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

Solar Panels in FK8 (Stirling)

See if solar pays off for you in Stirling — 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
14.9 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£820
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,285
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 836 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)
836 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: £683, Upfront: £10,173, 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 1673 kWh 669 kWh 1004 kWh £173 £100 £273 £4,069 14.9 yrs £1,396
3 kW 2509 kWh 1004 kWh 1505 kWh £259 £151 £410 £6,104 14.9 yrs £2,093
4 kW 3345 kWh 1338 kWh 2007 kWh £346 £201 £546 £8,138 14.9 yrs £2,791
5 kW 4181 kWh 1673 kWh 2509 kWh £432 £251 £683 £10,173 14.9 yrs £3,489
6 kW 5018 kWh 2007 kWh 3011 kWh £519 £301 £820 £12,207 14.9 yrs £4,187
7 kW 5854 kWh 2342 kWh 3512 kWh £605 £351 £956 £14,242 14.9 yrs £4,885
8 kW 6690 kWh 2676 kWh 4014 kWh £692 £401 £1,093 £16,276 14.9 yrs £5,583

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: £816, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 15.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1673 kWh 1004 kWh 669 kWh £259 £67 £326 £6,169 18.9 yrs £355
3 kW 2509 kWh 1505 kWh 1004 kWh £389 £100 £489 £8,204 16.8 yrs £1,583
4 kW 3345 kWh 2007 kWh 1338 kWh £519 £134 £652 £10,238 15.7 yrs £2,811
5 kW 4181 kWh 2509 kWh 1673 kWh £648 £167 £816 £12,273 15.0 yrs £4,038
6 kW 5018 kWh 3011 kWh 2007 kWh £778 £201 £979 £14,307 14.6 yrs £5,266
7 kW 5854 kWh 3512 kWh 2342 kWh £908 £234 £1,142 £16,342 14.3 yrs £6,494
8 kW 6690 kWh 4014 kWh 2676 kWh £1,037 £268 £1,305 £18,376 14.1 yrs £7,722

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: £882, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 15.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1673 kWh 1171 kWh 502 kWh £303 £50 £353 £7,569 21.5 yrs £-515
3 kW 2509 kWh 1756 kWh 753 kWh £454 £75 £529 £9,604 18.2 yrs £978
4 kW 3345 kWh 2342 kWh 1004 kWh £605 £100 £705 £11,638 16.5 yrs £2,471
5 kW 4181 kWh 2927 kWh 1254 kWh £756 £125 £882 £13,673 15.5 yrs £3,963
6 kW 5018 kWh 3512 kWh 1505 kWh £908 £151 £1,058 £15,707 14.8 yrs £5,456
7 kW 5854 kWh 4098 kWh 1756 kWh £1,059 £176 £1,234 £17,742 14.4 yrs £6,948
8 kW 6690 kWh 4683 kWh 2007 kWh £1,210 £201 £1,411 £19,776 14.0 yrs £8,441

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: £902, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 17.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1673 kWh 1221 kWh 452 kWh £316 £45 £361 £9,319 25.8 yrs £-2,106
3 kW 2509 kWh 1831 kWh 677 kWh £473 £68 £541 £11,354 21.0 yrs £-534
4 kW 3345 kWh 2442 kWh 903 kWh £631 £90 £721 £13,388 18.6 yrs £1,038
5 kW 4181 kWh 3052 kWh 1129 kWh £789 £113 £902 £15,423 17.1 yrs £2,611
6 kW 5018 kWh 3663 kWh 1355 kWh £947 £135 £1,082 £17,457 16.1 yrs £4,183
7 kW 5854 kWh 4273 kWh 1581 kWh £1,104 £158 £1,262 £19,492 15.4 yrs £5,755
8 kW 6690 kWh 4884 kWh 1806 kWh £1,262 £181 £1,443 £21,526 14.9 yrs £7,327

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: £915, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 18.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1673 kWh 1254 kWh 418 kWh £324 £42 £366 £11,069 30.2 yrs £-3,750
3 kW 2509 kWh 1882 kWh 627 kWh £486 £63 £549 £13,104 23.9 yrs £-2,125
4 kW 3345 kWh 2509 kWh 836 kWh £648 £84 £732 £15,138 20.7 yrs £-500
5 kW 4181 kWh 3136 kWh 1045 kWh £810 £105 £915 £17,173 18.8 yrs £1,125
6 kW 5018 kWh 3763 kWh 1254 kWh £972 £125 £1,098 £19,207 17.5 yrs £2,751
7 kW 5854 kWh 4391 kWh 1464 kWh £1,135 £146 £1,281 £21,242 16.6 yrs £4,376
8 kW 6690 kWh 5018 kWh 1673 kWh £1,297 £167 £1,464 £23,276 15.9 yrs £6,001

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: £928, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 21.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1673 kWh 1288 kWh 385 kWh £333 £38 £371 £13,519 36.4 yrs £-6,094
3 kW 2509 kWh 1932 kWh 577 kWh £499 £58 £557 £15,554 27.9 yrs £-4,416
4 kW 3345 kWh 2576 kWh 769 kWh £666 £77 £743 £17,588 23.7 yrs £-2,738
5 kW 4181 kWh 3220 kWh 962 kWh £832 £96 £928 £19,623 21.1 yrs £-1,060
6 kW 5018 kWh 3864 kWh 1154 kWh £998 £115 £1,114 £21,657 19.4 yrs £618
7 kW 5854 kWh 4508 kWh 1346 kWh £1,165 £135 £1,299 £23,692 18.2 yrs £2,297
8 kW 6690 kWh 5152 kWh 1539 kWh £1,331 £154 £1,485 £25,726 17.3 yrs £3,975

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
836kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~836 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

Stirling (100%)

Areas Covered

Stirling North, Stirling West, Trossachs and Teith, Forth and Endrick, Stirling East

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.