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

Solar Panels in G46 (East Renfrewshire)

See if solar pays off for you in East Renfrewshire — 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
15.0 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£816
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,197
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 833 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)
833 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: £680, Upfront: £10,173, 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 1665 kWh 666 kWh 999 kWh £172 £100 £272 £4,069 15.0 yrs £1,372
3 kW 2498 kWh 999 kWh 1499 kWh £258 £150 £408 £6,104 15.0 yrs £2,058
4 kW 3331 kWh 1332 kWh 1998 kWh £344 £200 £544 £8,138 15.0 yrs £2,744
5 kW 4163 kWh 1665 kWh 2498 kWh £430 £250 £680 £10,173 15.0 yrs £3,430
6 kW 4996 kWh 1998 kWh 2998 kWh £516 £300 £816 £12,207 15.0 yrs £4,116
7 kW 5829 kWh 2331 kWh 3497 kWh £602 £350 £952 £14,242 15.0 yrs £4,802
8 kW 6661 kWh 2665 kWh 3997 kWh £689 £400 £1,088 £16,276 15.0 yrs £5,488

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: £812, 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 1665 kWh 999 kWh 666 kWh £258 £67 £325 £6,169 19.0 yrs £327
3 kW 2498 kWh 1499 kWh 999 kWh £387 £100 £487 £8,204 16.8 yrs £1,541
4 kW 3331 kWh 1998 kWh 1332 kWh £516 £133 £650 £10,238 15.8 yrs £2,754
5 kW 4163 kWh 2498 kWh 1665 kWh £645 £167 £812 £12,273 15.1 yrs £3,968
6 kW 4996 kWh 2998 kWh 1998 kWh £775 £200 £974 £14,307 14.7 yrs £5,181
7 kW 5829 kWh 3497 kWh 2331 kWh £904 £233 £1,137 £16,342 14.4 yrs £6,395
8 kW 6661 kWh 3997 kWh 2665 kWh £1,033 £266 £1,299 £18,376 14.1 yrs £7,609

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: £878, 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 1665 kWh 1166 kWh 500 kWh £301 £50 £351 £7,569 21.6 yrs £-545
3 kW 2498 kWh 1749 kWh 749 kWh £452 £75 £527 £9,604 18.2 yrs £932
4 kW 3331 kWh 2331 kWh 999 kWh £602 £100 £702 £11,638 16.6 yrs £2,409
5 kW 4163 kWh 2914 kWh 1249 kWh £753 £125 £878 £13,673 15.6 yrs £3,887
6 kW 4996 kWh 3497 kWh 1499 kWh £904 £150 £1,054 £15,707 14.9 yrs £5,364
7 kW 5829 kWh 4080 kWh 1749 kWh £1,054 £175 £1,229 £17,742 14.4 yrs £6,842
8 kW 6661 kWh 4663 kWh 1998 kWh £1,205 £200 £1,405 £19,776 14.1 yrs £8,319

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: £898, 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 1665 kWh 1216 kWh 450 kWh £314 £45 £359 £9,319 26.0 yrs £-2,137
3 kW 2498 kWh 1824 kWh 674 kWh £471 £67 £539 £11,354 21.1 yrs £-581
4 kW 3331 kWh 2431 kWh 899 kWh £628 £90 £718 £13,388 18.6 yrs £976
5 kW 4163 kWh 3039 kWh 1124 kWh £785 £112 £898 £15,423 17.2 yrs £2,532
6 kW 4996 kWh 3647 kWh 1349 kWh £942 £135 £1,077 £17,457 16.2 yrs £4,089
7 kW 5829 kWh 4255 kWh 1574 kWh £1,099 £157 £1,257 £19,492 15.5 yrs £5,645
8 kW 6661 kWh 4863 kWh 1799 kWh £1,257 £180 £1,436 £21,526 15.0 yrs £7,202

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: £911, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 18.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1665 kWh 1249 kWh 416 kWh £323 £42 £364 £11,069 30.4 yrs £-3,781
3 kW 2498 kWh 1874 kWh 625 kWh £484 £62 £547 £13,104 24.0 yrs £-2,172
4 kW 3331 kWh 2498 kWh 833 kWh £645 £83 £729 £15,138 20.8 yrs £-563
5 kW 4163 kWh 3123 kWh 1041 kWh £807 £104 £911 £17,173 18.9 yrs £1,046
6 kW 4996 kWh 3747 kWh 1249 kWh £968 £125 £1,093 £19,207 17.6 yrs £2,656
7 kW 5829 kWh 4372 kWh 1457 kWh £1,130 £146 £1,275 £21,242 16.7 yrs £4,265
8 kW 6661 kWh 4996 kWh 1665 kWh £1,291 £167 £1,458 £23,276 16.0 yrs £5,874

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: £924, 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 1665 kWh 1282 kWh 383 kWh £331 £38 £370 £13,519 36.6 yrs £-6,126
3 kW 2498 kWh 1923 kWh 575 kWh £497 £57 £554 £15,554 28.1 yrs £-4,464
4 kW 3331 kWh 2565 kWh 766 kWh £663 £77 £739 £17,588 23.8 yrs £-2,802
5 kW 4163 kWh 3206 kWh 958 kWh £828 £96 £924 £19,623 21.2 yrs £-1,140
6 kW 4996 kWh 3847 kWh 1149 kWh £994 £115 £1,109 £21,657 19.5 yrs £522
7 kW 5829 kWh 4488 kWh 1341 kWh £1,160 £134 £1,294 £23,692 18.3 yrs £2,184
8 kW 6661 kWh 5129 kWh 1532 kWh £1,325 £153 £1,479 £25,726 17.4 yrs £3,846

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
833kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~833 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 Renfrewshire (74%)|Glasgow City (26%)

Areas Covered

Giffnock and Thornliebank, Newlands/Auldburn, Greater Pollok, Newton Mearns South and Eaglesham, Newton Mearns North and Neilston

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.