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

Solar Panels in G32 (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
£821
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,324
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 838 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)
838 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: £684, 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 1676 kWh 670 kWh 1005 kWh £173 £101 £274 £4,069 14.9 yrs £1,406
3 kW 2514 kWh 1005 kWh 1508 kWh £260 £151 £411 £6,104 14.9 yrs £2,109
4 kW 3351 kWh 1341 kWh 2011 kWh £346 £201 £547 £8,138 14.9 yrs £2,812
5 kW 4189 kWh 1676 kWh 2514 kWh £433 £251 £684 £10,173 14.9 yrs £3,515
6 kW 5027 kWh 2011 kWh 3016 kWh £520 £302 £821 £12,207 14.9 yrs £4,218
7 kW 5865 kWh 2346 kWh 3519 kWh £606 £352 £958 £14,242 14.9 yrs £4,921
8 kW 6703 kWh 2681 kWh 4022 kWh £693 £402 £1,095 £16,276 14.9 yrs £5,624

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: £817, 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 1676 kWh 1005 kWh 670 kWh £260 £67 £327 £6,169 18.9 yrs £368
3 kW 2514 kWh 1508 kWh 1005 kWh £390 £101 £490 £8,204 16.7 yrs £1,601
4 kW 3351 kWh 2011 kWh 1341 kWh £520 £134 £654 £10,238 15.7 yrs £2,835
5 kW 4189 kWh 2514 kWh 1676 kWh £650 £168 £817 £12,273 15.0 yrs £4,069
6 kW 5027 kWh 3016 kWh 2011 kWh £779 £201 £980 £14,307 14.6 yrs £5,303
7 kW 5865 kWh 3519 kWh 2346 kWh £909 £235 £1,144 £16,342 14.3 yrs £6,537
8 kW 6703 kWh 4022 kWh 2681 kWh £1,039 £268 £1,307 £18,376 14.1 yrs £7,771

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: £883, 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 1676 kWh 1173 kWh 503 kWh £303 £50 £353 £7,569 21.4 yrs £-502
3 kW 2514 kWh 1760 kWh 754 kWh £455 £75 £530 £9,604 18.1 yrs £998
4 kW 3351 kWh 2346 kWh 1005 kWh £606 £101 £707 £11,638 16.5 yrs £2,497
5 kW 4189 kWh 2933 kWh 1257 kWh £758 £126 £883 £13,673 15.5 yrs £3,996
6 kW 5027 kWh 3519 kWh 1508 kWh £909 £151 £1,060 £15,707 14.8 yrs £5,495
7 kW 5865 kWh 4106 kWh 1760 kWh £1,061 £176 £1,237 £17,742 14.3 yrs £6,995
8 kW 6703 kWh 4692 kWh 2011 kWh £1,212 £201 £1,414 £19,776 14.0 yrs £8,494

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: £903, 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 1676 kWh 1223 kWh 452 kWh £316 £45 £361 £9,319 25.8 yrs £-2,092
3 kW 2514 kWh 1835 kWh 679 kWh £474 £68 £542 £11,354 20.9 yrs £-513
4 kW 3351 kWh 2447 kWh 905 kWh £632 £90 £723 £13,388 18.5 yrs £1,066
5 kW 4189 kWh 3058 kWh 1131 kWh £790 £113 £903 £15,423 17.1 yrs £2,644
6 kW 5027 kWh 3670 kWh 1357 kWh £948 £136 £1,084 £17,457 16.1 yrs £4,223
7 kW 5865 kWh 4281 kWh 1584 kWh £1,106 £158 £1,265 £19,492 15.4 yrs £5,802
8 kW 6703 kWh 4893 kWh 1810 kWh £1,264 £181 £1,445 £21,526 14.9 yrs £7,381

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: £917, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 18.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1676 kWh 1257 kWh 419 kWh £325 £42 £367 £11,069 30.2 yrs £-3,736
3 kW 2514 kWh 1885 kWh 628 kWh £487 £63 £550 £13,104 23.8 yrs £-2,104
4 kW 3351 kWh 2514 kWh 838 kWh £650 £84 £733 £15,138 20.6 yrs £-472
5 kW 4189 kWh 3142 kWh 1047 kWh £812 £105 £917 £17,173 18.7 yrs £1,160
6 kW 5027 kWh 3770 kWh 1257 kWh £974 £126 £1,100 £19,207 17.5 yrs £2,792
7 kW 5865 kWh 4399 kWh 1466 kWh £1,137 £147 £1,283 £21,242 16.6 yrs £4,424
8 kW 6703 kWh 5027 kWh 1676 kWh £1,299 £168 £1,467 £23,276 15.9 yrs £6,056

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: £930, 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 1676 kWh 1290 kWh 385 kWh £333 £39 £372 £13,519 36.3 yrs £-6,080
3 kW 2514 kWh 1935 kWh 578 kWh £500 £58 £558 £15,554 27.9 yrs £-4,395
4 kW 3351 kWh 2581 kWh 771 kWh £667 £77 £744 £17,588 23.6 yrs £-2,710
5 kW 4189 kWh 3226 kWh 964 kWh £834 £96 £930 £19,623 21.1 yrs £-1,025
6 kW 5027 kWh 3871 kWh 1156 kWh £1,000 £116 £1,116 £21,657 19.4 yrs £660
7 kW 5865 kWh 4516 kWh 1349 kWh £1,167 £135 £1,302 £23,692 18.2 yrs £2,345
8 kW 6703 kWh 5161 kWh 1542 kWh £1,334 £154 £1,488 £25,726 17.3 yrs £4,030

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
838kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~838 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

Shettleston, East Centre, Baillieston, Calton, Govan

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.