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Solar Panels in EH39 (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
13.6 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£895
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£10,178
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 914 kWh/kW — 64 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 914 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)
914 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: £746, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 13.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1827 kWh 731 kWh 1096 kWh £189 £110 £298 £4,069 13.6 yrs £1,900
3 kW 2741 kWh 1096 kWh 1644 kWh £283 £164 £448 £6,104 13.6 yrs £2,850
4 kW 3654 kWh 1462 kWh 2192 kWh £378 £219 £597 £8,138 13.6 yrs £3,800
5 kW 4568 kWh 1827 kWh 2741 kWh £472 £274 £746 £10,173 13.6 yrs £4,751
6 kW 5481 kWh 2192 kWh 3289 kWh £567 £329 £895 £12,207 13.6 yrs £5,701
7 kW 6395 kWh 2558 kWh 3837 kWh £661 £384 £1,045 £14,242 13.6 yrs £6,651
8 kW 7308 kWh 2923 kWh 4385 kWh £755 £438 £1,194 £16,276 13.6 yrs £7,601

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: £891, 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 1827 kWh 1096 kWh 731 kWh £283 £73 £356 £6,169 17.3 yrs £958
3 kW 2741 kWh 1644 kWh 1096 kWh £425 £110 £535 £8,204 15.3 yrs £2,487
4 kW 3654 kWh 2192 kWh 1462 kWh £567 £146 £713 £10,238 14.4 yrs £4,016
5 kW 4568 kWh 2741 kWh 1827 kWh £708 £183 £891 £12,273 13.8 yrs £5,545
6 kW 5481 kWh 3289 kWh 2192 kWh £850 £219 £1,069 £14,307 13.4 yrs £7,073
7 kW 6395 kWh 3837 kWh 2558 kWh £991 £256 £1,247 £16,342 13.1 yrs £8,602
8 kW 7308 kWh 4385 kWh 2923 kWh £1,133 £292 £1,425 £18,376 12.9 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.

5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £963, 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 1827 kWh 1279 kWh 548 kWh £330 £55 £385 £7,569 19.6 yrs £137
3 kW 2741 kWh 1918 kWh 822 kWh £496 £82 £578 £9,604 16.6 yrs £1,955
4 kW 3654 kWh 2558 kWh 1096 kWh £661 £110 £771 £11,638 15.1 yrs £3,773
5 kW 4568 kWh 3197 kWh 1370 kWh £826 £137 £963 £13,673 14.2 yrs £5,592
6 kW 5481 kWh 3837 kWh 1644 kWh £991 £164 £1,156 £15,707 13.6 yrs £7,410
7 kW 6395 kWh 4476 kWh 1918 kWh £1,157 £192 £1,348 £17,742 13.2 yrs £9,228
8 kW 7308 kWh 5116 kWh 2192 kWh £1,322 £219 £1,541 £19,776 12.8 yrs £11,046

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: £985, 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 1827 kWh 1334 kWh 493 kWh £345 £49 £394 £9,319 23.7 yrs £-1,440
3 kW 2741 kWh 2001 kWh 740 kWh £517 £74 £591 £11,354 19.2 yrs £465
4 kW 3654 kWh 2667 kWh 987 kWh £689 £99 £788 £13,388 17.0 yrs £2,371
5 kW 4568 kWh 3334 kWh 1233 kWh £862 £123 £985 £15,423 15.7 yrs £4,276
6 kW 5481 kWh 4001 kWh 1480 kWh £1,034 £148 £1,182 £17,457 14.8 yrs £6,181
7 kW 6395 kWh 4668 kWh 1727 kWh £1,206 £173 £1,379 £19,492 14.1 yrs £8,086
8 kW 7308 kWh 5335 kWh 1973 kWh £1,379 £197 £1,576 £21,526 13.7 yrs £9,991

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: £999, 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 1827 kWh 1370 kWh 457 kWh £354 £46 £400 £11,069 27.7 yrs £-3,074
3 kW 2741 kWh 2055 kWh 685 kWh £531 £69 £600 £13,104 21.9 yrs £-1,111
4 kW 3654 kWh 2741 kWh 914 kWh £708 £91 £800 £15,138 18.9 yrs £852
5 kW 4568 kWh 3426 kWh 1142 kWh £885 £114 £999 £17,173 17.2 yrs £2,815
6 kW 5481 kWh 4111 kWh 1370 kWh £1,062 £137 £1,199 £19,207 16.0 yrs £4,778
7 kW 6395 kWh 4796 kWh 1599 kWh £1,239 £160 £1,399 £21,242 15.2 yrs £6,741
8 kW 7308 kWh 5481 kWh 1827 kWh £1,416 £183 £1,599 £23,276 14.6 yrs £8,704

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: £1,014, 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 1827 kWh 1407 kWh 420 kWh £364 £42 £406 £13,519 33.3 yrs £-5,408
3 kW 2741 kWh 2110 kWh 630 kWh £545 £63 £608 £15,554 25.6 yrs £-3,387
4 kW 3654 kWh 2814 kWh 840 kWh £727 £84 £811 £17,588 21.7 yrs £-1,366
5 kW 4568 kWh 3517 kWh 1051 kWh £909 £105 £1,014 £19,623 19.4 yrs £654
6 kW 5481 kWh 4220 kWh 1261 kWh £1,091 £126 £1,217 £21,657 17.8 yrs £2,675
7 kW 6395 kWh 4924 kWh 1471 kWh £1,272 £147 £1,419 £23,692 16.7 yrs £4,696
8 kW 7308 kWh 5627 kWh 1681 kWh £1,454 £168 £1,622 £25,726 15.9 yrs £6,717

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 EH39

Figures below are tailored to EH39 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2208 of 2997
11.9 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£1,026 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1415 of 2997
20.1% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£206 fixed • ~£1,026 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.84p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
56.55p/day
Local Sunshine
914kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~914 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

North Berwick Coastal, Haddington and Lammermuir

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

EH31 (East Lothian)
≈6.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~940 kWh/kWp · +3% vs EH39
EH40 (East Lothian)
≈8.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~932 kWh/kWp · +2% vs EH39
EH41 (East Lothian)
≈11.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~908 kWh/kWp · -1% vs EH39
EH42 (East Lothian)
≈14.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~913 kWh/kWp · -0% vs EH39
KY9 (Fife)
≈17.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~901 kWh/kWp · -1% vs EH39
EH32 (East Lothian)
≈18.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~897 kWh/kWp · -2% vs EH39

Similar sunshine across the UK

L24 (Liverpool)
~913 kWh/kWp · -0% vs EH39
DD9 (Angus)
~913 kWh/kWp · -0% vs EH39
LS4 (Leeds)
~913 kWh/kWp · -0% vs EH39