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Solar Panels in IV45 (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
16.1 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£630
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£5,587
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

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 749 kWh/kW — 66 below 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 749 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)
749 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: £630, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 16.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1499 kWh 599 kWh 899 kWh £162 £90 £252 £4,069 16.1 yrs £974
3 kW 2248 kWh 899 kWh 1349 kWh £243 £135 £378 £6,104 16.1 yrs £1,461
4 kW 2997 kWh 1199 kWh 1798 kWh £324 £180 £504 £8,138 16.1 yrs £1,948
5 kW 3747 kWh 1499 kWh 2248 kWh £406 £225 £630 £10,173 16.1 yrs £2,435
6 kW 4496 kWh 1798 kWh 2698 kWh £487 £270 £756 £12,207 16.1 yrs £2,922
7 kW 5246 kWh 2098 kWh 3147 kWh £568 £315 £883 £14,242 16.1 yrs £3,409
8 kW 5995 kWh 2398 kWh 3597 kWh £649 £360 £1,009 £16,276 16.1 yrs £3,896

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: £758, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 16.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1499 kWh 899 kWh 599 kWh £243 £60 £303 £6,169 20.3 yrs £-103
3 kW 2248 kWh 1349 kWh 899 kWh £365 £90 £455 £8,204 18.0 yrs £895
4 kW 2997 kWh 1798 kWh 1199 kWh £487 £120 £607 £10,238 16.9 yrs £1,893
5 kW 3747 kWh 2248 kWh 1499 kWh £608 £150 £758 £12,273 16.2 yrs £2,892
6 kW 4496 kWh 2698 kWh 1798 kWh £730 £180 £910 £14,307 15.7 yrs £3,890
7 kW 5246 kWh 3147 kWh 2098 kWh £852 £210 £1,061 £16,342 15.4 yrs £4,888
8 kW 5995 kWh 3597 kWh 2398 kWh £973 £240 £1,213 £18,376 15.1 yrs £5,887

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: £822, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 16.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1499 kWh 1049 kWh 450 kWh £284 £45 £329 £7,569 23.0 yrs £-992
3 kW 2248 kWh 1574 kWh 674 kWh £426 £67 £493 £9,604 19.5 yrs £262
4 kW 2997 kWh 2098 kWh 899 kWh £568 £90 £658 £11,638 17.7 yrs £1,516
5 kW 3747 kWh 2623 kWh 1124 kWh £710 £112 £822 £13,673 16.6 yrs £2,770
6 kW 4496 kWh 3147 kWh 1349 kWh £852 £135 £987 £15,707 15.9 yrs £4,024
7 kW 5246 kWh 3672 kWh 1574 kWh £994 £157 £1,151 £17,742 15.4 yrs £5,278
8 kW 5995 kWh 4196 kWh 1798 kWh £1,136 £180 £1,315 £19,776 15.0 yrs £6,532

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: £841, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 18.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1499 kWh 1094 kWh 405 kWh £296 £40 £337 £9,319 27.7 yrs £-2,589
3 kW 2248 kWh 1641 kWh 607 kWh £444 £61 £505 £11,354 22.5 yrs £-1,258
4 kW 2997 kWh 2188 kWh 809 kWh £592 £81 £673 £13,388 19.9 yrs £73
5 kW 3747 kWh 2735 kWh 1012 kWh £740 £101 £841 £15,423 18.3 yrs £1,404
6 kW 4496 kWh 3282 kWh 1214 kWh £888 £121 £1,010 £17,457 17.3 yrs £2,734
7 kW 5246 kWh 3829 kWh 1416 kWh £1,036 £142 £1,178 £19,492 16.5 yrs £4,065
8 kW 5995 kWh 4376 kWh 1619 kWh £1,184 £162 £1,346 £21,526 16.0 yrs £5,396

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: £854, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 20.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1499 kWh 1124 kWh 375 kWh £304 £37 £342 £11,069 32.4 yrs £-4,236
3 kW 2248 kWh 1686 kWh 562 kWh £456 £56 £512 £13,104 25.6 yrs £-2,854
4 kW 2997 kWh 2248 kWh 749 kWh £608 £75 £683 £15,138 22.2 yrs £-1,473
5 kW 3747 kWh 2810 kWh 937 kWh £760 £94 £854 £17,173 20.1 yrs £-91
6 kW 4496 kWh 3372 kWh 1124 kWh £913 £112 £1,025 £19,207 18.7 yrs £1,291
7 kW 5246 kWh 3934 kWh 1311 kWh £1,065 £131 £1,196 £21,242 17.8 yrs £2,673
8 kW 5995 kWh 4496 kWh 1499 kWh £1,217 £150 £1,367 £23,276 17.0 yrs £4,055

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: £867, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 22.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1499 kWh 1154 kWh 345 kWh £312 £34 £347 £13,519 39.0 yrs £-6,584
3 kW 2248 kWh 1731 kWh 517 kWh £468 £52 £520 £15,554 29.9 yrs £-5,151
4 kW 2997 kWh 2308 kWh 689 kWh £625 £69 £694 £17,588 25.4 yrs £-3,718
5 kW 3747 kWh 2885 kWh 862 kWh £781 £86 £867 £19,623 22.6 yrs £-2,285
6 kW 4496 kWh 3462 kWh 1034 kWh £937 £103 £1,040 £21,657 20.8 yrs £-852
7 kW 5246 kWh 4039 kWh 1206 kWh £1,093 £121 £1,214 £23,692 19.5 yrs £581
8 kW 5995 kWh 4616 kWh 1379 kWh £1,249 £138 £1,387 £25,726 18.5 yrs £2,014

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 IV45

Figures below are tailored to IV45 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2947 of 2997
14.0 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£581 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2949 of 2997
38.3% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£223 fixed • ~£581 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.06p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
61.00p/day
Local Sunshine
749kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~749 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

Eilean á Chèo, Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh

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

IV44 (Highland)
≈4.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~753 kWh/kWp · +1% vs IV45
IV46 (Highland)
≈6.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~782 kWh/kWp · +4% vs IV45
PH41 (Highland)
≈7.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~799 kWh/kWp · +7% vs IV45
IV43 (Highland)
≈11.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~742 kWh/kWp · -1% vs IV45
PH40 (Highland)
≈11.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~732 kWh/kWp · -2% vs IV45
PH39 (Highland)
≈16.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~735 kWh/kWp · -2% vs IV45

Similar sunshine across the UK

PA19 (Inverclyde)
~756 kWh/kWp · +1% vs IV45
DL11 (North Yorkshire)
~765 kWh/kWp · +2% vs IV45
G84 (Argyll and Bute)
~766 kWh/kWp · +2% vs IV45