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

Solar Panels in G15 (Glasgow City)

See if solar pays off for you in Glasgow City — 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
£817
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,222
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 834 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)
834 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: £681, 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 1667 kWh 667 kWh 1000 kWh £172 £100 £272 £4,069 14.9 yrs £1,379
3 kW 2501 kWh 1000 kWh 1501 kWh £259 £150 £409 £6,104 14.9 yrs £2,068
4 kW 3335 kWh 1334 kWh 2001 kWh £345 £200 £545 £8,138 14.9 yrs £2,758
5 kW 4169 kWh 1667 kWh 2501 kWh £431 £250 £681 £10,173 14.9 yrs £3,447
6 kW 5002 kWh 2001 kWh 3001 kWh £517 £300 £817 £12,207 14.9 yrs £4,136
7 kW 5836 kWh 2334 kWh 3502 kWh £603 £350 £953 £14,242 14.9 yrs £4,826
8 kW 6670 kWh 2668 kWh 4002 kWh £689 £400 £1,090 £16,276 14.9 yrs £5,515

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: £813, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 15.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1667 kWh 1000 kWh 667 kWh £259 £67 £325 £6,169 19.0 yrs £335
3 kW 2501 kWh 1501 kWh 1000 kWh £388 £100 £488 £8,204 16.8 yrs £1,553
4 kW 3335 kWh 2001 kWh 1334 kWh £517 £133 £650 £10,238 15.7 yrs £2,771
5 kW 4169 kWh 2501 kWh 1667 kWh £646 £167 £813 £12,273 15.1 yrs £3,988
6 kW 5002 kWh 3001 kWh 2001 kWh £776 £200 £976 £14,307 14.7 yrs £5,206
7 kW 5836 kWh 3502 kWh 2334 kWh £905 £233 £1,138 £16,342 14.4 yrs £6,423
8 kW 6670 kWh 4002 kWh 2668 kWh £1,034 £267 £1,301 £18,376 14.1 yrs £7,641

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: £879, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 15.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1667 kWh 1167 kWh 500 kWh £302 £50 £352 £7,569 21.5 yrs £-537
3 kW 2501 kWh 1751 kWh 750 kWh £452 £75 £527 £9,604 18.2 yrs £945
4 kW 3335 kWh 2334 kWh 1000 kWh £603 £100 £703 £11,638 16.5 yrs £2,427
5 kW 4169 kWh 2918 kWh 1251 kWh £754 £125 £879 £13,673 15.6 yrs £3,909
6 kW 5002 kWh 3502 kWh 1501 kWh £905 £150 £1,055 £15,707 14.9 yrs £5,390
7 kW 5836 kWh 4085 kWh 1751 kWh £1,056 £175 £1,231 £17,742 14.4 yrs £6,872
8 kW 6670 kWh 4669 kWh 2001 kWh £1,206 £200 £1,407 £19,776 14.1 yrs £8,354

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: £899, Upfront: £15,423, 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 1667 kWh 1217 kWh 450 kWh £315 £45 £360 £9,319 25.9 yrs £-2,128
3 kW 2501 kWh 1826 kWh 675 kWh £472 £68 £539 £11,354 21.1 yrs £-567
4 kW 3335 kWh 2434 kWh 900 kWh £629 £90 £719 £13,388 18.6 yrs £994
5 kW 4169 kWh 3043 kWh 1126 kWh £786 £113 £899 £15,423 17.2 yrs £2,555
6 kW 5002 kWh 3652 kWh 1351 kWh £944 £135 £1,079 £17,457 16.2 yrs £4,116
7 kW 5836 kWh 4260 kWh 1576 kWh £1,101 £158 £1,258 £19,492 15.5 yrs £5,677
8 kW 6670 kWh 4869 kWh 1801 kWh £1,258 £180 £1,438 £21,526 15.0 yrs £7,238

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: £912, 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 1667 kWh 1251 kWh 417 kWh £323 £42 £365 £11,069 30.3 yrs £-3,772
3 kW 2501 kWh 1876 kWh 625 kWh £485 £63 £547 £13,104 23.9 yrs £-2,159
4 kW 3335 kWh 2501 kWh 834 kWh £646 £83 £730 £15,138 20.7 yrs £-545
5 kW 4169 kWh 3126 kWh 1042 kWh £808 £104 £912 £17,173 18.8 yrs £1,069
6 kW 5002 kWh 3752 kWh 1251 kWh £969 £125 £1,094 £19,207 17.5 yrs £2,683
7 kW 5836 kWh 4377 kWh 1459 kWh £1,131 £146 £1,277 £21,242 16.6 yrs £4,297
8 kW 6670 kWh 5002 kWh 1667 kWh £1,293 £167 £1,459 £23,276 15.9 yrs £5,910

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: £925, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 21.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1667 kWh 1284 kWh 384 kWh £332 £38 £370 £13,519 36.5 yrs £-6,117
3 kW 2501 kWh 1926 kWh 575 kWh £498 £58 £555 £15,554 28.0 yrs £-4,450
4 kW 3335 kWh 2568 kWh 767 kWh £664 £77 £740 £17,588 23.8 yrs £-2,783
5 kW 4169 kWh 3210 kWh 959 kWh £829 £96 £925 £19,623 21.2 yrs £-1,117
6 kW 5002 kWh 3852 kWh 1151 kWh £995 £115 £1,110 £21,657 19.5 yrs £550
7 kW 5836 kWh 4494 kWh 1342 kWh £1,161 £134 £1,295 £23,692 18.3 yrs £2,216
8 kW 6670 kWh 5136 kWh 1534 kWh £1,327 £153 £1,480 £25,726 17.4 yrs £3,883

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
834kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~834 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

Glasgow City (100%)

Areas Covered

Drumchapel/Anniesland, Garscadden/Scotstounhill, Kilpatrick

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.