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Solar Panels in EH8 (City of Edinburgh)

See if solar pays off for you in City of Edinburgh — 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
14.3 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£852
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£9,105
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 870 kWh/kW — 20 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 870 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)
870 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: £710, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 14.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1739 kWh 696 kWh 1044 kWh £180 £104 £284 £4,069 14.3 yrs £1,614
3 kW 2609 kWh 1044 kWh 1566 kWh £270 £157 £426 £6,104 14.3 yrs £2,421
4 kW 3479 kWh 1392 kWh 2087 kWh £360 £209 £568 £8,138 14.3 yrs £3,228
5 kW 4349 kWh 1739 kWh 2609 kWh £449 £261 £710 £10,173 14.3 yrs £4,036
6 kW 5218 kWh 2087 kWh 3131 kWh £539 £313 £852 £12,207 14.3 yrs £4,843
7 kW 6088 kWh 2435 kWh 3653 kWh £629 £365 £995 £14,242 14.3 yrs £5,650
8 kW 6958 kWh 2783 kWh 4175 kWh £719 £417 £1,137 £16,276 14.3 yrs £6,457

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: £848, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 14.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1739 kWh 1044 kWh 696 kWh £270 £70 £339 £6,169 18.2 yrs £616
3 kW 2609 kWh 1566 kWh 1044 kWh £405 £104 £509 £8,204 16.1 yrs £1,975
4 kW 3479 kWh 2087 kWh 1392 kWh £539 £139 £679 £10,238 15.1 yrs £3,333
5 kW 4349 kWh 2609 kWh 1739 kWh £674 £174 £848 £12,273 14.5 yrs £4,691
6 kW 5218 kWh 3131 kWh 2087 kWh £809 £209 £1,018 £14,307 14.1 yrs £6,049
7 kW 6088 kWh 3653 kWh 2435 kWh £944 £244 £1,187 £16,342 13.8 yrs £7,407
8 kW 6958 kWh 4175 kWh 2783 kWh £1,079 £278 £1,357 £18,376 13.5 yrs £8,765

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: £917, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 14.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1739 kWh 1218 kWh 522 kWh £315 £52 £367 £7,569 20.6 yrs £-233
3 kW 2609 kWh 1826 kWh 783 kWh £472 £78 £550 £9,604 17.5 yrs £1,401
4 kW 3479 kWh 2435 kWh 1044 kWh £629 £104 £734 £11,638 15.9 yrs £3,035
5 kW 4349 kWh 3044 kWh 1305 kWh £787 £130 £917 £13,673 14.9 yrs £4,669
6 kW 5218 kWh 3653 kWh 1566 kWh £944 £157 £1,100 £15,707 14.3 yrs £6,302
7 kW 6088 kWh 4262 kWh 1826 kWh £1,101 £183 £1,284 £17,742 13.8 yrs £7,936
8 kW 6958 kWh 4871 kWh 2087 kWh £1,259 £209 £1,467 £19,776 13.5 yrs £9,570

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: £938, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 16.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1739 kWh 1270 kWh 470 kWh £328 £47 £375 £9,319 24.8 yrs £-1,817
3 kW 2609 kWh 1905 kWh 704 kWh £492 £70 £563 £11,354 20.2 yrs £-101
4 kW 3479 kWh 2540 kWh 939 kWh £656 £94 £750 £13,388 17.8 yrs £1,615
5 kW 4349 kWh 3175 kWh 1174 kWh £820 £117 £938 £15,423 16.4 yrs £3,332
6 kW 5218 kWh 3809 kWh 1409 kWh £984 £141 £1,125 £17,457 15.5 yrs £5,048
7 kW 6088 kWh 4444 kWh 1644 kWh £1,148 £164 £1,313 £19,492 14.8 yrs £6,765
8 kW 6958 kWh 5079 kWh 1879 kWh £1,312 £188 £1,500 £21,526 14.3 yrs £8,481

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: £951, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 18.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1739 kWh 1305 kWh 435 kWh £337 £43 £381 £11,069 29.1 yrs £-3,457
3 kW 2609 kWh 1957 kWh 652 kWh £506 £65 £571 £13,104 23.0 yrs £-1,686
4 kW 3479 kWh 2609 kWh 870 kWh £674 £87 £761 £15,138 19.9 yrs £86
5 kW 4349 kWh 3262 kWh 1087 kWh £843 £109 £951 £17,173 18.0 yrs £1,857
6 kW 5218 kWh 3914 kWh 1305 kWh £1,011 £130 £1,142 £19,207 16.8 yrs £3,629
7 kW 6088 kWh 4566 kWh 1522 kWh £1,180 £152 £1,332 £21,242 15.9 yrs £5,400
8 kW 6958 kWh 5218 kWh 1739 kWh £1,348 £174 £1,522 £23,276 15.3 yrs £7,172

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: £965, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 20.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1739 kWh 1339 kWh 400 kWh £346 £40 £386 £13,519 35.0 yrs £-5,797
3 kW 2609 kWh 2009 kWh 600 kWh £519 £60 £579 £15,554 26.9 yrs £-3,970
4 kW 3479 kWh 2679 kWh 800 kWh £692 £80 £772 £17,588 22.8 yrs £-2,144
5 kW 4349 kWh 3348 kWh 1000 kWh £865 £100 £965 £19,623 20.3 yrs £-317
6 kW 5218 kWh 4018 kWh 1200 kWh £1,038 £120 £1,158 £21,657 18.7 yrs £1,509
7 kW 6088 kWh 4688 kWh 1400 kWh £1,211 £140 £1,351 £23,692 17.5 yrs £3,336
8 kW 6958 kWh 5358 kWh 1600 kWh £1,384 £160 £1,544 £25,726 16.7 yrs £5,163

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 EH8

Figures below are tailored to EH8 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2640 of 2997
12.5 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£976 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1630 of 2997
21.1% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£206 fixed • ~£976 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.84p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
56.55p/day
Local Sunshine
870kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~870 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

City of Edinburgh (100%)

Areas Covered

Craigentinny/Duddingston, Southside/Newington, City Centre, Leith Walk

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

EH99 (City of Edinburgh)
≈0.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~851 kWh/kWp · -2% vs EH8
EH1 (City of Edinburgh)
≈0.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~878 kWh/kWp · +1% vs EH8
EH7 (City of Edinburgh)
≈1.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~852 kWh/kWp · -2% vs EH8
EH2 (City of Edinburgh)
≈1.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~878 kWh/kWp · +1% vs EH8
EH3 (City of Edinburgh)
≈1.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~892 kWh/kWp · +3% vs EH8
EH9 (City of Edinburgh)
≈1.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~889 kWh/kWp · +2% vs EH8

Similar sunshine across the UK

M20 (Manchester)
~870 kWh/kWp · +0% vs EH8
AB10 (Aberdeen City)
~869 kWh/kWp · -0% vs EH8
AB11 (Aberdeen City)
~869 kWh/kWp · -0% vs EH8