Independent solar numbers for your postcode using official UK data
Home Regions Guides Compare quotes Solar assistant
Insights
Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag Roof Direction Penalty Winter Solar Reality Seasonal Solar Output

Solar panel cost in Argyll and Bute (PA28)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for PA28 (Argyll and Bute) 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
10.7 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,139
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£759
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£10,832
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: 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 Northern Scotland, the current unit rate is 26.42p/kWh with a 57.55p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 916 kWh/kW — 101 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 916 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.4p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.4p/kWh
Standing charge
57.5p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
916 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: £759, Upfront: £8,139, Break-even: 10.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1832 kWh 733 kWh 1099 kWh £194 £110 £304 £3,256 10.7 yrs £2,815
3 kW 2748 kWh 1099 kWh 1649 kWh £290 £165 £455 £4,883 10.7 yrs £4,223
4 kW 3664 kWh 1466 kWh 2198 kWh £387 £220 £607 £6,511 10.7 yrs £5,630
5 kW 4580 kWh 1832 kWh 2748 kWh £484 £275 £759 £8,139 10.7 yrs £7,038
6 kW 5496 kWh 2198 kWh 3298 kWh £581 £330 £911 £9,767 10.7 yrs £8,445
7 kW 6412 kWh 2565 kWh 3847 kWh £678 £385 £1,062 £11,394 10.7 yrs £9,853
8 kW 7328 kWh 2931 kWh 4397 kWh £774 £440 £1,214 £13,022 10.7 yrs £11,261

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: £909, Upfront: £10,239, Break-even: 11.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1832 kWh 1099 kWh 733 kWh £290 £73 £364 £5,356 14.7 yrs £1,918
3 kW 2748 kWh 1649 kWh 1099 kWh £436 £110 £546 £6,983 12.8 yrs £3,928
4 kW 3664 kWh 2198 kWh 1466 kWh £581 £147 £727 £8,611 11.8 yrs £5,937
5 kW 4580 kWh 2748 kWh 1832 kWh £726 £183 £909 £10,239 11.3 yrs £7,946
6 kW 5496 kWh 3298 kWh 2198 kWh £871 £220 £1,091 £11,867 10.9 yrs £9,955
7 kW 6412 kWh 3847 kWh 2565 kWh £1,016 £256 £1,273 £13,494 10.6 yrs £11,964
8 kW 7328 kWh 4397 kWh 2931 kWh £1,162 £293 £1,455 £15,122 10.4 yrs £13,974

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: £984, Upfront: £11,639, Break-even: 11.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1832 kWh 1282 kWh 550 kWh £339 £55 £394 £6,756 17.2 yrs £1,120
3 kW 2748 kWh 1924 kWh 824 kWh £508 £82 £591 £8,383 14.2 yrs £3,430
4 kW 3664 kWh 2565 kWh 1099 kWh £678 £110 £788 £10,011 12.7 yrs £5,740
5 kW 4580 kWh 3206 kWh 1374 kWh £847 £137 £984 £11,639 11.8 yrs £8,050
6 kW 5496 kWh 3847 kWh 1649 kWh £1,016 £165 £1,181 £13,267 11.2 yrs £10,360
7 kW 6412 kWh 4488 kWh 1924 kWh £1,186 £192 £1,378 £14,894 10.8 yrs £12,670
8 kW 7328 kWh 5130 kWh 2198 kWh £1,355 £220 £1,575 £16,522 10.5 yrs £14,980

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: £1,007, Upfront: £13,389, Break-even: 13.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1832 kWh 1337 kWh 495 kWh £353 £49 £403 £8,506 21.1 yrs £-449
3 kW 2748 kWh 2006 kWh 742 kWh £530 £74 £604 £10,133 16.8 yrs £1,951
4 kW 3664 kWh 2675 kWh 989 kWh £707 £99 £806 £11,761 14.6 yrs £4,351
5 kW 4580 kWh 3343 kWh 1237 kWh £883 £124 £1,007 £13,389 13.3 yrs £6,751
6 kW 5496 kWh 4012 kWh 1484 kWh £1,060 £148 £1,208 £15,017 12.4 yrs £9,152
7 kW 6412 kWh 4681 kWh 1731 kWh £1,237 £173 £1,410 £16,644 11.8 yrs £11,552
8 kW 7328 kWh 5350 kWh 1979 kWh £1,413 £198 £1,611 £18,272 11.3 yrs £13,952

