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Solar panel cost in Argyll and Bute (PA32)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for PA32 (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
13.7 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,139
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£596
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£6,751
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 719 kWh/kW — 96 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 719 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)
719 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: £596, Upfront: £8,139, Break-even: 13.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1438 kWh 575 kWh 863 kWh £152 £86 £238 £3,256 13.7 yrs £1,509
3 kW 2157 kWh 863 kWh 1294 kWh £228 £129 £357 £4,883 13.7 yrs £2,264
4 kW 2876 kWh 1150 kWh 1725 kWh £304 £173 £476 £6,511 13.7 yrs £3,018
5 kW 3595 kWh 1438 kWh 2157 kWh £380 £216 £596 £8,139 13.7 yrs £3,773
6 kW 4314 kWh 1725 kWh 2588 kWh £456 £259 £715 £9,767 13.7 yrs £4,527
7 kW 5033 kWh 2013 kWh 3020 kWh £532 £302 £834 £11,394 13.7 yrs £5,282
8 kW 5752 kWh 2301 kWh 3451 kWh £608 £345 £953 £13,022 13.7 yrs £6,036

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: £714, Upfront: £10,239, Break-even: 14.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1438 kWh 863 kWh 575 kWh £228 £58 £285 £5,356 18.8 yrs £354
3 kW 2157 kWh 1294 kWh 863 kWh £342 £86 £428 £6,983 16.3 yrs £1,580
4 kW 2876 kWh 1725 kWh 1150 kWh £456 £115 £571 £8,611 15.1 yrs £2,807
5 kW 3595 kWh 2157 kWh 1438 kWh £570 £144 £714 £10,239 14.3 yrs £4,034
6 kW 4314 kWh 2588 kWh 1725 kWh £684 £173 £856 £11,867 13.9 yrs £5,261
7 kW 5033 kWh 3020 kWh 2013 kWh £798 £201 £999 £13,494 13.5 yrs £6,487
8 kW 5752 kWh 3451 kWh 2301 kWh £912 £230 £1,142 £15,122 13.2 yrs £7,714

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: £773, Upfront: £11,639, 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 1438 kWh 1007 kWh 431 kWh £266 £43 £309 £6,756 21.9 yrs £-574
3 kW 2157 kWh 1510 kWh 647 kWh £399 £65 £464 £8,383 18.1 yrs £889
4 kW 2876 kWh 2013 kWh 863 kWh £532 £86 £618 £10,011 16.2 yrs £2,351
5 kW 3595 kWh 2516 kWh 1078 kWh £665 £108 £773 £11,639 15.1 yrs £3,814
6 kW 4314 kWh 3020 kWh 1294 kWh £798 £129 £927 £13,267 14.3 yrs £5,277
7 kW 5033 kWh 3523 kWh 1510 kWh £931 £151 £1,082 £14,894 13.8 yrs £6,740
8 kW 5752 kWh 4026 kWh 1725 kWh £1,064 £173 £1,236 £16,522 13.4 yrs £8,203

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: £790, Upfront: £13,389, Break-even: 16.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1438 kWh 1050 kWh 388 kWh £277 £39 £316 £8,506 26.9 yrs £-2,183
3 kW 2157 kWh 1575 kWh 582 kWh £416 £58 £474 £10,133 21.4 yrs £-649
4 kW 2876 kWh 2099 kWh 776 kWh £555 £78 £632 £11,761 18.6 yrs £885
5 kW 3595 kWh 2624 kWh 971 kWh £693 £97 £790 £13,389 16.9 yrs £2,418
6 kW 4314 kWh 3149 kWh 1165 kWh £832 £116 £948 £15,017 15.8 yrs £3,952
7 kW 5033 kWh 3674 kWh 1359 kWh £971 £136 £1,107 £16,644 15.0 yrs £5,486
8 kW 5752 kWh 4199 kWh 1553 kWh £1,109 £155 £1,265 £18,272 14.4 yrs £7,020

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: £802, Upfront: £15,139, 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 1438 kWh 1078 kWh 359 kWh £285 £36 £321 £10,256 32.0 yrs £-3,838
3 kW 2157 kWh 1618 kWh 539 kWh £427 £54 £481 £11,883 24.7 yrs £-2,257
4 kW 2876 kWh 2157 kWh 719 kWh £570 £72 £642 £13,511 21.1 yrs £-676
5 kW 3595 kWh 2696 kWh 899 kWh £712 £90 £802 £15,139 18.9 yrs £905
6 kW 4314 kWh 3235 kWh 1078 kWh £855 £108 £963 £16,767 17.4 yrs £2,485
7 kW 5033 kWh 3774 kWh 1258 kWh £997 £126 £1,123 £18,394 16.4 yrs £4,066
8 kW 5752 kWh 4314 kWh 1438 kWh £1,140 £144 £1,283 £20,022 15.6 yrs £5,647

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: £814, Upfront: £17,589, 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 1438 kWh 1107 kWh 331 kWh £293 £33 £326 £12,706 39.0 yrs £-6,194
3 kW 2157 kWh 1661 kWh 496 kWh £439 £50 £488 £14,333 29.3 yrs £-4,566
4 kW 2876 kWh 2214 kWh 661 kWh £585 £66 £651 £15,961 24.5 yrs £-2,937
5 kW 3595 kWh 2768 kWh 827 kWh £731 £83 £814 £17,589 21.6 yrs £-1,309
6 kW 4314 kWh 3322 kWh 992 kWh £878 £99 £977 £19,217 19.7 yrs £319
7 kW 5033 kWh 3875 kWh 1158 kWh £1,024 £116 £1,140 £20,844 18.3 yrs £1,947
8 kW 5752 kWh 4429 kWh 1323 kWh £1,170 £132 £1,302 £22,472 17.3 yrs £3,575

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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Check what MCS certification means

Understand DNO, G98 and G99 export limits

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Insights for PA32

Figures below are tailored to PA32 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2972 of 2996
15.4 years (UK avg 10.8 years)
~£476 /yr • £7,307 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2967 of 2996
44.1% (UK avg 26.6%) drag on savings
£210 fixed • ~£476 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −17.9% West −18.6%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Seasonal solar output in PA32

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 16 Jan 33 Feb 62 Mar 93 Apr 104 May 98 Jun 95 Jul 82 Aug 60 Sep 39 Oct 23 Nov 13 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 34.4% 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 21 kWh per month; the average month produces around 60 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 83 kWh in winter, or 240 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.42p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
57.55p/day
Local Sunshine
719kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~719 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, Cowal

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

PA25 (Argyll and Bute)
≈3.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~713 kWh/kWp · -1% vs PA32
PA27 (Argyll and Bute)
≈7.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~723 kWh/kWp · +1% vs PA32
PA26 (Argyll and Bute)
≈9.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~684 kWh/kWp · -5% vs PA32
PA24 (Argyll and Bute)
≈12.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~719 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA32
PA33 (Argyll and Bute)
≈20.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~713 kWh/kWp · -1% vs PA32
PA35 (Argyll and Bute)
≈24.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~729 kWh/kWp · +1% vs PA32

Similar sunshine across the UK

PA19 (Inverclyde)
~756 kWh/kWp · +5% vs PA32
DL11 (North Yorkshire)
~765 kWh/kWp · +6% vs PA32
G84 (Argyll and Bute)
~766 kWh/kWp · +7% vs PA32