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Solar panel cost in Argyll and Bute (PA29)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for PA29 (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
12.0 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,139
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£679
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,845
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 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 820 kWh/kW — 5 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 820 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)
820 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: £679, Upfront: £8,139, Break-even: 12.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1640 kWh 656 kWh 984 kWh £173 £98 £272 £3,256 12.0 yrs £2,179
3 kW 2460 kWh 984 kWh 1476 kWh £260 £148 £408 £4,883 12.0 yrs £3,269
4 kW 3280 kWh 1312 kWh 1968 kWh £347 £197 £543 £6,511 12.0 yrs £4,358
5 kW 4100 kWh 1640 kWh 2460 kWh £433 £246 £679 £8,139 12.0 yrs £5,448
6 kW 4920 kWh 1968 kWh 2952 kWh £520 £295 £815 £9,767 12.0 yrs £6,538
7 kW 5740 kWh 2296 kWh 3444 kWh £607 £344 £951 £11,394 12.0 yrs £7,627
8 kW 6561 kWh 2624 kWh 3936 kWh £693 £394 £1,087 £13,022 12.0 yrs £8,717

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: £814, Upfront: £10,239, Break-even: 12.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1640 kWh 984 kWh 656 kWh £260 £66 £326 £5,356 16.4 yrs £1,156
3 kW 2460 kWh 1476 kWh 984 kWh £390 £98 £488 £6,983 14.3 yrs £2,785
4 kW 3280 kWh 1968 kWh 1312 kWh £520 £131 £651 £8,611 13.2 yrs £4,413
5 kW 4100 kWh 2460 kWh 1640 kWh £650 £164 £814 £10,239 12.6 yrs £6,041
6 kW 4920 kWh 2952 kWh 1968 kWh £780 £197 £977 £11,867 12.1 yrs £7,669
7 kW 5740 kWh 3444 kWh 2296 kWh £910 £230 £1,140 £13,494 11.8 yrs £9,298
8 kW 6561 kWh 3936 kWh 2624 kWh £1,040 £262 £1,302 £15,122 11.6 yrs £10,926

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: £881, Upfront: £11,639, Break-even: 13.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1640 kWh 1148 kWh 492 kWh £303 £49 £353 £6,756 19.2 yrs £295
3 kW 2460 kWh 1722 kWh 738 kWh £455 £74 £529 £8,383 15.9 yrs £2,193
4 kW 3280 kWh 2296 kWh 984 kWh £607 £98 £705 £10,011 14.2 yrs £4,090
5 kW 4100 kWh 2870 kWh 1230 kWh £758 £123 £881 £11,639 13.2 yrs £5,988
6 kW 4920 kWh 3444 kWh 1476 kWh £910 £148 £1,058 £13,267 12.5 yrs £7,885
7 kW 5740 kWh 4018 kWh 1722 kWh £1,062 £172 £1,234 £14,894 12.1 yrs £9,783
8 kW 6561 kWh 4592 kWh 1968 kWh £1,213 £197 £1,410 £16,522 11.7 yrs £11,680

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: £902, Upfront: £13,389, Break-even: 14.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1640 kWh 1197 kWh 443 kWh £316 £44 £361 £8,506 23.6 yrs £-1,293
3 kW 2460 kWh 1796 kWh 664 kWh £474 £66 £541 £10,133 18.7 yrs £685
4 kW 3280 kWh 2395 kWh 886 kWh £633 £89 £721 £11,761 16.3 yrs £2,663
5 kW 4100 kWh 2993 kWh 1107 kWh £791 £111 £902 £13,389 14.9 yrs £4,642
6 kW 4920 kWh 3592 kWh 1329 kWh £949 £133 £1,082 £15,017 13.9 yrs £6,620
7 kW 5740 kWh 4191 kWh 1550 kWh £1,107 £155 £1,262 £16,644 13.2 yrs £8,598
8 kW 6561 kWh 4789 kWh 1771 kWh £1,265 £177 £1,442 £18,272 12.7 yrs £10,577

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: £915, Upfront: £15,139, 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 1640 kWh 1230 kWh 410 kWh £325 £41 £366 £10,256 28.0 yrs £-2,936
3 kW 2460 kWh 1845 kWh 615 kWh £487 £62 £549 £11,883 21.6 yrs £-903
4 kW 3280 kWh 2460 kWh 820 kWh £650 £82 £732 £13,511 18.5 yrs £1,129
5 kW 4100 kWh 3075 kWh 1025 kWh £812 £103 £915 £15,139 16.5 yrs £3,161
6 kW 4920 kWh 3690 kWh 1230 kWh £975 £123 £1,098 £16,767 15.3 yrs £5,193
7 kW 5740 kWh 4305 kWh 1435 kWh £1,137 £144 £1,281 £18,394 14.4 yrs £7,225
8 kW 6561 kWh 4920 kWh 1640 kWh £1,300 £164 £1,464 £20,022 13.7 yrs £9,258

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: £928, Upfront: £17,589, Break-even: 18.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1640 kWh 1263 kWh 377 kWh £334 £38 £371 £12,706 34.2 yrs £-5,278
3 kW 2460 kWh 1894 kWh 566 kWh £500 £57 £557 £14,333 25.7 yrs £-3,192
4 kW 3280 kWh 2526 kWh 754 kWh £667 £75 £743 £15,961 21.5 yrs £-1,106
5 kW 4100 kWh 3157 kWh 943 kWh £834 £94 £928 £17,589 18.9 yrs £980
6 kW 4920 kWh 3789 kWh 1132 kWh £1,001 £113 £1,114 £19,217 17.2 yrs £3,066
7 kW 5740 kWh 4420 kWh 1320 kWh £1,168 £132 £1,300 £20,844 16.0 yrs £5,153
8 kW 6561 kWh 5052 kWh 1509 kWh £1,335 £151 £1,486 £22,472 15.1 yrs £7,239

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.

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Understand DNO, G98 and G99 export limits

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Insights for PA29

Figures below are tailored to PA29 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2873 of 2996
13.5 years (UK avg 10.8 years)
~£543 /yr • £7,307 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2773 of 2996
38.7% (UK avg 26.6%) drag on savings
£210 fixed • ~£543 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −18.7% West −21.0%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Seasonal solar output in PA29

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 20 Jan 36 Feb 69 Mar 104 Apr 118 May 112 Jun 109 Jul 96 Aug 70 Sep 44 Oct 26 Nov 16 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 35.6% 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 24 kWh per month; the average month produces around 68 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 97 kWh in winter, or 273 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.42p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
57.55p/day
Local Sunshine
820kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~820 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

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

PA21 (Argyll and Bute)
≈12.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~844 kWh/kWp · +3% vs PA29
PA30 (Argyll and Bute)
≈17.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~785 kWh/kWp · -4% vs PA29
PA22 (Argyll and Bute)
≈19.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~766 kWh/kWp · -7% vs PA29
PA31 (Argyll and Bute)
≈19.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~787 kWh/kWp · -4% vs PA29
PA20 (Argyll and Bute)
≈22.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~841 kWh/kWp · +3% vs PA29
PA41 (Argyll and Bute)
≈29.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~847 kWh/kWp · +3% vs PA29

Similar sunshine across the UK

ML5 (North Lanarkshire)
~819 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PA29
G69 (North Lanarkshire)
~819 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PA29
LL58 (Isle of Anglesey)
~819 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PA29