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Solar Panels in PA48 (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).

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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
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£740
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,338
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 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 880 kWh/kW — 65 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 880 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)
880 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: £740, Upfront: £10,173, 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 1760 kWh 704 kWh 1056 kWh £191 £106 £296 £4,069 13.7 yrs £1,855
3 kW 2641 kWh 1056 kWh 1584 kWh £286 £158 £444 £6,104 13.7 yrs £2,782
4 kW 3521 kWh 1408 kWh 2113 kWh £381 £211 £592 £8,138 13.7 yrs £3,709
5 kW 4401 kWh 1760 kWh 2641 kWh £476 £264 £740 £10,173 13.7 yrs £4,636
6 kW 5281 kWh 2113 kWh 3169 kWh £572 £317 £889 £12,207 13.7 yrs £5,564
7 kW 6162 kWh 2465 kWh 3697 kWh £667 £370 £1,037 £14,242 13.7 yrs £6,491
8 kW 7042 kWh 2817 kWh 4225 kWh £762 £423 £1,185 £16,276 13.7 yrs £7,418

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: £891, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 13.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1760 kWh 1056 kWh 704 kWh £286 £70 £356 £6,169 17.3 yrs £956
3 kW 2641 kWh 1584 kWh 1056 kWh £429 £106 £534 £8,204 15.4 yrs £2,484
4 kW 3521 kWh 2113 kWh 1408 kWh £572 £141 £712 £10,238 14.4 yrs £4,012
5 kW 4401 kWh 2641 kWh 1760 kWh £715 £176 £891 £12,273 13.8 yrs £5,540
6 kW 5281 kWh 3169 kWh 2113 kWh £857 £211 £1,069 £14,307 13.4 yrs £7,067
7 kW 6162 kWh 3697 kWh 2465 kWh £1,000 £246 £1,247 £16,342 13.1 yrs £8,595
8 kW 7042 kWh 4225 kWh 2817 kWh £1,143 £282 £1,425 £18,376 12.9 yrs £10,123

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: £966, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 14.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1760 kWh 1232 kWh 528 kWh £333 £53 £386 £7,569 19.6 yrs £156
3 kW 2641 kWh 1848 kWh 792 kWh £500 £79 £579 £9,604 16.6 yrs £1,985
4 kW 3521 kWh 2465 kWh 1056 kWh £667 £106 £773 £11,638 15.1 yrs £3,813
5 kW 4401 kWh 3081 kWh 1320 kWh £834 £132 £966 £13,673 14.2 yrs £5,641
6 kW 5281 kWh 3697 kWh 1584 kWh £1,000 £158 £1,159 £15,707 13.6 yrs £7,469
7 kW 6162 kWh 4313 kWh 1848 kWh £1,167 £185 £1,352 £17,742 13.1 yrs £9,298
8 kW 7042 kWh 4929 kWh 2113 kWh £1,334 £211 £1,545 £19,776 12.8 yrs £11,126

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: £988, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1760 kWh 1285 kWh 475 kWh £348 £48 £395 £9,319 23.6 yrs £-1,413
3 kW 2641 kWh 1928 kWh 713 kWh £522 £71 £593 £11,354 19.1 yrs £505
4 kW 3521 kWh 2570 kWh 951 kWh £696 £95 £791 £13,388 16.9 yrs £2,423
5 kW 4401 kWh 3213 kWh 1188 kWh £869 £119 £988 £15,423 15.6 yrs £4,342
6 kW 5281 kWh 3855 kWh 1426 kWh £1,043 £143 £1,186 £17,457 14.7 yrs £6,260
7 kW 6162 kWh 4498 kWh 1664 kWh £1,217 £166 £1,383 £19,492 14.1 yrs £8,178
8 kW 7042 kWh 5140 kWh 1901 kWh £1,391 £190 £1,581 £21,526 13.6 yrs £10,097

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: £1,003, Upfront: £17,173, 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 1760 kWh 1320 kWh 440 kWh £357 £44 £401 £11,069 27.6 yrs £-3,043
3 kW 2641 kWh 1980 kWh 660 kWh £536 £66 £602 £13,104 21.8 yrs £-1,065
4 kW 3521 kWh 2641 kWh 880 kWh £715 £88 £803 £15,138 18.9 yrs £914
5 kW 4401 kWh 3301 kWh 1100 kWh £893 £110 £1,003 £17,173 17.1 yrs £2,892
6 kW 5281 kWh 3961 kWh 1320 kWh £1,072 £132 £1,204 £19,207 16.0 yrs £4,870
7 kW 6162 kWh 4621 kWh 1540 kWh £1,250 £154 £1,405 £21,242 15.1 yrs £6,849
8 kW 7042 kWh 5281 kWh 1760 kWh £1,429 £176 £1,605 £23,276 14.5 yrs £8,827

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: £1,018, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1760 kWh 1356 kWh 405 kWh £367 £40 £407 £13,519 33.2 yrs £-5,373
3 kW 2641 kWh 2033 kWh 607 kWh £550 £61 £611 £15,554 25.5 yrs £-3,335
4 kW 3521 kWh 2711 kWh 810 kWh £734 £81 £815 £17,588 21.6 yrs £-1,296
5 kW 4401 kWh 3389 kWh 1012 kWh £917 £101 £1,018 £19,623 19.3 yrs £742
6 kW 5281 kWh 4067 kWh 1215 kWh £1,100 £121 £1,222 £21,657 17.7 yrs £2,781
7 kW 6162 kWh 4744 kWh 1417 kWh £1,284 £142 £1,426 £23,692 16.6 yrs £4,819
8 kW 7042 kWh 5422 kWh 1620 kWh £1,467 £162 £1,629 £25,726 15.8 yrs £6,858

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 PA48

Figures below are tailored to PA48 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2239 of 2997
11.9 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£682 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2757 of 2997
32.6% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£223 fixed • ~£682 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.06p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
61.00p/day
Local Sunshine
880kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~880 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, 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

PA49 (Argyll and Bute)
≈4.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~905 kWh/kWp · +3% vs PA48
PA43 (Argyll and Bute)
≈6.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~866 kWh/kWp · -2% vs PA48
PA44 (Argyll and Bute)
≈9.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~866 kWh/kWp · -2% vs PA48
PA47 (Argyll and Bute)
≈10.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~901 kWh/kWp · +2% vs PA48
PA45 (Argyll and Bute)
≈15.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~855 kWh/kWp · -3% vs PA48
PA42 (Argyll and Bute)
≈16.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~890 kWh/kWp · +1% vs PA48

Similar sunshine across the UK

BT63 (Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon)
~880 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA48
BT40 (Mid and East Antrim)
~880 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PA48
BT62 (Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon)
~880 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA48