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 KW16 (Orkney Islands)

See if solar pays off for you in Orkney Islands — 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
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£678
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£6,771
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 806 kWh/kW — 9 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 806 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)
806 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: £678, 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 1611 kWh 645 kWh 967 kWh £174 £97 £271 £4,069 15.0 yrs £1,353
3 kW 2417 kWh 967 kWh 1450 kWh £262 £145 £407 £6,104 15.0 yrs £2,029
4 kW 3223 kWh 1289 kWh 1934 kWh £349 £193 £542 £8,138 15.0 yrs £2,706
5 kW 4028 kWh 1611 kWh 2417 kWh £436 £242 £678 £10,173 15.0 yrs £3,382
6 kW 4834 kWh 1934 kWh 2900 kWh £523 £290 £813 £12,207 15.0 yrs £4,059
7 kW 5640 kWh 2256 kWh 3384 kWh £610 £338 £949 £14,242 15.0 yrs £4,735
8 kW 6445 kWh 2578 kWh 3867 kWh £698 £387 £1,084 £16,276 15.0 yrs £5,412

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: £815, 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 1611 kWh 967 kWh 645 kWh £262 £64 £326 £6,169 18.9 yrs £352
3 kW 2417 kWh 1450 kWh 967 kWh £392 £97 £489 £8,204 16.8 yrs £1,579
4 kW 3223 kWh 1934 kWh 1289 kWh £523 £129 £652 £10,238 15.7 yrs £2,805
5 kW 4028 kWh 2417 kWh 1611 kWh £654 £161 £815 £12,273 15.1 yrs £4,031
6 kW 4834 kWh 2900 kWh 1934 kWh £785 £193 £978 £14,307 14.6 yrs £5,257
7 kW 5640 kWh 3384 kWh 2256 kWh £916 £226 £1,141 £16,342 14.3 yrs £6,484
8 kW 6445 kWh 3867 kWh 2578 kWh £1,046 £258 £1,304 £18,376 14.1 yrs £7,710

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: £884, 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 1611 kWh 1128 kWh 483 kWh £305 £48 £354 £7,569 21.4 yrs £-498
3 kW 2417 kWh 1692 kWh 725 kWh £458 £73 £530 £9,604 18.1 yrs £1,003
4 kW 3223 kWh 2256 kWh 967 kWh £610 £97 £707 £11,638 16.5 yrs £2,505
5 kW 4028 kWh 2820 kWh 1209 kWh £763 £121 £884 £13,673 15.5 yrs £4,006
6 kW 4834 kWh 3384 kWh 1450 kWh £916 £145 £1,061 £15,707 14.8 yrs £5,507
7 kW 5640 kWh 3948 kWh 1692 kWh £1,068 £169 £1,237 £17,742 14.3 yrs £7,008
8 kW 6445 kWh 4512 kWh 1934 kWh £1,221 £193 £1,414 £19,776 14.0 yrs £8,509

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: £905, 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 1611 kWh 1176 kWh 435 kWh £318 £44 £362 £9,319 25.8 yrs £-2,083
3 kW 2417 kWh 1764 kWh 653 kWh £477 £65 £543 £11,354 20.9 yrs £-499
4 kW 3223 kWh 2353 kWh 870 kWh £637 £87 £724 £13,388 18.5 yrs £1,084
5 kW 4028 kWh 2941 kWh 1088 kWh £796 £109 £905 £15,423 17.1 yrs £2,668
6 kW 4834 kWh 3529 kWh 1305 kWh £955 £131 £1,085 £17,457 16.1 yrs £4,252
7 kW 5640 kWh 4117 kWh 1523 kWh £1,114 £152 £1,266 £19,492 15.4 yrs £5,835
8 kW 6445 kWh 4705 kWh 1740 kWh £1,273 £174 £1,447 £21,526 14.9 yrs £7,419

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: £918, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 18.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1611 kWh 1209 kWh 403 kWh £327 £40 £367 £11,069 30.1 yrs £-3,723
3 kW 2417 kWh 1813 kWh 604 kWh £491 £60 £551 £13,104 23.8 yrs £-2,084
4 kW 3223 kWh 2417 kWh 806 kWh £654 £81 £735 £15,138 20.6 yrs £-446
5 kW 4028 kWh 3021 kWh 1007 kWh £818 £101 £918 £17,173 18.7 yrs £1,193
6 kW 4834 kWh 3626 kWh 1209 kWh £981 £121 £1,102 £19,207 17.4 yrs £2,832
7 kW 5640 kWh 4230 kWh 1410 kWh £1,145 £141 £1,286 £21,242 16.5 yrs £4,470
8 kW 6445 kWh 4834 kWh 1611 kWh £1,308 £161 £1,469 £23,276 15.8 yrs £6,109

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: £932, 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 1611 kWh 1241 kWh 371 kWh £336 £37 £373 £13,519 36.3 yrs £-6,063
3 kW 2417 kWh 1861 kWh 556 kWh £504 £56 £559 £15,554 27.8 yrs £-4,369
4 kW 3223 kWh 2481 kWh 741 kWh £671 £74 £746 £17,588 23.6 yrs £-2,676
5 kW 4028 kWh 3102 kWh 927 kWh £839 £93 £932 £19,623 21.1 yrs £-982
6 kW 4834 kWh 3722 kWh 1112 kWh £1,007 £111 £1,118 £21,657 19.4 yrs £711
7 kW 5640 kWh 4343 kWh 1297 kWh £1,175 £130 £1,305 £23,692 18.2 yrs £2,405
8 kW 6445 kWh 4963 kWh 1482 kWh £1,343 £148 £1,491 £25,726 17.3 yrs £4,099

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 KW16

Figures below are tailored to KW16 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2815 of 2997
13.0 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£625 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2883 of 2997
35.6% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£223 fixed • ~£625 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.06p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
61.00p/day
Local Sunshine
806kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~806 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

Orkney Islands (100%)

Areas Covered

Stromness and South Isles, West Mainland, Kirkwall West and Orphir

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

KW17 (Orkney Islands)
≈19.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~789 kWh/kWp · -2% vs KW16
KW15 (Orkney Islands)
≈19.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~834 kWh/kWp · +4% vs KW16
KW14 (Highland)
≈43.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~813 kWh/kWp · +1% vs KW16
KW12 (Highland)
≈51.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~828 kWh/kWp · +3% vs KW16
KW1 (Highland)
≈59.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~815 kWh/kWp · +1% vs KW16
KW13 (Highland)
≈65.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~780 kWh/kWp · -3% vs KW16

Similar sunshine across the UK

LL40 (Gwynedd)
~805 kWh/kWp · -0% vs KW16
BT47 (Derry City and Strabane)
~806 kWh/kWp · +0% vs KW16
LL41 (Gwynedd)
~808 kWh/kWp · +0% vs KW16