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 IV19 (Highland)

See if solar pays off for you in Highland — 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
14.1 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£724
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£7,920
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 Northern Scotland, the current unit rate is 27.06p/kWh with a 61.00p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 860 kWh/kW — 45 above the regional median (815).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 5.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 860 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 27.1p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
27.1p/kWh
Standing charge
61.0p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
860 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: £724, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 14.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1721 kWh 688 kWh 1032 kWh £186 £103 £289 £4,069 14.1 yrs £1,721
3 kW 2581 kWh 1032 kWh 1549 kWh £279 £155 £434 £6,104 14.1 yrs £2,581
4 kW 3441 kWh 1377 kWh 2065 kWh £372 £206 £579 £8,138 14.1 yrs £3,441
5 kW 4302 kWh 1721 kWh 2581 kWh £466 £258 £724 £10,173 14.1 yrs £4,302
6 kW 5162 kWh 2065 kWh 3097 kWh £559 £310 £868 £12,207 14.1 yrs £5,162
7 kW 6022 kWh 2409 kWh 3613 kWh £652 £361 £1,013 £14,242 14.1 yrs £6,022
8 kW 6883 kWh 2753 kWh 4130 kWh £745 £413 £1,158 £16,276 14.1 yrs £6,883

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: £870, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 14.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1721 kWh 1032 kWh 688 kWh £279 £69 £348 £6,169 17.7 yrs £795
3 kW 2581 kWh 1549 kWh 1032 kWh £419 £103 £522 £8,204 15.7 yrs £2,242
4 kW 3441 kWh 2065 kWh 1377 kWh £559 £138 £696 £10,238 14.7 yrs £3,690
5 kW 4302 kWh 2581 kWh 1721 kWh £698 £172 £870 £12,273 14.1 yrs £5,137
6 kW 5162 kWh 3097 kWh 2065 kWh £838 £206 £1,045 £14,307 13.7 yrs £6,585
7 kW 6022 kWh 3613 kWh 2409 kWh £978 £241 £1,219 £16,342 13.4 yrs £8,032
8 kW 6883 kWh 4130 kWh 2753 kWh £1,117 £275 £1,393 £18,376 13.2 yrs £9,479

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: £944, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 14.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1721 kWh 1204 kWh 516 kWh £326 £52 £378 £7,569 20.0 yrs £-18
3 kW 2581 kWh 1807 kWh 774 kWh £489 £77 £566 £9,604 17.0 yrs £1,723
4 kW 3441 kWh 2409 kWh 1032 kWh £652 £103 £755 £11,638 15.4 yrs £3,464
5 kW 4302 kWh 3011 kWh 1290 kWh £815 £129 £944 £13,673 14.5 yrs £5,205
6 kW 5162 kWh 3613 kWh 1549 kWh £978 £155 £1,133 £15,707 13.9 yrs £6,946
7 kW 6022 kWh 4216 kWh 1807 kWh £1,141 £181 £1,321 £17,742 13.4 yrs £8,687
8 kW 6883 kWh 4818 kWh 2065 kWh £1,304 £206 £1,510 £19,776 13.1 yrs £10,428

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: £966, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 16.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1721 kWh 1256 kWh 465 kWh £340 £46 £386 £9,319 24.1 yrs £-1,592
3 kW 2581 kWh 1884 kWh 697 kWh £510 £70 £580 £11,354 19.6 yrs £237
4 kW 3441 kWh 2512 kWh 929 kWh £680 £93 £773 £13,388 17.3 yrs £2,066
5 kW 4302 kWh 3140 kWh 1161 kWh £850 £116 £966 £15,423 16.0 yrs £3,895
6 kW 5162 kWh 3768 kWh 1394 kWh £1,020 £139 £1,159 £17,457 15.1 yrs £5,724
7 kW 6022 kWh 4396 kWh 1626 kWh £1,190 £163 £1,352 £19,492 14.4 yrs £7,553
8 kW 6883 kWh 5024 kWh 1858 kWh £1,360 £186 £1,545 £21,526 13.9 yrs £9,382

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: £981, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1721 kWh 1290 kWh 430 kWh £349 £43 £392 £11,069 28.2 yrs £-3,225
3 kW 2581 kWh 1936 kWh 645 kWh £524 £65 £588 £13,104 22.3 yrs £-1,337
4 kW 3441 kWh 2581 kWh 860 kWh £698 £86 £784 £15,138 19.3 yrs £551
5 kW 4302 kWh 3226 kWh 1075 kWh £873 £108 £981 £17,173 17.5 yrs £2,439
6 kW 5162 kWh 3871 kWh 1290 kWh £1,048 £129 £1,177 £19,207 16.3 yrs £4,326
7 kW 6022 kWh 4517 kWh 1506 kWh £1,222 £151 £1,373 £21,242 15.5 yrs £6,214
8 kW 6883 kWh 5162 kWh 1721 kWh £1,397 £172 £1,569 £23,276 14.8 yrs £8,102

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: £995, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1721 kWh 1325 kWh 396 kWh £359 £40 £398 £13,519 34.0 yrs £-5,557
3 kW 2581 kWh 1987 kWh 594 kWh £538 £59 £597 £15,554 26.0 yrs £-3,611
4 kW 3441 kWh 2650 kWh 792 kWh £717 £79 £796 £17,588 22.1 yrs £-1,664
5 kW 4302 kWh 3312 kWh 989 kWh £896 £99 £995 £19,623 19.7 yrs £282
6 kW 5162 kWh 3975 kWh 1187 kWh £1,076 £119 £1,194 £21,657 18.1 yrs £2,229
7 kW 6022 kWh 4637 kWh 1385 kWh £1,255 £139 £1,393 £23,692 17.0 yrs £4,175
8 kW 6883 kWh 5300 kWh 1583 kWh £1,434 £158 £1,592 £25,726 16.2 yrs £6,122

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 IV19

Figures below are tailored to IV19 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2491 of 2997
12.2 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£667 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2787 of 2997
33.4% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£223 fixed • ~£667 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.06p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
61.00p/day
Local Sunshine
860kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~860 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
5.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

Local Property Data

Property Types

No EPC data available for this outcode

Coverage

Highland (100%)

Areas Covered

Tain and Easter Ross, East Sutherland and Edderton

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 Northern Scotland

IV25 (Highland)
≈8.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~822 kWh/kWp · -4% vs IV19
IV20 (Highland)
≈9.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~814 kWh/kWp · -5% vs IV19
IV11 (Highland)
≈14.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~801 kWh/kWp · -7% vs IV19
IV18 (Highland)
≈14.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~829 kWh/kWp · -4% vs IV19
IV17 (Highland)
≈17.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~839 kWh/kWp · -3% vs IV19
KW10 (Highland)
≈18.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~801 kWh/kWp · -7% vs IV19

Similar sunshine across the UK

FK1 (Falkirk)
~860 kWh/kWp · -0% vs IV19
BT51 (Causeway Coast and Glens)
~860 kWh/kWp · +0% vs IV19
SK7 (Stockport)
~861 kWh/kWp · +0% vs IV19