Solar explained to clever people by people who are not trying to be clever

Solar Panels in PH32 (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
17.1 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£595
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£4,691
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

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 707 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)
707 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: £595, Upfront: £10,173, 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 1414 kWh 565 kWh 848 kWh £153 £85 £238 £4,069 17.1 yrs £687
3 kW 2120 kWh 848 kWh 1272 kWh £229 £127 £357 £6,104 17.1 yrs £1,031
4 kW 2827 kWh 1131 kWh 1696 kWh £306 £170 £476 £8,138 17.1 yrs £1,374
5 kW 3534 kWh 1414 kWh 2120 kWh £382 £212 £595 £10,173 17.1 yrs £1,718
6 kW 4241 kWh 1696 kWh 2544 kWh £459 £254 £713 £12,207 17.1 yrs £2,062
7 kW 4947 kWh 1979 kWh 2968 kWh £535 £297 £832 £14,242 17.1 yrs £2,405
8 kW 5654 kWh 2262 kWh 3392 kWh £612 £339 £951 £16,276 17.1 yrs £2,749

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: £715, Upfront: £12,273, 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 1414 kWh 848 kWh 565 kWh £229 £57 £286 £6,169 21.6 yrs £-448
3 kW 2120 kWh 1272 kWh 848 kWh £344 £85 £429 £8,204 19.1 yrs £378
4 kW 2827 kWh 1696 kWh 1131 kWh £459 £113 £572 £10,238 17.9 yrs £1,204
5 kW 3534 kWh 2120 kWh 1414 kWh £574 £141 £715 £12,273 17.2 yrs £2,029
6 kW 4241 kWh 2544 kWh 1696 kWh £688 £170 £858 £14,307 16.7 yrs £2,855
7 kW 4947 kWh 2968 kWh 1979 kWh £803 £198 £1,001 £16,342 16.3 yrs £3,681
8 kW 5654 kWh 3392 kWh 2262 kWh £918 £226 £1,144 £18,376 16.1 yrs £4,507

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: £775, Upfront: £13,673, 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 1414 kWh 989 kWh 424 kWh £268 £42 £310 £7,569 24.4 yrs £-1,366
3 kW 2120 kWh 1484 kWh 636 kWh £402 £64 £465 £9,604 20.6 yrs £-299
4 kW 2827 kWh 1979 kWh 848 kWh £535 £85 £620 £11,638 18.8 yrs £768
5 kW 3534 kWh 2474 kWh 1060 kWh £669 £106 £775 £13,673 17.6 yrs £1,835
6 kW 4241 kWh 2968 kWh 1272 kWh £803 £127 £930 £15,707 16.9 yrs £2,902
7 kW 4947 kWh 3463 kWh 1484 kWh £937 £148 £1,086 £17,742 16.3 yrs £3,969
8 kW 5654 kWh 3958 kWh 1696 kWh £1,071 £170 £1,241 £19,776 15.9 yrs £5,036

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: £793, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 19.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1414 kWh 1032 kWh 382 kWh £279 £38 £317 £9,319 29.4 yrs £-2,971
3 kW 2120 kWh 1548 kWh 572 kWh £419 £57 £476 £11,354 23.8 yrs £-1,832
4 kW 2827 kWh 2064 kWh 763 kWh £558 £76 £635 £13,388 21.1 yrs £-692
5 kW 3534 kWh 2580 kWh 954 kWh £698 £95 £793 £15,423 19.4 yrs £447
6 kW 4241 kWh 3096 kWh 1145 kWh £838 £114 £952 £17,457 18.3 yrs £1,586
7 kW 4947 kWh 3612 kWh 1336 kWh £977 £134 £1,111 £19,492 17.5 yrs £2,726
8 kW 5654 kWh 4127 kWh 1527 kWh £1,117 £153 £1,270 £21,526 17.0 yrs £3,865

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: £806, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 21.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1414 kWh 1060 kWh 353 kWh £287 £35 £322 £11,069 34.4 yrs £-4,625
3 kW 2120 kWh 1590 kWh 530 kWh £430 £53 £483 £13,104 27.1 yrs £-3,437
4 kW 2827 kWh 2120 kWh 707 kWh £574 £71 £644 £15,138 23.5 yrs £-2,250
5 kW 3534 kWh 2650 kWh 883 kWh £717 £88 £806 £17,173 21.3 yrs £-1,062
6 kW 4241 kWh 3180 kWh 1060 kWh £861 £106 £967 £19,207 19.9 yrs £126
7 kW 4947 kWh 3710 kWh 1237 kWh £1,004 £124 £1,128 £21,242 18.8 yrs £1,313
8 kW 5654 kWh 4241 kWh 1414 kWh £1,147 £141 £1,289 £23,276 18.1 yrs £2,501

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: £818, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 24.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1414 kWh 1088 kWh 325 kWh £295 £33 £327 £13,519 41.3 yrs £-6,978
3 kW 2120 kWh 1633 kWh 488 kWh £442 £49 £491 £15,554 31.7 yrs £-5,742
4 kW 2827 kWh 2177 kWh 650 kWh £589 £65 £654 £17,588 26.9 yrs £-4,507
5 kW 3534 kWh 2721 kWh 813 kWh £736 £81 £818 £19,623 24.0 yrs £-3,271
6 kW 4241 kWh 3265 kWh 975 kWh £884 £98 £981 £21,657 22.1 yrs £-2,035
7 kW 4947 kWh 3809 kWh 1138 kWh £1,031 £114 £1,145 £23,692 20.7 yrs £-799
8 kW 5654 kWh 4354 kWh 1300 kWh £1,178 £130 £1,308 £25,726 19.7 yrs £437

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.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.06p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
61.00p/day
Local Sunshine
707kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~707 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

Aird and Loch Ness

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.