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Solar Panels in PH21 (Highland)

See if solar pays off for you in Highland — price, savings and payback in under a minute (official UK data).

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
17.2 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£590
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£4,580
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 701 kWh/kW — 114 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 701 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)
701 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: £590, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 17.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1403 kWh 561 kWh 842 kWh £152 £84 £236 £4,069 17.2 yrs £652
3 kW 2104 kWh 842 kWh 1263 kWh £228 £126 £354 £6,104 17.2 yrs £978
4 kW 2806 kWh 1122 kWh 1684 kWh £304 £168 £472 £8,138 17.2 yrs £1,303
5 kW 3507 kWh 1403 kWh 2104 kWh £380 £210 £590 £10,173 17.2 yrs £1,629
6 kW 4209 kWh 1684 kWh 2525 kWh £456 £253 £708 £12,207 17.2 yrs £1,955
7 kW 4910 kWh 1964 kWh 2946 kWh £532 £295 £826 £14,242 17.2 yrs £2,281
8 kW 5612 kWh 2245 kWh 3367 kWh £607 £337 £944 £16,276 17.2 yrs £2,607

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: £710, Upfront: £12,273, 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 1403 kWh 842 kWh 561 kWh £228 £56 £284 £6,169 21.7 yrs £-491
3 kW 2104 kWh 1263 kWh 842 kWh £342 £84 £426 £8,204 19.3 yrs £314
4 kW 2806 kWh 1684 kWh 1122 kWh £456 £112 £568 £10,238 18.0 yrs £1,118
5 kW 3507 kWh 2104 kWh 1403 kWh £569 £140 £710 £12,273 17.3 yrs £1,923
6 kW 4209 kWh 2525 kWh 1684 kWh £683 £168 £852 £14,307 16.8 yrs £2,727
7 kW 4910 kWh 2946 kWh 1964 kWh £797 £196 £994 £16,342 16.4 yrs £3,532
8 kW 5612 kWh 3367 kWh 2245 kWh £911 £224 £1,136 £18,376 16.2 yrs £4,336

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: £770, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 17.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1403 kWh 982 kWh 421 kWh £266 £42 £308 £7,569 24.6 yrs £-1,412
3 kW 2104 kWh 1473 kWh 631 kWh £399 £63 £462 £9,604 20.8 yrs £-368
4 kW 2806 kWh 1964 kWh 842 kWh £532 £84 £616 £11,638 18.9 yrs £676
5 kW 3507 kWh 2455 kWh 1052 kWh £664 £105 £770 £13,673 17.8 yrs £1,720
6 kW 4209 kWh 2946 kWh 1263 kWh £797 £126 £924 £15,707 17.0 yrs £2,763
7 kW 4910 kWh 3437 kWh 1473 kWh £930 £147 £1,077 £17,742 16.5 yrs £3,807
8 kW 5612 kWh 3928 kWh 1684 kWh £1,063 £168 £1,231 £19,776 16.1 yrs £4,851

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: £788, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 19.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1403 kWh 1024 kWh 379 kWh £277 £38 £315 £9,319 29.6 yrs £-3,019
3 kW 2104 kWh 1536 kWh 568 kWh £416 £57 £473 £11,354 24.0 yrs £-1,903
4 kW 2806 kWh 2048 kWh 758 kWh £554 £76 £630 £13,388 21.2 yrs £-787
5 kW 3507 kWh 2560 kWh 947 kWh £693 £95 £788 £15,423 19.6 yrs £329
6 kW 4209 kWh 3073 kWh 1136 kWh £831 £114 £945 £17,457 18.5 yrs £1,444
7 kW 4910 kWh 3585 kWh 1326 kWh £970 £133 £1,103 £19,492 17.7 yrs £2,560
8 kW 5612 kWh 4097 kWh 1515 kWh £1,109 £152 £1,260 £21,526 17.1 yrs £3,676

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: £800, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 21.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1403 kWh 1052 kWh 351 kWh £285 £35 £320 £11,069 34.6 yrs £-4,673
3 kW 2104 kWh 1578 kWh 526 kWh £427 £53 £480 £13,104 27.3 yrs £-3,509
4 kW 2806 kWh 2104 kWh 701 kWh £569 £70 £640 £15,138 23.7 yrs £-2,346
5 kW 3507 kWh 2631 kWh 877 kWh £712 £88 £800 £17,173 21.5 yrs £-1,182
6 kW 4209 kWh 3157 kWh 1052 kWh £854 £105 £959 £19,207 20.0 yrs £-19
7 kW 4910 kWh 3683 kWh 1228 kWh £997 £123 £1,119 £21,242 19.0 yrs £1,145
8 kW 5612 kWh 4209 kWh 1403 kWh £1,139 £140 £1,279 £23,276 18.2 yrs £2,309

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: £811, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 24.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1403 kWh 1080 kWh 323 kWh £292 £32 £325 £13,519 41.6 yrs £-7,027
3 kW 2104 kWh 1620 kWh 484 kWh £438 £48 £487 £15,554 31.9 yrs £-5,816
4 kW 2806 kWh 2161 kWh 645 kWh £585 £65 £649 £17,588 27.1 yrs £-4,604
5 kW 3507 kWh 2701 kWh 807 kWh £731 £81 £811 £19,623 24.2 yrs £-3,393
6 kW 4209 kWh 3241 kWh 968 kWh £877 £97 £974 £21,657 22.2 yrs £-2,181
7 kW 4910 kWh 3781 kWh 1129 kWh £1,023 £113 £1,136 £23,692 20.9 yrs £-970
8 kW 5612 kWh 4321 kWh 1291 kWh £1,169 £129 £1,298 £25,726 19.8 yrs £242

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 PH21

Figures below are tailored to PH21 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2983 of 2997
15.0 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£544 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2979 of 2997
40.9% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£223 fixed • ~£544 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.06p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
61.00p/day
Local Sunshine
701kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~701 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

Highland (100%)

Areas Covered

Badenoch and Strathspey

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

PH20 (Highland)
≈5.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~781 kWh/kWp · +11% vs PH21
PH22 (Highland)
≈18.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~774 kWh/kWp · +10% vs PH21
PH19 (Highland)
≈20.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~754 kWh/kWp · +8% vs PH21
PH24 (Highland)
≈25.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~766 kWh/kWp · +9% vs PH21
PH23 (Highland)
≈26.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~781 kWh/kWp · +11% vs PH21
IV13 (Highland)
≈28.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~805 kWh/kWp · +15% vs PH21

Similar sunshine across the UK

IV52 (Highland)
~702 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PH21
PH34 (Highland)
~701 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PH21
PA36 (Argyll and Bute)
~698 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PH21