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Solar panel cost in Argyll and Bute (PA74)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for PA74 (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
12.0 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,139
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£676
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,758
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 816 kWh/kW — 1 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 816 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)
816 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: £676, Upfront: £8,139, Break-even: 12.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1632 kWh 653 kWh 979 kWh £172 £98 £270 £3,256 12.0 yrs £2,151
3 kW 2448 kWh 979 kWh 1469 kWh £259 £147 £406 £4,883 12.0 yrs £3,227
4 kW 3264 kWh 1305 kWh 1958 kWh £345 £196 £541 £6,511 12.0 yrs £4,303
5 kW 4079 kWh 1632 kWh 2448 kWh £431 £245 £676 £8,139 12.0 yrs £5,379
6 kW 4895 kWh 1958 kWh 2937 kWh £517 £294 £811 £9,767 12.0 yrs £6,454
7 kW 5711 kWh 2284 kWh 3427 kWh £604 £343 £946 £11,394 12.0 yrs £7,530
8 kW 6527 kWh 2611 kWh 3916 kWh £690 £392 £1,081 £13,022 12.0 yrs £8,606

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: £810, Upfront: £10,239, Break-even: 12.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1632 kWh 979 kWh 653 kWh £259 £65 £324 £5,356 16.5 yrs £1,123
3 kW 2448 kWh 1469 kWh 979 kWh £388 £98 £486 £6,983 14.4 yrs £2,735
4 kW 3264 kWh 1958 kWh 1305 kWh £517 £131 £648 £8,611 13.3 yrs £4,346
5 kW 4079 kWh 2448 kWh 1632 kWh £647 £163 £810 £10,239 12.6 yrs £5,958
6 kW 4895 kWh 2937 kWh 1958 kWh £776 £196 £972 £11,867 12.2 yrs £7,570
7 kW 5711 kWh 3427 kWh 2284 kWh £905 £228 £1,134 £13,494 11.9 yrs £9,181
8 kW 6527 kWh 3916 kWh 2611 kWh £1,035 £261 £1,296 £15,122 11.7 yrs £10,793

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: £877, Upfront: £11,639, Break-even: 13.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1632 kWh 1142 kWh 490 kWh £302 £49 £351 £6,756 19.3 yrs £259
3 kW 2448 kWh 1713 kWh 734 kWh £453 £73 £526 £8,383 15.9 yrs £2,139
4 kW 3264 kWh 2284 kWh 979 kWh £604 £98 £701 £10,011 14.3 yrs £4,018
5 kW 4079 kWh 2856 kWh 1224 kWh £754 £122 £877 £11,639 13.3 yrs £5,898
6 kW 4895 kWh 3427 kWh 1469 kWh £905 £147 £1,052 £13,267 12.6 yrs £7,777
7 kW 5711 kWh 3998 kWh 1713 kWh £1,056 £171 £1,228 £14,894 12.1 yrs £9,657
8 kW 6527 kWh 4569 kWh 1958 kWh £1,207 £196 £1,403 £16,522 11.8 yrs £11,536

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: £897, Upfront: £13,389, Break-even: 14.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1632 kWh 1191 kWh 441 kWh £315 £44 £359 £8,506 23.7 yrs £-1,330
3 kW 2448 kWh 1787 kWh 661 kWh £472 £66 £538 £10,133 18.8 yrs £630
4 kW 3264 kWh 2382 kWh 881 kWh £629 £88 £718 £11,761 16.4 yrs £2,590
5 kW 4079 kWh 2978 kWh 1101 kWh £787 £110 £897 £13,389 14.9 yrs £4,550
6 kW 4895 kWh 3574 kWh 1322 kWh £944 £132 £1,076 £15,017 14.0 yrs £6,510
7 kW 5711 kWh 4169 kWh 1542 kWh £1,101 £154 £1,256 £16,644 13.3 yrs £8,469
8 kW 6527 kWh 4765 kWh 1762 kWh £1,259 £176 £1,435 £18,272 12.7 yrs £10,429

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: £910, Upfront: £15,139, Break-even: 16.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1632 kWh 1224 kWh 408 kWh £323 £41 £364 £10,256 28.2 yrs £-2,973
3 kW 2448 kWh 1836 kWh 612 kWh £485 £61 £546 £11,883 21.8 yrs £-959
4 kW 3264 kWh 2448 kWh 816 kWh £647 £82 £728 £13,511 18.6 yrs £1,054
5 kW 4079 kWh 3060 kWh 1020 kWh £808 £102 £910 £15,139 16.6 yrs £3,068
6 kW 4895 kWh 3671 kWh 1224 kWh £970 £122 £1,092 £16,767 15.3 yrs £5,081
7 kW 5711 kWh 4283 kWh 1428 kWh £1,132 £143 £1,274 £18,394 14.4 yrs £7,095
8 kW 6527 kWh 4895 kWh 1632 kWh £1,293 £163 £1,457 £20,022 13.7 yrs £9,108

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: £924, Upfront: £17,589, Break-even: 19.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1632 kWh 1256 kWh 375 kWh £332 £38 £369 £12,706 34.4 yrs £-5,316
3 kW 2448 kWh 1885 kWh 563 kWh £498 £56 £554 £14,333 25.9 yrs £-3,249
4 kW 3264 kWh 2513 kWh 751 kWh £664 £75 £739 £15,961 21.6 yrs £-1,182
5 kW 4079 kWh 3141 kWh 938 kWh £830 £94 £924 £17,589 19.0 yrs £885
6 kW 4895 kWh 3769 kWh 1126 kWh £996 £113 £1,108 £19,217 17.3 yrs £2,953
7 kW 5711 kWh 4398 kWh 1314 kWh £1,162 £131 £1,293 £20,844 16.1 yrs £5,020
8 kW 6527 kWh 5026 kWh 1501 kWh £1,328 £150 £1,478 £22,472 15.2 yrs £7,087

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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Insights for PA74

Figures below are tailored to PA74 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2874 of 2996
13.5 years (UK avg 10.8 years)
~£541 /yr • £7,307 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2778 of 2996
38.8% (UK avg 26.6%) drag on savings
£210 fixed • ~£541 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −19.7% West −21.2%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Seasonal solar output in PA74

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 18 Jan 36 Feb 72 Mar 105 Apr 119 May 113 Jun 107 Jul 94 Aug 66 Sep 45 Oct 25 Nov 15 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 33.9% 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 23 kWh per month; the average month produces around 68 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 92 kWh in winter, or 272 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.42p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
57.55p/day
Local Sunshine
816kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~816 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

Oban South and the Isles

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

PA73 (Argyll and Bute)
≈6.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~772 kWh/kWp · -5% vs PA74
PA68 (Argyll and Bute)
≈11.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~809 kWh/kWp · -1% vs PA74
PA75 (Argyll and Bute)
≈13.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~774 kWh/kWp · -5% vs PA74
PA71 (Argyll and Bute)
≈16.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~768 kWh/kWp · -6% vs PA74
PA72 (Argyll and Bute)
≈17.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~745 kWh/kWp · -9% vs PA74
PA69 (Argyll and Bute)
≈19.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~827 kWh/kWp · +1% vs PA74

Similar sunshine across the UK

LA10 (Westmorland and Furness)
~816 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA74
SY20 (Powys)
~817 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA74
G67 (North Lanarkshire)
~817 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PA74