Solar explained to clever people by people who are not trying to be clever
Home Regions
Insights
Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in G5 (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
£8,307
After paying itself off, you're this much ahead

Ready to Get Started?

Get your free quote from Blue Ape Renewables. They'll connect you with MCS-certified installers in your area and handle all the paperwork.

Get Solar Quote →
4.8★ Trustpilot • Octopus Energy trusted partner • MCS certified • No obligation
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 837 kWh/kW — 13 below 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 837 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)
837 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 1674 kWh 670 kWh 1005 kWh £173 £100 £274 £4,069 14.9 yrs £1,401
3 kW 2511 kWh 1005 kWh 1507 kWh £260 £151 £410 £6,104 14.9 yrs £2,102
4 kW 3349 kWh 1339 kWh 2009 kWh £346 £201 £547 £8,138 14.9 yrs £2,803
5 kW 4186 kWh 1674 kWh 2511 kWh £433 £251 £684 £10,173 14.9 yrs £3,503
6 kW 5023 kWh 2009 kWh 3014 kWh £519 £301 £821 £12,207 14.9 yrs £4,204
7 kW 5860 kWh 2344 kWh 3516 kWh £606 £352 £957 £14,242 14.9 yrs £4,905
8 kW 6697 kWh 2679 kWh 4018 kWh £692 £402 £1,094 £16,276 14.9 yrs £5,605

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 1674 kWh 1005 kWh 670 kWh £260 £67 £327 £6,169 18.9 yrs £362
3 kW 2511 kWh 1507 kWh 1005 kWh £389 £100 £490 £8,204 16.7 yrs £1,593
4 kW 3349 kWh 2009 kWh 1339 kWh £519 £134 £653 £10,238 15.7 yrs £2,824
5 kW 4186 kWh 2511 kWh 1674 kWh £649 £167 £816 £12,273 15.0 yrs £4,055
6 kW 5023 kWh 3014 kWh 2009 kWh £779 £201 £980 £14,307 14.6 yrs £5,287
7 kW 5860 kWh 3516 kWh 2344 kWh £909 £234 £1,143 £16,342 14.3 yrs £6,518
8 kW 6697 kWh 4018 kWh 2679 kWh £1,038 £268 £1,306 £18,376 14.1 yrs £7,749

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 1674 kWh 1172 kWh 502 kWh £303 £50 £353 £7,569 21.4 yrs £-507
3 kW 2511 kWh 1758 kWh 753 kWh £454 £75 £530 £9,604 18.1 yrs £989
4 kW 3349 kWh 2344 kWh 1005 kWh £606 £100 £706 £11,638 16.5 yrs £2,485
5 kW 4186 kWh 2930 kWh 1256 kWh £757 £126 £883 £13,673 15.5 yrs £3,981
6 kW 5023 kWh 3516 kWh 1507 kWh £909 £151 £1,059 £15,707 14.8 yrs £5,478
7 kW 5860 kWh 4102 kWh 1758 kWh £1,060 £176 £1,236 £17,742 14.4 yrs £6,974
8 kW 6697 kWh 4688 kWh 2009 kWh £1,211 £201 £1,412 £19,776 14.0 yrs £8,470

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 1674 kWh 1222 kWh 452 kWh £316 £45 £361 £9,319 25.8 yrs £-2,098
3 kW 2511 kWh 1833 kWh 678 kWh £474 £68 £542 £11,354 21.0 yrs £-522
4 kW 3349 kWh 2445 kWh 904 kWh £632 £90 £722 £13,388 18.5 yrs £1,053
5 kW 4186 kWh 3056 kWh 1130 kWh £790 £113 £903 £15,423 17.1 yrs £2,629
6 kW 5023 kWh 3667 kWh 1356 kWh £947 £136 £1,083 £17,457 16.1 yrs £4,205
7 kW 5860 kWh 4278 kWh 1582 kWh £1,105 £158 £1,264 £19,492 15.4 yrs £5,781
8 kW 6697 kWh 4889 kWh 1808 kWh £1,263 £181 £1,444 £21,526 14.9 yrs £7,357

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: £916, 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 1674 kWh 1256 kWh 419 kWh £324 £42 £366 £11,069 30.2 yrs £-3,742
3 kW 2511 kWh 1884 kWh 628 kWh £487 £63 £550 £13,104 23.8 yrs £-2,113
4 kW 3349 kWh 2511 kWh 837 kWh £649 £84 £733 £15,138 20.7 yrs £-484
5 kW 4186 kWh 3139 kWh 1046 kWh £811 £105 £916 £17,173 18.8 yrs £1,145
6 kW 5023 kWh 3767 kWh 1256 kWh £973 £126 £1,099 £19,207 17.5 yrs £2,773
7 kW 5860 kWh 4395 kWh 1465 kWh £1,136 £147 £1,282 £21,242 16.6 yrs £4,402
8 kW 6697 kWh 5023 kWh 1674 kWh £1,298 £167 £1,465 £23,276 15.9 yrs £6,031

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: £929, 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 1674 kWh 1289 kWh 385 kWh £333 £39 £372 £13,519 36.4 yrs £-6,086
3 kW 2511 kWh 1934 kWh 578 kWh £500 £58 £557 £15,554 27.9 yrs £-4,404
4 kW 3349 kWh 2578 kWh 770 kWh £666 £77 £743 £17,588 23.7 yrs £-2,722
5 kW 4186 kWh 3223 kWh 963 kWh £833 £96 £929 £19,623 21.1 yrs £-1,040
6 kW 5023 kWh 3868 kWh 1155 kWh £999 £116 £1,115 £21,657 19.4 yrs £642
7 kW 5860 kWh 4512 kWh 1348 kWh £1,166 £135 £1,301 £23,692 18.2 yrs £2,324
8 kW 6697 kWh 5157 kWh 1540 kWh £1,333 £154 £1,487 £25,726 17.3 yrs £4,006

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 G5

Figures below are tailored to G5 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2797 of 2997
13.0 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£940 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1862 of 2997
22.0% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£206 fixed • ~£940 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.84p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
56.55p/day
Local Sunshine
837kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~837 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

Southside Central, Govan, Pollokshields

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

G1 (Glasgow City)
≈1.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~835 kWh/kWp · -0% vs G5
G42 (Glasgow City)
≈1.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~836 kWh/kWp · -0% vs G5
G2 (Glasgow City)
≈1.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~835 kWh/kWp · -0% vs G5
G41 (Glasgow City)
≈1.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~832 kWh/kWp · -1% vs G5
G40 (Glasgow City)
≈2.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~834 kWh/kWp · -0% vs G5
G4 (Glasgow City)
≈2.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~835 kWh/kWp · -0% vs G5

Similar sunshine across the UK

BT81 (Derry City and Strabane)
~837 kWh/kWp · -0% vs G5
OL4 (Oldham)
~837 kWh/kWp · -0% vs G5
OL8 (Oldham)
~837 kWh/kWp · -0% vs G5