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Solar Panels in PA3 (Renfrewshire)

See if solar pays off for you in Renfrewshire — 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
14.9 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£818
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,239
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: 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 Southern Scotland, the current unit rate is 25.84p/kWh with a 56.55p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 834 kWh/kW — 15 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 834 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.8p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.8p/kWh
Standing charge
56.5p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
834 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: £682, Upfront: £10,173, 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 1669 kWh 668 kWh 1001 kWh £172 £100 £273 £4,069 14.9 yrs £1,383
3 kW 2503 kWh 1001 kWh 1502 kWh £259 £150 £409 £6,104 14.9 yrs £2,075
4 kW 3338 kWh 1335 kWh 2003 kWh £345 £200 £545 £8,138 14.9 yrs £2,767
5 kW 4172 kWh 1669 kWh 2503 kWh £431 £250 £682 £10,173 14.9 yrs £3,458
6 kW 5006 kWh 2003 kWh 3004 kWh £517 £300 £818 £12,207 14.9 yrs £4,150
7 kW 5841 kWh 2336 kWh 3505 kWh £604 £350 £954 £14,242 14.9 yrs £4,842
8 kW 6675 kWh 2670 kWh 4005 kWh £690 £401 £1,090 £16,276 14.9 yrs £5,533

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: £814, 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 1669 kWh 1001 kWh 668 kWh £259 £67 £325 £6,169 19.0 yrs £341
3 kW 2503 kWh 1502 kWh 1001 kWh £388 £100 £488 £8,204 16.8 yrs £1,561
4 kW 3338 kWh 2003 kWh 1335 kWh £517 £134 £651 £10,238 15.7 yrs £2,781
5 kW 4172 kWh 2503 kWh 1669 kWh £647 £167 £814 £12,273 15.1 yrs £4,002
6 kW 5006 kWh 3004 kWh 2003 kWh £776 £200 £976 £14,307 14.7 yrs £5,222
7 kW 5841 kWh 3505 kWh 2336 kWh £906 £234 £1,139 £16,342 14.3 yrs £6,442
8 kW 6675 kWh 4005 kWh 2670 kWh £1,035 £267 £1,302 £18,376 14.1 yrs £7,663

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: £880, 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 1669 kWh 1168 kWh 501 kWh £302 £50 £352 £7,569 21.5 yrs £-531
3 kW 2503 kWh 1752 kWh 751 kWh £453 £75 £528 £9,604 18.2 yrs £954
4 kW 3338 kWh 2336 kWh 1001 kWh £604 £100 £704 £11,638 16.5 yrs £2,439
5 kW 4172 kWh 2920 kWh 1252 kWh £755 £125 £880 £13,673 15.5 yrs £3,923
6 kW 5006 kWh 3505 kWh 1502 kWh £906 £150 £1,056 £15,707 14.9 yrs £5,408
7 kW 5841 kWh 4089 kWh 1752 kWh £1,056 £175 £1,232 £17,742 14.4 yrs £6,893
8 kW 6675 kWh 4673 kWh 2003 kWh £1,207 £200 £1,408 £19,776 14.0 yrs £8,378

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: £900, 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 1669 kWh 1218 kWh 451 kWh £315 £45 £360 £9,319 25.9 yrs £-2,122
3 kW 2503 kWh 1827 kWh 676 kWh £472 £68 £540 £11,354 21.0 yrs £-558
4 kW 3338 kWh 2436 kWh 901 kWh £630 £90 £720 £13,388 18.6 yrs £1,006
5 kW 4172 kWh 3046 kWh 1126 kWh £787 £113 £900 £15,423 17.1 yrs £2,570
6 kW 5006 kWh 3655 kWh 1352 kWh £944 £135 £1,080 £17,457 16.2 yrs £4,134
7 kW 5841 kWh 4264 kWh 1577 kWh £1,102 £158 £1,259 £19,492 15.5 yrs £5,698
8 kW 6675 kWh 4873 kWh 1802 kWh £1,259 £180 £1,439 £21,526 15.0 yrs £7,262

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: £913, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 18.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1669 kWh 1252 kWh 417 kWh £323 £42 £365 £11,069 30.3 yrs £-3,766
3 kW 2503 kWh 1877 kWh 626 kWh £485 £63 £548 £13,104 23.9 yrs £-2,149
4 kW 3338 kWh 2503 kWh 834 kWh £647 £83 £730 £15,138 20.7 yrs £-533
5 kW 4172 kWh 3129 kWh 1043 kWh £809 £104 £913 £17,173 18.8 yrs £1,084
6 kW 5006 kWh 3755 kWh 1252 kWh £970 £125 £1,095 £19,207 17.5 yrs £2,701
7 kW 5841 kWh 4381 kWh 1460 kWh £1,132 £146 £1,278 £21,242 16.6 yrs £4,318
8 kW 6675 kWh 5006 kWh 1669 kWh £1,294 £167 £1,461 £23,276 15.9 yrs £5,935

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: £926, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 21.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1669 kWh 1285 kWh 384 kWh £332 £38 £370 £13,519 36.5 yrs £-6,111
3 kW 2503 kWh 1927 kWh 576 kWh £498 £58 £556 £15,554 28.0 yrs £-4,441
4 kW 3338 kWh 2570 kWh 768 kWh £664 £77 £741 £17,588 23.7 yrs £-2,771
5 kW 4172 kWh 3212 kWh 960 kWh £830 £96 £926 £19,623 21.2 yrs £-1,101
6 kW 5006 kWh 3855 kWh 1151 kWh £996 £115 £1,111 £21,657 19.5 yrs £568
7 kW 5841 kWh 4497 kWh 1343 kWh £1,162 £134 £1,296 £23,692 18.3 yrs £2,238
8 kW 6675 kWh 5140 kWh 1535 kWh £1,328 £154 £1,482 £25,726 17.4 yrs £3,908

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 PA3

Figures below are tailored to PA3 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2822 of 2997
13.0 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£937 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1838 of 2997
22.0% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£206 fixed • ~£937 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.84p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
56.55p/day
Local Sunshine
834kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~834 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

Renfrewshire (100%)

Areas Covered

Paisley Northwest, Renfrew South and Gallowhill, Houston, Crosslee and Linwood, Paisley East and Central, Johnstone South and Elderslie, Paisley Southwest

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 Southern Scotland

PA1 (Renfrewshire)
≈1.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~838 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA3
PA98 (Renfrewshire)
≈1.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~843 kWh/kWp · +1% vs PA3
PA2 (Renfrewshire)
≈2.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~825 kWh/kWp · -1% vs PA3
PA4 (Renfrewshire)
≈4.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~835 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA3
PA5 (Renfrewshire)
≈4.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~831 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PA3
G52 (Glasgow City)
≈5.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~837 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA3

Similar sunshine across the UK

OL15 (Rochdale)
~834 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PA3
AB55 (Moray)
~834 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PA3
LL45 (Gwynedd)
~835 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA3