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Solar panel cost in Highland (PH33)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for PH33 (Highland) 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
17.6 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£579
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£4,300
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 28.36p/kWh with a 62.07p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 668 kWh/kW — 147 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 668 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 28.4p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
28.4p/kWh
Standing charge
62.1p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
668 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: £579, Upfront: £10,173, 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 1335 kWh 534 kWh 801 kWh £151 £80 £232 £4,069 17.6 yrs £562
3 kW 2003 kWh 801 kWh 1202 kWh £227 £120 £347 £6,104 17.6 yrs £843
4 kW 2670 kWh 1068 kWh 1602 kWh £303 £160 £463 £8,138 17.6 yrs £1,124
5 kW 3338 kWh 1335 kWh 2003 kWh £379 £200 £579 £10,173 17.6 yrs £1,405
6 kW 4005 kWh 1602 kWh 2403 kWh £454 £240 £695 £12,207 17.6 yrs £1,687
7 kW 4673 kWh 1869 kWh 2804 kWh £530 £280 £810 £14,242 17.6 yrs £1,968
8 kW 5340 kWh 2136 kWh 3204 kWh £606 £320 £926 £16,276 17.6 yrs £2,249

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: £701, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 17.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1335 kWh 801 kWh 534 kWh £227 £53 £281 £6,169 22.0 yrs £-557
3 kW 2003 kWh 1202 kWh 801 kWh £341 £80 £421 £8,204 19.5 yrs £214
4 kW 2670 kWh 1602 kWh 1068 kWh £454 £107 £561 £10,238 18.2 yrs £985
5 kW 3338 kWh 2003 kWh 1335 kWh £568 £134 £701 £12,273 17.5 yrs £1,757
6 kW 4005 kWh 2403 kWh 1602 kWh £682 £160 £842 £14,307 17.0 yrs £2,528
7 kW 4673 kWh 2804 kWh 1869 kWh £795 £187 £982 £16,342 16.6 yrs £3,299
8 kW 5340 kWh 3204 kWh 2136 kWh £909 £214 £1,122 £18,376 16.4 yrs £4,071

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: £763, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 17.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1335 kWh 935 kWh 401 kWh £265 £40 £305 £7,569 24.8 yrs £-1,467
3 kW 2003 kWh 1402 kWh 601 kWh £398 £60 £458 £9,604 21.0 yrs £-451
4 kW 2670 kWh 1869 kWh 801 kWh £530 £80 £610 £11,638 19.1 yrs £566
5 kW 3338 kWh 2336 kWh 1001 kWh £663 £100 £763 £13,673 17.9 yrs £1,582
6 kW 4005 kWh 2804 kWh 1202 kWh £795 £120 £915 £15,707 17.2 yrs £2,599
7 kW 4673 kWh 3271 kWh 1402 kWh £928 £140 £1,068 £17,742 16.6 yrs £3,615
8 kW 5340 kWh 3738 kWh 1602 kWh £1,060 £160 £1,220 £19,776 16.2 yrs £4,632

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: £781, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 19.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1335 kWh 975 kWh 360 kWh £276 £36 £312 £9,319 29.8 yrs £-3,070
3 kW 2003 kWh 1462 kWh 541 kWh £415 £54 £469 £11,354 24.2 yrs £-1,980
4 kW 2670 kWh 1949 kWh 721 kWh £553 £72 £625 £13,388 21.4 yrs £-890
5 kW 3338 kWh 2437 kWh 901 kWh £691 £90 £781 £15,423 19.7 yrs £200
6 kW 4005 kWh 2924 kWh 1081 kWh £829 £108 £937 £17,457 18.6 yrs £1,290
7 kW 4673 kWh 3411 kWh 1262 kWh £967 £126 £1,094 £19,492 17.8 yrs £2,380
8 kW 5340 kWh 3898 kWh 1442 kWh £1,106 £144 £1,250 £21,526 17.2 yrs £3,470

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: £793, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 21.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1335 kWh 1001 kWh 334 kWh £284 £33 £317 £11,069 34.9 yrs £-4,722
3 kW 2003 kWh 1502 kWh 501 kWh £426 £50 £476 £13,104 27.5 yrs £-3,583
4 kW 2670 kWh 2003 kWh 668 kWh £568 £67 £635 £15,138 23.9 yrs £-2,444
5 kW 3338 kWh 2503 kWh 834 kWh £710 £83 £793 £17,173 21.6 yrs £-1,305
6 kW 4005 kWh 3004 kWh 1001 kWh £852 £100 £952 £19,207 20.2 yrs £-166
7 kW 4673 kWh 3505 kWh 1168 kWh £994 £117 £1,111 £21,242 19.1 yrs £973
8 kW 5340 kWh 4005 kWh 1335 kWh £1,136 £134 £1,269 £23,276 18.3 yrs £2,112

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: £806, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 24.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1335 kWh 1028 kWh 307 kWh £292 £31 £322 £13,519 42.0 yrs £-7,074
3 kW 2003 kWh 1542 kWh 461 kWh £437 £46 £483 £15,554 32.2 yrs £-5,886
4 kW 2670 kWh 2056 kWh 614 kWh £583 £61 £645 £17,588 27.3 yrs £-4,698
5 kW 3338 kWh 2570 kWh 768 kWh £729 £77 £806 £19,623 24.4 yrs £-3,510
6 kW 4005 kWh 3084 kWh 921 kWh £875 £92 £967 £21,657 22.4 yrs £-2,322
7 kW 4673 kWh 3598 kWh 1075 kWh £1,020 £107 £1,128 £23,692 21.0 yrs £-1,134
8 kW 5340 kWh 4112 kWh 1228 kWh £1,166 £123 £1,289 £25,726 20.0 yrs £54

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 PH33

Figures below are tailored to PH33 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2992 of 2997
17.6 years (UK avg 12.6 years)
~£463 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2992 of 2997
48.9% (UK avg 24.6%) drag on savings
£227 fixed • ~£463 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −17.1% West −17.1%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
28.36p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
62.07p/day
Local Sunshine
668kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~668 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 (98%)|Perth and Kinross (2%)

Areas Covered

Fort William and Ardnamurchan, Caol and Mallaig, Perth City South

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 Northern Scotland

PH34 (Highland)
≈13.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~701 kWh/kWp · +5% vs PH33
PA40 (Highland)
≈14.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~633 kWh/kWp · -5% vs PH33
PH50 (Highland)
≈14.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~653 kWh/kWp · -2% vs PH33
PH49 (Highland)
≈16.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~627 kWh/kWp · -6% vs PH33
PA39 (Highland)
≈16.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~583 kWh/kWp · -13% vs PH33
PH31 (Highland)
≈18.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~711 kWh/kWp · +7% vs PH33

Similar sunshine across the UK

IV42 (Highland)
~677 kWh/kWp · +1% vs PH33
IV53 (Highland)
~678 kWh/kWp · +2% vs PH33
PH50 (Highland)
~653 kWh/kWp · -2% vs PH33