244 £206 £1,451 £16,522 11.4 yrs £12,492

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

7.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £927, Upfront: £13,389, 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 1719 kWh 1255 kWh 464 kWh £324 £46 £371 £8,506 22.9 yrs £-1,088
3 kW 2579 kWh 1883 kWh 696 kWh £487 £70 £556 £10,133 18.2 yrs £992
4 kW 3439 kWh 2510 kWh 928 kWh £649 £93 £742 £11,761 15.9 yrs £3,073
5 kW 4298 kWh 3138 kWh 1161 kWh £811 £116 £927 £13,389 14.4 yrs £5,154
6 kW 5158 kWh 3765 kWh 1393 kWh £973 £139 £1,113 £15,017 13.5 yrs £7,235
7 kW 6017 kWh 4393 kWh 1625 kWh £1,136 £162 £1,298 £16,644 12.8 yrs £9,315
8 kW 6877 kWh 5020 kWh 1857 kWh £1,298 £186 £1,483 £18,272 12.3 yrs £11,396

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

10 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £941, Upfront: £15,139, Break-even: 16.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1719 kWh 1289 kWh 430 kWh £333 £43 £376 £10,256 27.3 yrs £-2,729
3 kW 2579 kWh 1934 kWh 645 kWh £500 £64 £564 £11,883 21.1 yrs £-594
4 kW 3439 kWh 2579 kWh 860 kWh £667 £86 £753 £13,511 18.0 yrs £1,541
5 kW 4298 kWh 3224 kWh 1075 kWh £833 £107 £941 £15,139 16.1 yrs £3,676
6 kW 5158 kWh 3868 kWh 1289 kWh £1,000 £129 £1,129 £16,767 14.9 yrs £5,812
7 kW 6017 kWh 4513 kWh 1504 kWh £1,167 £150 £1,317 £18,394 14.0 yrs £7,947
8 kW 6877 kWh 5158 kWh 1719 kWh £1,333 £172 £1,505 £20,022 13.3 yrs £10,082

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

13.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £954, Upfront: £17,589, Break-even: 18.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1719 kWh 1324 kWh 395 kWh £342 £40 £382 £12,706 33.3 yrs £-5,070
3 kW 2579 kWh 1986 kWh 593 kWh £513 £59 £573 £14,333 25.0 yrs £-2,881
4 kW 3439 kWh 2648 kWh 791 kWh £684 £79 £764 £15,961 20.9 yrs £-691
5 kW 4298 kWh 3310 kWh 989 kWh £856 £99 £954 £17,589 18.4 yrs £1,499
6 kW 5158 kWh 3971 kWh 1186 kWh £1,027 £119 £1,145 £19,217 16.8 yrs £3,689
7 kW 6017 kWh 4633 kWh 1384 kWh £1,198 £138 £1,336 £20,844 15.6 yrs £5,878
8 kW 6877 kWh 5295 kWh 1582 kWh £1,369 £158 £1,527 £22,472 14.7 yrs £8,068

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, 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.

Before you request quotes in Midlothian

Use the numbers above to sanity-check installer quotes. The main things to compare are system size, battery assumptions, payback claims, MCS certification, DNO paperwork and export assumptions.

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Check what MCS certification means

Understand DNO, G98 and G99 export limits

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Want a quote sanity check for EH23?

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This is a practical sanity-check request, not an instant quote promise. The Blue Ape quote route above remains available if you already want installer introductions.

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Insights for EH23

Figures below are tailored to EH23 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2329 of 2996
11.6 years (UK avg 10.8 years)
~£843 /yr • £9,767 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1836 of 2996
27.8% (UK avg 26.6%) drag on savings
£234 fixed • ~£843 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −20.2% West −20.2%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Seasonal solar output in EH23

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 24 Jan 42 Feb 74 Mar 103 Apr 115 May 108 Jun 109 Jul 99 Aug 79 Sep 53 Oct 35 Nov 19 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 39.9% of an average month (Dec–Feb)

Best / worst month: May / Dec

These figures show output per kilowatt (kW) of panels installed. In winter, a 1 kW system here produces about 29 kWh per month; the average month produces around 72 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 114 kWh in winter, or 287 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.85p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
64.17p/day
Local Sunshine
860kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~860 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
6.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

Local Property Data

Property Types

No EPC data available for this outcode

Coverage

Midlothian (100%)

Areas Covered

Midlothian South, Midlothian East, Dalkeith, Tweeddale West

Data Sources & Assumptions

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

Electricity rates: Ofgem price cap, Q3 2026

Installation costs: DESNZ/MCS data, March 2026 (TIC)

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 Southern Scotland

EH19 (Midlothian)
≈4.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~883 kWh/kWp · +3% vs EH23
EH22 (Midlothian)
≈5.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~881 kWh/kWp · +2% vs EH23
EH24 (Midlothian)
≈5.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~884 kWh/kWp · +3% vs EH23
EH37 (Midlothian)
≈5.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~888 kWh/kWp · +3% vs EH23
EH18 (Midlothian)
≈5.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~862 kWh/kWp · +0% vs EH23
EH20 (Midlothian)
≈7.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~883 kWh/kWp · +3% vs EH23

Similar sunshine across the UK

LL23 (Gwynedd)
~860 kWh/kWp · -0% vs EH23
PR5 (South Ribble)
~860 kWh/kWp · +0% vs EH23
BT54 (Causeway Coast and Glens)
~860 kWh/kWp · +0% vs EH23