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Solar panel cost in South Lanarkshire (ML3)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for ML3 (South Lanarkshire) in under a minute using official UK data. Start with the calculator, then get a no-obligation quote from an MCS-certified installer. You can also ask the SolarByPostcode assistant to sanity-check your roof, bills and plans.

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
11.7 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£9,767
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£832
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£11,036
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: The official cost per kW is lower above 4 kW, so a 5–6 kW system can pay back a little faster than a 3–4 kW system on otherwise identical assumptions.
  • 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

Panel costs: Uses March 2026 TIC mean installation costs: £1,827/kW up to 4 kW and £1,628/kW above 4 kW.

Other costs: Battery prices are modelled at £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 25.85p/kWh with a 64.17p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 849 kWh/kW — 1 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 849 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.9p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.9p/kWh
Standing charge
64.2p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
849 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: £693, Upfront: £8,139, Break-even: 11.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1697 kWh 679 kWh 1018 kWh £176 £102 £277 £3,256 11.7 yrs £2,292
3 kW 2546 kWh 1018 kWh 1528 kWh £263 £153 £416 £4,883 11.7 yrs £3,438
4 kW 3395 kWh 1358 kWh 2037 kWh £351 £204 £555 £6,511 11.7 yrs £4,584
5 kW 4244 kWh 1697 kWh 2546 kWh £439 £255 £693 £8,139 11.7 yrs £5,730
6 kW 5092 kWh 2037 kWh 3055 kWh £527 £306 £832 £9,767 11.7 yrs £6,876
7 kW 5941 kWh 2376 kWh 3565 kWh £614 £356 £971 £11,394 11.7 yrs £8,021
8 kW 6790 kWh 2716 kWh 4074 kWh £702 £407 £1,109 £13,022 11.7 yrs £9,167

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

3 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £828, Upfront: £10,239, Break-even: 12.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1697 kWh 1018 kWh 679 kWh £263 £68 £331 £5,356 16.2 yrs £1,268
3 kW 2546 kWh 1528 kWh 1018 kWh £395 £102 £497 £6,983 14.1 yrs £2,952
4 kW 3395 kWh 2037 kWh 1358 kWh £527 £136 £662 £8,611 13.0 yrs £4,636
5 kW 4244 kWh 2546 kWh 1697 kWh £658 £170 £828 £10,239 12.4 yrs £6,320
6 kW 5092 kWh 3055 kWh 2037 kWh £790 £204 £994 £11,867 11.9 yrs £8,004
7 kW 5941 kWh 3565 kWh 2376 kWh £921 £238 £1,159 £13,494 11.6 yrs £9,688
8 kW 6790 kWh 4074 kWh 2716 kWh £1,053 £272 £1,325 £15,122 11.4 yrs £11,372

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £895, Upfront: £11,639, Break-even: 13.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1697 kWh 1188 kWh 509 kWh £307 £51 £358 £6,756 18.9 yrs £406
3 kW 2546 kWh 1782 kWh 764 kWh £461 £76 £537 £8,383 15.6 yrs £2,359
4 kW 3395 kWh 2376 kWh 1018 kWh £614 £102 £716 £10,011 14.0 yrs £4,312
5 kW 4244 kWh 2971 kWh 1273 kWh £768 £127 £895 £11,639 13.0 yrs £6,265
6 kW 5092 kWh 3565 kWh 1528 kWh £921 £153 £1,074 £13,267 12.3 yrs £8,218
7 kW 5941 kWh 4159 kWh 1782 kWh £1,075 £178 £1,253 £14,894 11.9 yrs £10,172
8 kW 6790 kWh 4753 kWh 2037 kWh £1,229 £204 £1,432 £16,522 11.5 yrs £12,125

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

7.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £915, Upfront: £13,389, Break-even: 14.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1697 kWh 1239 kWh 458 kWh £320 £46 £366 £8,506 23.2 yrs £-1,182
3 kW 2546 kWh 1859 kWh 687 kWh £480 £69 £549 £10,133 18.4 yrs £851
4 kW 3395 kWh 2478 kWh 917 kWh £641 £92 £732 £11,761 16.1 yrs £2,885
5 kW 4244 kWh 3098 kWh 1146 kWh £801 £115 £915 £13,389 14.6 yrs £4,919
6 kW 5092 kWh 3717 kWh 1375 kWh £961 £137 £1,098 £15,017 13.7 yrs £6,953
7 kW 5941 kWh 4337 kWh 1604 kWh £1,121 £160 £1,282 £16,644 13.0 yrs £8,987
8 kW 6790 kWh 4957 kWh 1833 kWh £1,281 £183 £1,465 £18,272 12.5 yrs £11,020

