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 PA31 (Argyll and Bute)

See if solar pays off for you in Argyll and Bute — 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
15.4 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£662
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£6,378
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 787 kWh/kW — 28 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 787 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)
787 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: £662, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 15.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1574 kWh 630 kWh 944 kWh £170 £94 £265 £4,069 15.4 yrs £1,227
3 kW 2361 kWh 944 kWh 1417 kWh £256 £142 £397 £6,104 15.4 yrs £1,841
4 kW 3148 kWh 1259 kWh 1889 kWh £341 £189 £530 £8,138 15.4 yrs £2,454
5 kW 3935 kWh 1574 kWh 2361 kWh £426 £236 £662 £10,173 15.4 yrs £3,068
6 kW 4722 kWh 1889 kWh 2833 kWh £511 £283 £794 £12,207 15.4 yrs £3,682
7 kW 5509 kWh 2204 kWh 3305 kWh £596 £331 £927 £14,242 15.4 yrs £4,295
8 kW 6296 kWh 2518 kWh 3778 kWh £681 £378 £1,059 £16,276 15.4 yrs £4,909

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: £796, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 15.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1574 kWh 944 kWh 630 kWh £256 £63 £319 £6,169 19.4 yrs £201
3 kW 2361 kWh 1417 kWh 944 kWh £383 £94 £478 £8,204 17.2 yrs £1,352
4 kW 3148 kWh 1889 kWh 1259 kWh £511 £126 £637 £10,238 16.1 yrs £2,503
5 kW 3935 kWh 2361 kWh 1574 kWh £639 £157 £796 £12,273 15.4 yrs £3,653
6 kW 4722 kWh 2833 kWh 1889 kWh £767 £189 £956 £14,307 15.0 yrs £4,804
7 kW 5509 kWh 3305 kWh 2204 kWh £894 £220 £1,115 £16,342 14.7 yrs £5,955
8 kW 6296 kWh 3778 kWh 2518 kWh £1,022 £252 £1,274 £18,376 14.4 yrs £7,105

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: £863, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 15.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1574 kWh 1102 kWh 472 kWh £298 £47 £345 £7,569 21.9 yrs £-662
3 kW 2361 kWh 1653 kWh 708 kWh £447 £71 £518 £9,604 18.5 yrs £758
4 kW 3148 kWh 2204 kWh 944 kWh £596 £94 £691 £11,638 16.8 yrs £2,177
5 kW 3935 kWh 2755 kWh 1181 kWh £745 £118 £863 £13,673 15.8 yrs £3,596
6 kW 4722 kWh 3305 kWh 1417 kWh £894 £142 £1,036 £15,707 15.2 yrs £5,015
7 kW 5509 kWh 3856 kWh 1653 kWh £1,044 £165 £1,209 £17,742 14.7 yrs £6,434
8 kW 6296 kWh 4407 kWh 1889 kWh £1,193 £189 £1,381 £19,776 14.3 yrs £7,854

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: £884, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 17.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1574 kWh 1149 kWh 425 kWh £311 £42 £353 £9,319 26.4 yrs £-2,250
3 kW 2361 kWh 1724 kWh 637 kWh £466 £64 £530 £11,354 21.4 yrs £-751
4 kW 3148 kWh 2298 kWh 850 kWh £622 £85 £707 £13,388 18.9 yrs £749
5 kW 3935 kWh 2873 kWh 1062 kWh £777 £106 £884 £15,423 17.5 yrs £2,249
6 kW 4722 kWh 3447 kWh 1275 kWh £933 £127 £1,060 £17,457 16.5 yrs £3,749
7 kW 5509 kWh 4022 kWh 1487 kWh £1,088 £149 £1,237 £19,492 15.8 yrs £5,248
8 kW 6296 kWh 4596 kWh 1700 kWh £1,244 £170 £1,414 £21,526 15.2 yrs £6,748

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: £897, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 19.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1574 kWh 1181 kWh 394 kWh £319 £39 £359 £11,069 30.9 yrs £-3,893
3 kW 2361 kWh 1771 kWh 590 kWh £479 £59 £538 £13,104 24.3 yrs £-2,340
4 kW 3148 kWh 2361 kWh 787 kWh £639 £79 £718 £15,138 21.1 yrs £-786
5 kW 3935 kWh 2951 kWh 984 kWh £799 £98 £897 £17,173 19.1 yrs £767
6 kW 4722 kWh 3542 kWh 1181 kWh £958 £118 £1,076 £19,207 17.8 yrs £2,321
7 kW 5509 kWh 4132 kWh 1377 kWh £1,118 £138 £1,256 £21,242 16.9 yrs £3,874
8 kW 6296 kWh 4722 kWh 1574 kWh £1,278 £157 £1,435 £23,276 16.2 yrs £5,428

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: £910, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 21.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1574 kWh 1212 kWh 362 kWh £328 £36 £364 £13,519 37.1 yrs £-6,236
3 kW 2361 kWh 1818 kWh 543 kWh £492 £54 £546 £15,554 28.5 yrs £-4,628
4 kW 3148 kWh 2424 kWh 724 kWh £656 £72 £728 £17,588 24.1 yrs £-3,021
5 kW 3935 kWh 3030 kWh 905 kWh £820 £91 £910 £19,623 21.6 yrs £-1,414
6 kW 4722 kWh 3636 kWh 1086 kWh £984 £109 £1,093 £21,657 19.8 yrs £193
7 kW 5509 kWh 4242 kWh 1267 kWh £1,148 £127 £1,275 £23,692 18.6 yrs £1,800
8 kW 6296 kWh 4848 kWh 1448 kWh £1,312 £145 £1,457 £25,726 17.7 yrs £3,407

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 PA31

Figures below are tailored to PA31 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2892 of 2997
13.3 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£610 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2910 of 2997
36.5% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£223 fixed • ~£610 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.06p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
61.00p/day
Local Sunshine
787kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~787 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

Mid Argyll

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

PA30 (Argyll and Bute)
≈2.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~785 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PA31
PA21 (Argyll and Bute)
≈19.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~844 kWh/kWp · +7% vs PA31
PA29 (Argyll and Bute)
≈19.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~820 kWh/kWp · +4% vs PA31
PA22 (Argyll and Bute)
≈20.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~766 kWh/kWp · -3% vs PA31
PA27 (Argyll and Bute)
≈26.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~723 kWh/kWp · -8% vs PA31
PA32 (Argyll and Bute)
≈30.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~719 kWh/kWp · -9% vs PA31

Similar sunshine across the UK

CA8 (Cumberland)
~786 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PA31
PA18 (Inverclyde)
~789 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA31
LL21 (Denbighshire)
~785 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PA31