Solar explained to clever people by people who are not trying to be clever

Solar Panels in EH25 (Midlothian)

See if solar pays off for you in Midlothian — 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
14.1 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£869
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£9,513
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

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 886 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.8p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.8p/kWh
Standing charge
56.5p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
886 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: £724, Upfront: £10,173, 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 1773 kWh 709 kWh 1064 kWh £183 £106 £290 £4,069 14.1 yrs £1,723
3 kW 2659 kWh 1064 kWh 1595 kWh £275 £160 £434 £6,104 14.1 yrs £2,584
4 kW 3546 kWh 1418 kWh 2127 kWh £366 £213 £579 £8,138 14.1 yrs £3,446
5 kW 4432 kWh 1773 kWh 2659 kWh £458 £266 £724 £10,173 14.1 yrs £4,307
6 kW 5318 kWh 2127 kWh 3191 kWh £550 £319 £869 £12,207 14.1 yrs £5,169
7 kW 6205 kWh 2482 kWh 3723 kWh £641 £372 £1,014 £14,242 14.1 yrs £6,030
8 kW 7091 kWh 2836 kWh 4255 kWh £733 £425 £1,158 £16,276 14.1 yrs £6,892

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: £864, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 14.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1773 kWh 1064 kWh 709 kWh £275 £71 £346 £6,169 17.8 yrs £746
3 kW 2659 kWh 1595 kWh 1064 kWh £412 £106 £519 £8,204 15.8 yrs £2,169
4 kW 3546 kWh 2127 kWh 1418 kWh £550 £142 £692 £10,238 14.8 yrs £3,592
5 kW 4432 kWh 2659 kWh 1773 kWh £687 £177 £864 £12,273 14.2 yrs £5,015
6 kW 5318 kWh 3191 kWh 2127 kWh £825 £213 £1,037 £14,307 13.8 yrs £6,438
7 kW 6205 kWh 3723 kWh 2482 kWh £962 £248 £1,210 £16,342 13.5 yrs £7,862
8 kW 7091 kWh 4255 kWh 2836 kWh £1,099 £284 £1,383 £18,376 13.3 yrs £9,285

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: £935, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 14.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1773 kWh 1241 kWh 532 kWh £321 £53 £374 £7,569 20.2 yrs £-92
3 kW 2659 kWh 1861 kWh 798 kWh £481 £80 £561 £9,604 17.1 yrs £1,612
4 kW 3546 kWh 2482 kWh 1064 kWh £641 £106 £748 £11,638 15.6 yrs £3,316
5 kW 4432 kWh 3102 kWh 1330 kWh £802 £133 £935 £13,673 14.6 yrs £5,019
6 kW 5318 kWh 3723 kWh 1595 kWh £962 £160 £1,122 £15,707 14.0 yrs £6,723
7 kW 6205 kWh 4343 kWh 1861 kWh £1,122 £186 £1,308 £17,742 13.6 yrs £8,427
8 kW 7091 kWh 4964 kWh 2127 kWh £1,283 £213 £1,495 £19,776 13.2 yrs £10,131

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: £956, Upfront: £15,423, 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 1773 kWh 1294 kWh 479 kWh £334 £48 £382 £9,319 24.4 yrs £-1,674
3 kW 2659 kWh 1941 kWh 718 kWh £502 £72 £573 £11,354 19.8 yrs £114
4 kW 3546 kWh 2588 kWh 957 kWh £669 £96 £765 £13,388 17.5 yrs £1,903
5 kW 4432 kWh 3235 kWh 1197 kWh £836 £120 £956 £15,423 16.1 yrs £3,691
6 kW 5318 kWh 3882 kWh 1436 kWh £1,003 £144 £1,147 £17,457 15.2 yrs £5,479
7 kW 6205 kWh 4529 kWh 1675 kWh £1,170 £168 £1,338 £19,492 14.6 yrs £7,267
8 kW 7091 kWh 5176 kWh 1915 kWh £1,338 £191 £1,529 £21,526 14.1 yrs £9,055

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: £970, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1773 kWh 1330 kWh 443 kWh £344 £44 £388 £11,069 28.5 yrs £-3,311
3 kW 2659 kWh 1994 kWh 665 kWh £515 £66 £582 £13,104 22.5 yrs £-1,467
4 kW 3546 kWh 2659 kWh 886 kWh £687 £89 £776 £15,138 19.5 yrs £377
5 kW 4432 kWh 3324 kWh 1108 kWh £859 £111 £970 £17,173 17.7 yrs £2,221
6 kW 5318 kWh 3989 kWh 1330 kWh £1,031 £133 £1,164 £19,207 16.5 yrs £4,066
7 kW 6205 kWh 4653 kWh 1551 kWh £1,202 £155 £1,358 £21,242 15.6 yrs £5,910
8 kW 7091 kWh 5318 kWh 1773 kWh £1,374 £177 £1,552 £23,276 15.0 yrs £7,754

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: £984, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1773 kWh 1365 kWh 408 kWh £353 £41 £393 £13,519 34.4 yrs £-5,649
3 kW 2659 kWh 2048 kWh 612 kWh £529 £61 £590 £15,554 26.4 yrs £-3,749
4 kW 3546 kWh 2730 kWh 815 kWh £705 £82 £787 £17,588 22.3 yrs £-1,848
5 kW 4432 kWh 3413 kWh 1019 kWh £882 £102 £984 £19,623 19.9 yrs £52
6 kW 5318 kWh 4095 kWh 1223 kWh £1,058 £122 £1,180 £21,657 18.3 yrs £1,953
7 kW 6205 kWh 4778 kWh 1427 kWh £1,235 £143 £1,377 £23,692 17.2 yrs £3,853
8 kW 7091 kWh 5460 kWh 1631 kWh £1,411 £163 £1,574 £25,726 16.3 yrs £5,754

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.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.84p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
56.55p/day
Local Sunshine
886kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~886 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 West, Penicuik

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.