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

10 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £929, Upfront: £15,139, Break-even: 16.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1697 kWh 1273 kWh 424 kWh £329 £42 £372 £10,256 27.6 yrs £-2,825
3 kW 2546 kWh 1910 kWh 637 kWh £494 £64 £557 £11,883 21.3 yrs £-737
4 kW 3395 kWh 2546 kWh 849 kWh £658 £85 £743 £13,511 18.2 yrs £1,350
5 kW 4244 kWh 3183 kWh 1061 kWh £823 £106 £929 £15,139 16.3 yrs £3,438
6 kW 5092 kWh 3819 kWh 1273 kWh £987 £127 £1,115 £16,767 15.0 yrs £5,526
7 kW 5941 kWh 4456 kWh 1485 kWh £1,152 £149 £1,300 £18,394 14.1 yrs £7,613
8 kW 6790 kWh 5092 kWh 1697 kWh £1,316 £170 £1,486 £20,022 13.5 yrs £9,701

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

13.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £942, Upfront: £17,589, 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 1697 kWh 1307 kWh 390 kWh £338 £39 £377 £12,706 33.7 yrs £-5,167
3 kW 2546 kWh 1961 kWh 586 kWh £507 £59 £565 £14,333 25.4 yrs £-3,026
4 kW 3395 kWh 2614 kWh 781 kWh £676 £78 £754 £15,961 21.2 yrs £-884
5 kW 4244 kWh 3268 kWh 976 kWh £845 £98 £942 £17,589 18.7 yrs £1,257
6 kW 5092 kWh 3921 kWh 1171 kWh £1,014 £117 £1,131 £19,217 17.0 yrs £3,398
7 kW 5941 kWh 4575 kWh 1366 kWh £1,183 £137 £1,319 £20,844 15.8 yrs £5,540
8 kW 6790 kWh 5228 kWh 1562 kWh £1,351 £156 £1,508 £22,472 14.9 yrs £7,681

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, 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.

Before you request quotes in South Lanarkshire

Use the numbers above to sanity-check installer quotes. The main things to compare are system size, battery assumptions, payback claims, MCS certification, DNO paperwork and export assumptions.

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Understand DNO, G98 and G99 export limits

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Insights for ML3

Figures below are tailored to ML3 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2378 of 2996
11.7 years (UK avg 10.8 years)
~£832 /yr • £9,767 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1882 of 2996
28.1% (UK avg 26.6%) drag on savings
£234 fixed • ~£832 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −19.7% West −20.2%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Seasonal solar output in ML3

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 24 Jan 41 Feb 72 Mar 101 Apr 115 May 109 Jun 109 Jul 98 Aug 76 Sep 51 Oct 34 Nov 19 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 39.7% of an average month (Dec–Feb)

Best / worst month: May / Dec

These figures show output per kilowatt (kW) of panels installed. In winter, a 1 kW system here produces about 28 kWh per month; the average month produces around 71 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 112 kWh in winter, or 283 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.85p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
64.17p/day
Local Sunshine
849kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~849 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

South Lanarkshire (100%)

Areas Covered

Hamilton North and East, Hamilton South, Hamilton West and Earnock, Larkhall, Avondale and Stonehouse, Blantyre

Data Sources & Assumptions

Solar yield: PVGIS (EU Joint Research Centre), January 2025 data

Electricity rates: Ofgem price cap, Q3 2026

Installation costs: DESNZ/MCS data, March 2026 (TIC)

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

ML1 (North Lanarkshire)
≈4.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~844 kWh/kWp · -1% vs ML3
ML4 (North Lanarkshire)
≈5.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~833 kWh/kWp · -2% vs ML3
G71 (South Lanarkshire)
≈5.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~843 kWh/kWp · -1% vs ML3
G72 (South Lanarkshire)
≈6.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~849 kWh/kWp · +0% vs ML3
ML9 (South Lanarkshire)
≈6.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~843 kWh/kWp · -1% vs ML3
G74 (South Lanarkshire)
≈7.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~841 kWh/kWp · -1% vs ML3

Similar sunshine across the UK

BD24 (North Yorkshire)
~849 kWh/kWp · +0% vs ML3
BT56 (Causeway Coast and Glens)
~849 kWh/kWp · +0% vs ML3
BB10 (Burnley)
~848 kWh/kWp · -0% vs ML3