Independent solar numbers for your postcode using official UK data
Home Regions Guides Compare quotes Solar assistant
Insights
Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag Roof Direction Penalty Winter Solar Reality Seasonal Solar Output

Solar panel cost in Argyll and Bute (PA48)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for PA48 (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
11.2 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,139
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£729
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£10,091
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: 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 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 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)
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: £729, Upfront: £8,139, Break-even: 11.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1760 kWh 704 kWh 1056 kWh £186 £106 £292 £3,256 11.2 yrs £2,578
3 kW 2641 kWh 1056 kWh 1584 kWh £279 £158 £438 £4,883 11.2 yrs £3,867
4 kW 3521 kWh 1408 kWh 2113 kWh £372 £211 £583 £6,511 11.2 yrs £5,156
5 kW 4401 kWh 1760 kWh 2641 kWh £465 £264 £729 £8,139 11.2 yrs £6,445
6 kW 5281 kWh 2113 kWh 3169 kWh £558 £317 £875 £9,767 11.2 yrs £7,734
7 kW 6162 kWh 2465 kWh 3697 kWh £651 £370 £1,021 £11,394 11.2 yrs £9,023
8 kW 7042 kWh 2817 kWh 4225 kWh £744 £423 £1,167 £13,022 11.2 yrs £10,311

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: £874, Upfront: £10,239, Break-even: 11.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1760 kWh 1056 kWh 704 kWh £279 £70 £349 £5,356 15.3 yrs £1,634
3 kW 2641 kWh 1584 kWh 1056 kWh £419 £106 £524 £6,983 13.3 yrs £3,501
4 kW 3521 kWh 2113 kWh 1408 kWh £558 £141 £699 £8,611 12.3 yrs £5,368
5 kW 4401 kWh 2641 kWh 1760 kWh £698 £176 £874 £10,239 11.7 yrs £7,235
6 kW 5281 kWh 3169 kWh 2113 kWh £837 £211 £1,048 £11,867 11.3 yrs £9,102
7 kW 6162 kWh 3697 kWh 2465 kWh £977 £246 £1,223 £13,494 11.0 yrs £10,969
8 kW 7042 kWh 4225 kWh 2817 kWh £1,116 £282 £1,398 £15,122 10.8 yrs £12,837

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: £946, Upfront: £11,639, Break-even: 12.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1760 kWh 1232 kWh 528 kWh £326 £53 £378 £6,756 17.9 yrs £812
3 kW 2641 kWh 1848 kWh 792 kWh £488 £79 £568 £8,383 14.8 yrs £2,968
4 kW 3521 kWh 2465 kWh 1056 kWh £651 £106 £757 £10,011 13.2 yrs £5,125
5 kW 4401 kWh 3081 kWh 1320 kWh £814 £132 £946 £11,639 12.3 yrs £7,281
6 kW 5281 kWh 3697 kWh 1584 kWh £977 £158 £1,135 £13,267 11.7 yrs £9,437
7 kW 6162 kWh 4313 kWh 1848 kWh £1,140 £185 £1,324 £14,894 11.2 yrs £11,593
8 kW 7042 kWh 4929 kWh 2113 kWh £1,302 £211 £1,514 £16,522 10.9 yrs £13,749

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: £968, Upfront: £13,389, 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 1285 kWh 475 kWh £340 £48 £387 £8,506 22.0 yrs £-764
3 kW 2641 kWh 1928 kWh 713 kWh £509 £71 £581 £10,133 17.5 yrs £1,479
4 kW 3521 kWh 2570 kWh 951 kWh £679 £95 £774 £11,761 15.2 yrs £3,721
5 kW 4401 kWh 3213 kWh 1188 kWh £849 £119 £968 £13,389 13.8 yrs £5,964
6 kW 5281 kWh 3855 kWh 1426 kWh £1,019 £143 £1,161 £15,017 12.9 yrs £8,207
7 kW 6162 kWh 4498 kWh 1664 kWh £1,188 £166 £1,355 £16,644 12.3 yrs £10,450
8 kW 7042 kWh 5140 kWh 1901 kWh £1,358 £190 £1,548 £18,272 11.8 yrs £12,693

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: £982, Upfront: £15,139, 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 1760 kWh 1320 kWh 440 kWh £349 £44 £393 £10,256 26.1 yrs £-2,399
3 kW 2641 kWh 1980 kWh 660 kWh £523 £66 £589 £11,883 20.2 yrs £-98
4 kW 3521 kWh 2641 kWh 880 kWh £698 £88 £786 £13,511 17.2 yrs £2,203
5 kW 4401 kWh 3301 kWh 1100 kWh £872 £110 £982 £15,139 15.4 yrs £4,503
6 kW 5281 kWh 3961 kWh 1320 kWh £1,046 £132 £1,179 £16,767 14.2 yrs £6,804
7 kW 6162 kWh 4621 kWh 1540 kWh £1,221 £154 £1,375 £18,394 13.4 yrs £9,105
8 kW 7042 kWh 5281 kWh 1760 kWh £1,395 £176 £1,571 £20,022 12.7 yrs £11,405

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: £997, Upfront: £17,589, Break-even: 17.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1760 kWh 1356 kWh 405 kWh £358 £40 £399 £12,706 31.9 yrs £-4,733
3 kW 2641 kWh 2033 kWh 607 kWh £537 £61 £598 £14,333 24.0 yrs £-2,375
4 kW 3521 kWh 2711 kWh 810 kWh £716 £81 £797 £15,961 20.0 yrs £-16
5 kW 4401 kWh 3389 kWh 1012 kWh £895 £101 £997 £17,589 17.6 yrs £2,342
6 kW 5281 kWh 4067 kWh 1215 kWh £1,074 £121 £1,196 £19,217 16.1 yrs £4,701
7 kW 6162 kWh 4744 kWh 1417 kWh £1,253 £142 £1,395 £20,844 14.9 yrs £7,059
8 kW 7042 kWh 5422 kWh 1620 kWh £1,433 £162 £1,594 £22,472 14.1 yrs £9,418

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.

Compare solar quotes before you sign

Check what MCS certification means

Understand DNO, G98 and G99 export limits

New quote check

Want a quote sanity check for PA48?

Share the first part of your postcode and a few basics. We’ll help you check whether system size, battery, export and paperwork assumptions look sensible before you commit to installer conversations.

This is a practical sanity-check request, not an instant quote promise. The Blue Ape quote route above remains available if you already want installer introductions.

Request a quote sanity check →

Insights for PA48

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

Solar Payback Index Rank #2721 of 2996
12.5 years (UK avg 10.8 years)
~£583 /yr • £7,307 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2638 of 2996
36.0% (UK avg 26.6%) drag on savings
£210 fixed • ~£583 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −20.6% West −22.3%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Seasonal solar output in PA48

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 21 Jan 41 Feb 77 Mar 112 Apr 128 May 117 Jun 116 Jul 102 Aug 74 Sep 48 Oct 27 Nov 17 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 35.8% 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 26 kWh per month; the average month produces around 73 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 105 kWh in winter, or 293 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.42p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
57.55p/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, 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

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