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Solar panel cost in Renfrewshire (PA5)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for PA5 (Renfrewshire) 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
16.2 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£754
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£6,655
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 22.82p/kWh with a 64.81p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 831 kWh/kW — 19 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 831 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 22.8p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
22.8p/kWh
Standing charge
64.8p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
831 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: £629, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 16.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1662 kWh 665 kWh 997 kWh £152 £100 £251 £4,069 16.2 yrs £961
3 kW 2494 kWh 997 kWh 1496 kWh £228 £150 £377 £6,104 16.2 yrs £1,441
4 kW 3325 kWh 1330 kWh 1995 kWh £303 £199 £503 £8,138 16.2 yrs £1,922
5 kW 4156 kWh 1662 kWh 2494 kWh £379 £249 £629 £10,173 16.2 yrs £2,402
6 kW 4987 kWh 1995 kWh 2992 kWh £455 £299 £754 £12,207 16.2 yrs £2,883
7 kW 5819 kWh 2327 kWh 3491 kWh £531 £349 £880 £14,242 16.2 yrs £3,363
8 kW 6650 kWh 2660 kWh 3990 kWh £607 £399 £1,006 £16,276 16.2 yrs £3,844

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: £735, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 16.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1662 kWh 997 kWh 665 kWh £228 £66 £294 £6,169 21.0 yrs £-287
3 kW 2494 kWh 1496 kWh 997 kWh £341 £100 £441 £8,204 18.6 yrs £620
4 kW 3325 kWh 1995 kWh 1330 kWh £455 £133 £588 £10,238 17.4 yrs £1,527
5 kW 4156 kWh 2494 kWh 1662 kWh £569 £166 £735 £12,273 16.7 yrs £2,434
6 kW 4987 kWh 2992 kWh 1995 kWh £683 £199 £882 £14,307 16.2 yrs £3,340
7 kW 5819 kWh 3491 kWh 2327 kWh £797 £233 £1,029 £16,342 15.9 yrs £4,247
8 kW 6650 kWh 3990 kWh 2660 kWh £910 £266 £1,176 £18,376 15.6 yrs £5,154

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: £789, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 17.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1662 kWh 1164 kWh 499 kWh £266 £50 £315 £7,569 24.0 yrs £-1,260
3 kW 2494 kWh 1746 kWh 748 kWh £398 £75 £473 £9,604 20.3 yrs £-140
4 kW 3325 kWh 2327 kWh 997 kWh £531 £100 £631 £11,638 18.4 yrs £979
5 kW 4156 kWh 2909 kWh 1247 kWh £664 £125 £789 £13,673 17.3 yrs £2,099
6 kW 4987 kWh 3491 kWh 1496 kWh £797 £150 £946 £15,707 16.6 yrs £3,219
7 kW 5819 kWh 4073 kWh 1746 kWh £929 £175 £1,104 £17,742 16.1 yrs £4,339
8 kW 6650 kWh 4655 kWh 1995 kWh £1,062 £199 £1,262 £19,776 15.7 yrs £5,459

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: £805, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 19.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1662 kWh 1214 kWh 449 kWh £277 £45 £322 £9,319 29.0 yrs £-2,882
3 kW 2494 kWh 1820 kWh 673 kWh £415 £67 £483 £11,354 23.5 yrs £-1,699
4 kW 3325 kWh 2427 kWh 898 kWh £554 £90 £644 £13,388 20.8 yrs £-515
5 kW 4156 kWh 3034 kWh 1122 kWh £692 £112 £805 £15,423 19.2 yrs £669
6 kW 4987 kWh 3641 kWh 1347 kWh £831 £135 £965 £17,457 18.1 yrs £1,853
7 kW 5819 kWh 4248 kWh 1571 kWh £969 £157 £1,126 £19,492 17.3 yrs £3,036
8 kW 6650 kWh 4854 kWh 1795 kWh £1,108 £180 £1,287 £21,526 16.7 yrs £4,220

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: £815, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 21.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1662 kWh 1247 kWh 416 kWh £285 £42 £326 £11,069 33.9 yrs £-4,547
3 kW 2494 kWh 1870 kWh 623 kWh £427 £62 £489 £13,104 26.8 yrs £-3,321
4 kW 3325 kWh 2494 kWh 831 kWh £569 £83 £652 £15,138 23.2 yrs £-2,094
5 kW 4156 kWh 3117 kWh 1039 kWh £711 £104 £815 £17,173 21.1 yrs £-868
6 kW 4987 kWh 3741 kWh 1247 kWh £854 £125 £978 £19,207 19.6 yrs £358
7 kW 5819 kWh 4364 kWh 1455 kWh £996 £145 £1,141 £21,242 18.6 yrs £1,585
8 kW 6650 kWh 4987 kWh 1662 kWh £1,138 £166 £1,304 £23,276 17.8 yrs £2,811

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: £826, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 23.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1662 kWh 1280 kWh 382 kWh £292 £38 £330 £13,519 40.9 yrs £-6,912
3 kW 2494 kWh 1920 kWh 574 kWh £438 £57 £496 £15,554 31.4 yrs £-5,643
4 kW 3325 kWh 2560 kWh 765 kWh £584 £76 £661 £17,588 26.6 yrs £-4,374
5 kW 4156 kWh 3200 kWh 956 kWh £730 £96 £826 £19,623 23.8 yrs £-3,105
6 kW 4987 kWh 3840 kWh 1147 kWh £876 £115 £991 £21,657 21.9 yrs £-1,836
7 kW 5819 kWh 4480 kWh 1338 kWh £1,022 £134 £1,156 £23,692 20.5 yrs £-567
8 kW 6650 kWh 5120 kWh 1529 kWh £1,168 £153 £1,321 £25,726 19.5 yrs £702

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 PA5

Figures below are tailored to PA5 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2841 of 2997
14.5 years (UK avg 12.6 years)
~£841 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1897 of 2997
25.0% (UK avg 24.6%) drag on savings
£210 fixed • ~£841 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −18.3% West −21.1%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Seasonal solar output in PA5

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 21 Jan 38 Feb 70 Mar 102 Apr 114 May 110 Jun 110 Jul 96 Aug 72 Sep 49 Oct 31 Nov 17 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 37.1% 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 69 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 103 kWh in winter, or 277 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
22.82p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
64.81p/day
Local Sunshine
831kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~831 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

Johnstone South and Elderslie, Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood and Lochwinnoch, Houston, Crosslee and Linwood, Paisley Southwest

Data Sources & Assumptions

Solar yield: PVGIS (EU Joint Research Centre), January 2025 data

Electricity rates: Ofgem price cap, Q1 2026

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

PA10 (Renfrewshire)
≈2.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~832 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA5
PA6 (Renfrewshire)
≈3.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~832 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA5
PA9 (Renfrewshire)
≈3.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~825 kWh/kWp · -1% vs PA5
PA2 (Renfrewshire)
≈4.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~825 kWh/kWp · -1% vs PA5
PA3 (Renfrewshire)
≈4.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~834 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA5
PA11 (Renfrewshire)
≈5.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~837 kWh/kWp · +1% vs PA5

Similar sunshine across the UK

OL9 (Oldham)
~831 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA5
FK17 (Stirling)
~831 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PA5
OL2 (Oldham)
~832 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA5