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 IV51 (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
16.0 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£637
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£5,746
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 757 kWh/kW — 58 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 757 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)
757 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: £637, Upfront: £10,173, 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 1514 kWh 606 kWh 908 kWh £164 £91 £255 £4,069 16.0 yrs £1,025
3 kW 2271 kWh 908 kWh 1362 kWh £246 £136 £382 £6,104 16.0 yrs £1,537
4 kW 3028 kWh 1211 kWh 1817 kWh £328 £182 £509 £8,138 16.0 yrs £2,050
5 kW 3785 kWh 1514 kWh 2271 kWh £410 £227 £637 £10,173 16.0 yrs £2,562
6 kW 4542 kWh 1817 kWh 2725 kWh £492 £272 £764 £12,207 16.0 yrs £3,075
7 kW 5299 kWh 2119 kWh 3179 kWh £574 £318 £891 £14,242 16.0 yrs £3,587
8 kW 6056 kWh 2422 kWh 3633 kWh £655 £363 £1,019 £16,276 16.0 yrs £4,100

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: £766, Upfront: £12,273, 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 1514 kWh 908 kWh 606 kWh £246 £61 £306 £6,169 20.1 yrs £-42
3 kW 2271 kWh 1362 kWh 908 kWh £369 £91 £460 £8,204 17.9 yrs £987
4 kW 3028 kWh 1817 kWh 1211 kWh £492 £121 £613 £10,238 16.7 yrs £2,016
5 kW 3785 kWh 2271 kWh 1514 kWh £614 £151 £766 £12,273 16.0 yrs £3,045
6 kW 4542 kWh 2725 kWh 1817 kWh £737 £182 £919 £14,307 15.6 yrs £4,074
7 kW 5299 kWh 3179 kWh 2119 kWh £860 £212 £1,072 £16,342 15.2 yrs £5,103
8 kW 6056 kWh 3633 kWh 2422 kWh £983 £242 £1,225 £18,376 15.0 yrs £6,132

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: £830, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 16.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1514 kWh 1060 kWh 454 kWh £287 £45 £332 £7,569 22.8 yrs £-926
3 kW 2271 kWh 1590 kWh 681 kWh £430 £68 £498 £9,604 19.3 yrs £362
4 kW 3028 kWh 2119 kWh 908 kWh £574 £91 £664 £11,638 17.5 yrs £1,649
5 kW 3785 kWh 2649 kWh 1135 kWh £717 £114 £830 £13,673 16.5 yrs £2,936
6 kW 4542 kWh 3179 kWh 1362 kWh £860 £136 £997 £15,707 15.8 yrs £4,223
7 kW 5299 kWh 3709 kWh 1590 kWh £1,004 £159 £1,163 £17,742 15.3 yrs £5,511
8 kW 6056 kWh 4239 kWh 1817 kWh £1,147 £182 £1,329 £19,776 14.9 yrs £6,798

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: £850, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 18.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1514 kWh 1105 kWh 409 kWh £299 £41 £340 £9,319 27.4 yrs £-2,521
3 kW 2271 kWh 1658 kWh 613 kWh £449 £61 £510 £11,354 22.3 yrs £-1,156
4 kW 3028 kWh 2210 kWh 817 kWh £598 £82 £680 £13,388 19.7 yrs £209
5 kW 3785 kWh 2763 kWh 1022 kWh £748 £102 £850 £15,423 18.1 yrs £1,574
6 kW 4542 kWh 3315 kWh 1226 kWh £897 £123 £1,020 £17,457 17.1 yrs £2,938
7 kW 5299 kWh 3868 kWh 1431 kWh £1,047 £143 £1,190 £19,492 16.4 yrs £4,303
8 kW 6056 kWh 4421 kWh 1635 kWh £1,196 £163 £1,360 £21,526 15.8 yrs £5,668

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: £863, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 19.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1514 kWh 1135 kWh 378 kWh £307 £38 £345 £11,069 32.1 yrs £-4,167
3 kW 2271 kWh 1703 kWh 568 kWh £461 £57 £518 £13,104 25.3 yrs £-2,751
4 kW 3028 kWh 2271 kWh 757 kWh £614 £76 £690 £15,138 21.9 yrs £-1,334
5 kW 3785 kWh 2839 kWh 946 kWh £768 £95 £863 £17,173 19.9 yrs £82
6 kW 4542 kWh 3406 kWh 1135 kWh £922 £114 £1,035 £19,207 18.6 yrs £1,498
7 kW 5299 kWh 3974 kWh 1325 kWh £1,075 £132 £1,208 £21,242 17.6 yrs £2,915
8 kW 6056 kWh 4542 kWh 1514 kWh £1,229 £151 £1,380 £23,276 16.9 yrs £4,331

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: £876, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 22.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1514 kWh 1166 kWh 348 kWh £315 £35 £350 £13,519 38.6 yrs £-6,514
3 kW 2271 kWh 1749 kWh 522 kWh £473 £52 £525 £15,554 29.6 yrs £-5,046
4 kW 3028 kWh 2331 kWh 696 kWh £631 £70 £701 £17,588 25.1 yrs £-3,578
5 kW 3785 kWh 2914 kWh 870 kWh £789 £87 £876 £19,623 22.4 yrs £-2,110
6 kW 4542 kWh 3497 kWh 1045 kWh £946 £104 £1,051 £21,657 20.6 yrs £-642
7 kW 5299 kWh 4080 kWh 1219 kWh £1,104 £122 £1,226 £23,692 19.3 yrs £826
8 kW 6056 kWh 4663 kWh 1393 kWh £1,262 £139 £1,401 £25,726 18.4 yrs £2,294

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 IV51

Figures below are tailored to IV51 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2944 of 2997
13.9 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£587 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2943 of 2997
37.9% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£223 fixed • ~£587 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.06p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
61.00p/day
Local Sunshine
757kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~757 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

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

IV48 (Highland)
≈15.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~741 kWh/kWp · -2% vs IV51
IV56 (Highland)
≈15.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~769 kWh/kWp · +2% vs IV51
IV47 (Highland)
≈15.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~766 kWh/kWp · +1% vs IV51
IV55 (Highland)
≈22.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~779 kWh/kWp · +3% vs IV51
IV49 (Highland)
≈26.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~786 kWh/kWp · +4% vs IV51
IV42 (Highland)
≈29.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~677 kWh/kWp · -11% vs IV51

Similar sunshine across the UK

PA19 (Inverclyde)
~756 kWh/kWp · -0% vs IV51
DL11 (North Yorkshire)
~765 kWh/kWp · +1% vs IV51
G84 (Argyll and Bute)
~766 kWh/kWp · +1% vs IV51