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Solar Panels in EH35 (East Lothian)

See if solar pays off for you in East Lothian — 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
13.7 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£893
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£10,123
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 Southern Scotland, the current unit rate is 25.84p/kWh with a 56.55p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 911 kWh/kW — 62 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 911 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)
911 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: £744, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 13.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1823 kWh 729 kWh 1094 kWh £188 £109 £298 £4,069 13.7 yrs £1,886
3 kW 2734 kWh 1094 kWh 1640 kWh £283 £164 £447 £6,104 13.7 yrs £2,829
4 kW 3645 kWh 1458 kWh 2187 kWh £377 £219 £595 £8,138 13.7 yrs £3,772
5 kW 4556 kWh 1823 kWh 2734 kWh £471 £273 £744 £10,173 13.7 yrs £4,714
6 kW 5468 kWh 2187 kWh 3281 kWh £565 £328 £893 £12,207 13.7 yrs £5,657
7 kW 6379 kWh 2552 kWh 3827 kWh £659 £383 £1,042 £14,242 13.7 yrs £6,600
8 kW 7290 kWh 2916 kWh 4374 kWh £754 £437 £1,191 £16,276 13.7 yrs £7,543

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: £889, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 13.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1823 kWh 1094 kWh 729 kWh £283 £73 £355 £6,169 17.4 yrs £941
3 kW 2734 kWh 1640 kWh 1094 kWh £424 £109 £533 £8,204 15.4 yrs £2,461
4 kW 3645 kWh 2187 kWh 1458 kWh £565 £146 £711 £10,238 14.4 yrs £3,981
5 kW 4556 kWh 2734 kWh 1823 kWh £706 £182 £889 £12,273 13.8 yrs £5,501
6 kW 5468 kWh 3281 kWh 2187 kWh £848 £219 £1,066 £14,307 13.4 yrs £7,022
7 kW 6379 kWh 3827 kWh 2552 kWh £989 £255 £1,244 £16,342 13.1 yrs £8,542
8 kW 7290 kWh 4374 kWh 2916 kWh £1,130 £292 £1,422 £18,376 12.9 yrs £10,062

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: £961, Upfront: £13,673, 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 1823 kWh 1276 kWh 547 kWh £330 £55 £384 £7,569 19.7 yrs £118
3 kW 2734 kWh 1914 kWh 820 kWh £495 £82 £577 £9,604 16.7 yrs £1,927
4 kW 3645 kWh 2552 kWh 1094 kWh £659 £109 £769 £11,638 15.1 yrs £3,736
5 kW 4556 kWh 3190 kWh 1367 kWh £824 £137 £961 £13,673 14.2 yrs £5,545
6 kW 5468 kWh 3827 kWh 1640 kWh £989 £164 £1,153 £15,707 13.6 yrs £7,354
7 kW 6379 kWh 4465 kWh 1914 kWh £1,154 £191 £1,345 £17,742 13.2 yrs £9,163
8 kW 7290 kWh 5103 kWh 2187 kWh £1,319 £219 £1,537 £19,776 12.9 yrs £10,972

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: £983, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1823 kWh 1330 kWh 492 kWh £344 £49 £393 £9,319 23.7 yrs £-1,459
3 kW 2734 kWh 1996 kWh 738 kWh £516 £74 £590 £11,354 19.3 yrs £437
4 kW 3645 kWh 2661 kWh 984 kWh £688 £98 £786 £13,388 17.0 yrs £2,332
5 kW 4556 kWh 3326 kWh 1230 kWh £860 £123 £983 £15,423 15.7 yrs £4,228
6 kW 5468 kWh 3991 kWh 1476 kWh £1,031 £148 £1,179 £17,457 14.8 yrs £6,124
7 kW 6379 kWh 4657 kWh 1722 kWh £1,203 £172 £1,376 £19,492 14.2 yrs £8,019
8 kW 7290 kWh 5322 kWh 1968 kWh £1,375 £197 £1,572 £21,526 13.7 yrs £9,915

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: £997, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1823 kWh 1367 kWh 456 kWh £353 £46 £399 £11,069 27.8 yrs £-3,093
3 kW 2734 kWh 2050 kWh 683 kWh £530 £68 £598 £13,104 21.9 yrs £-1,140
4 kW 3645 kWh 2734 kWh 911 kWh £706 £91 £798 £15,138 19.0 yrs £813
5 kW 4556 kWh 3417 kWh 1139 kWh £883 £114 £997 £17,173 17.2 yrs £2,767
6 kW 5468 kWh 4101 kWh 1367 kWh £1,060 £137 £1,196 £19,207 16.1 yrs £4,720
7 kW 6379 kWh 4784 kWh 1595 kWh £1,236 £159 £1,396 £21,242 15.2 yrs £6,673
8 kW 7290 kWh 5468 kWh 1823 kWh £1,413 £182 £1,595 £23,276 14.6 yrs £8,627

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: £1,011, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1823 kWh 1403 kWh 419 kWh £363 £42 £405 £13,519 33.4 yrs £-5,428
3 kW 2734 kWh 2105 kWh 629 kWh £544 £63 £607 £15,554 25.6 yrs £-3,417
4 kW 3645 kWh 2807 kWh 838 kWh £725 £84 £809 £17,588 21.7 yrs £-1,406
5 kW 4556 kWh 3509 kWh 1048 kWh £907 £105 £1,011 £19,623 19.4 yrs £605
6 kW 5468 kWh 4210 kWh 1258 kWh £1,088 £126 £1,214 £21,657 17.8 yrs £2,616
7 kW 6379 kWh 4912 kWh 1467 kWh £1,269 £147 £1,416 £23,692 16.7 yrs £4,628
8 kW 7290 kWh 5614 kWh 1677 kWh £1,451 £168 £1,618 £25,726 15.9 yrs £6,639

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 EH35

Figures below are tailored to EH35 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2207 of 2997
11.9 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£1,023 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1435 of 2997
20.2% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£206 fixed • ~£1,023 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.84p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
56.55p/day
Local Sunshine
911kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~911 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

East Lothian (100%)

Areas Covered

Haddington and Lammermuir, Tranent, Wallyford and Macmerry

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 Southern Scotland

EH33 (East Lothian)
≈3.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~912 kWh/kWp · +0% vs EH35
EH34 (East Lothian)
≈3.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~913 kWh/kWp · +0% vs EH35
EH37 (Midlothian)
≈5.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~888 kWh/kWp · -3% vs EH35
EH32 (East Lothian)
≈5.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~897 kWh/kWp · -2% vs EH35
EH21 (East Lothian)
≈7.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~893 kWh/kWp · -2% vs EH35
EH22 (Midlothian)
≈7.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~881 kWh/kWp · -3% vs EH35

Similar sunshine across the UK

WA9 (St. Helens)
~911 kWh/kWp · -0% vs EH35
DD3 (Dundee City)
~911 kWh/kWp · +0% vs EH35
ST2 (Stoke-on-Trent)
~911 kWh/kWp · -0% vs EH35