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: £1,022, Upfront: £15,139, Break-even: 14.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1832 kWh 1374 kWh 458 kWh £363 £46 £409 £10,256 25.1 yrs £-2,079
3 kW 2748 kWh 2061 kWh 687 kWh £545 £69 £613 £11,883 19.4 yrs £381
4 kW 3664 kWh 2748 kWh 916 kWh £726 £92 £818 £13,511 16.5 yrs £2,842
5 kW 4580 kWh 3435 kWh 1145 kWh £908 £115 £1,022 £15,139 14.8 yrs £5,302
6 kW 5496 kWh 4122 kWh 1374 kWh £1,089 £137 £1,226 £16,767 13.7 yrs £7,763
7 kW 6412 kWh 4809 kWh 1603 kWh £1,271 £160 £1,431 £18,394 12.9 yrs £10,223
8 kW 7328 kWh 5496 kWh 1832 kWh £1,452 £183 £1,635 £20,022 12.2 yrs £12,683

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: £1,037, Upfront: £17,589, Break-even: 17.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1832 kWh 1411 kWh 421 kWh £373 £42 £415 £12,706 30.6 yrs £-4,409
3 kW 2748 kWh 2116 kWh 632 kWh £559 £63 £622 £14,333 23.0 yrs £-1,888
4 kW 3664 kWh 2821 kWh 843 kWh £745 £84 £830 £15,961 19.2 yrs £632
5 kW 4580 kWh 3527 kWh 1053 kWh £932 £105 £1,037 £17,589 17.0 yrs £3,153
6 kW 5496 kWh 4232 kWh 1264 kWh £1,118 £126 £1,245 £19,217 15.4 yrs £5,674
7 kW 6412 kWh 4937 kWh 1475 kWh £1,304 £147 £1,452 £20,844 14.4 yrs £8,194
8 kW 7328 kWh 5643 kWh 1685 kWh £1,491 £169 £1,659 £22,472 13.5 yrs £10,715

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 Argyll and Bute

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.

Compare solar quotes before you sign

Check what MCS certification means

Understand DNO, G98 and G99 export limits

New quote check

Want a quote sanity check for PA28?

Share the first part of your postcode and a few basics. We’ll help you check whether system size, battery, export and paperwork assumptions look sensible before you commit to installer conversations.

This is a practical sanity-check request, not an instant quote promise. The Blue Ape quote route above remains available if you already want installer introductions.

Request a quote sanity check →

Insights for PA28

Figures below are tailored to PA28 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2542 of 2996
12.0 years (UK avg 10.8 years)
~£607 /yr • £7,307 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2576 of 2996
34.6% (UK avg 26.6%) drag on savings
£210 fixed • ~£607 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −19.5% West −22.6%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Seasonal solar output in PA28

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 24 Jan 42 Feb 78 Mar 114 Apr 131 May 122 Jun 121 Jul 107 Aug 78 Sep 50 Oct 31 Nov 18 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 36.3% 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 76 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 111 kWh in winter, or 305 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.42p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
57.55p/day
Local Sunshine
916kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~916 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

Argyll and Bute (100%)

Areas Covered

South Kintyre, Kintyre and the Islands

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 Northern Scotland

PA41 (Argyll and Bute)
≈29.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~847 kWh/kWp · -8% vs PA28
KA27 (North Ayrshire)
≈31.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~879 kWh/kWp · -4% vs PA28
PA42 (Argyll and Bute)
≈43.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~890 kWh/kWp · -3% vs PA28
PA29 (Argyll and Bute)
≈50.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~820 kWh/kWp · -10% vs PA28
PA60 (Argyll and Bute)
≈51.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~864 kWh/kWp · -6% vs PA28
PA45 (Argyll and Bute)
≈55.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~855 kWh/kWp · -7% vs PA28

Similar sunshine across the UK

TS8 (Middlesbrough)
~916 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA28
ST11 (Staffordshire Moorlands)
~916 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA28
DL14 (County Durham)
~916 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PA28