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Solar Panels in PH49 (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
19.3 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£528
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£3,016
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 627 kWh/kW — 188 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 627 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)
627 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: £528, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 19.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1254 kWh 502 kWh 753 kWh £136 £75 £211 £4,069 19.3 yrs £151
3 kW 1881 kWh 753 kWh 1129 kWh £204 £113 £317 £6,104 19.3 yrs £227
4 kW 2509 kWh 1003 kWh 1505 kWh £272 £151 £422 £8,138 19.3 yrs £303
5 kW 3136 kWh 1254 kWh 1881 kWh £339 £188 £528 £10,173 19.3 yrs £378
6 kW 3763 kWh 1505 kWh 2258 kWh £407 £226 £633 £12,207 19.3 yrs £454
7 kW 4390 kWh 1756 kWh 2634 kWh £475 £263 £739 £14,242 19.3 yrs £530
8 kW 5017 kWh 2007 kWh 3010 kWh £543 £301 £844 £16,276 19.3 yrs £606

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: £635, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 19.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1254 kWh 753 kWh 502 kWh £204 £50 £254 £6,169 24.3 yrs £-1,093
3 kW 1881 kWh 1129 kWh 753 kWh £305 £75 £381 £8,204 21.5 yrs £-589
4 kW 2509 kWh 1505 kWh 1003 kWh £407 £100 £508 £10,238 20.2 yrs £-85
5 kW 3136 kWh 1881 kWh 1254 kWh £509 £125 £635 £12,273 19.3 yrs £418
6 kW 3763 kWh 2258 kWh 1505 kWh £611 £151 £761 £14,307 18.8 yrs £922
7 kW 4390 kWh 2634 kWh 1756 kWh £713 £176 £888 £16,342 18.4 yrs £1,426
8 kW 5017 kWh 3010 kWh 2007 kWh £815 £201 £1,015 £18,376 18.1 yrs £1,929

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: £688, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 19.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1254 kWh 878 kWh 376 kWh £238 £38 £275 £7,569 27.5 yrs £-2,065
3 kW 1881 kWh 1317 kWh 564 kWh £356 £56 £413 £9,604 23.3 yrs £-1,347
4 kW 2509 kWh 1756 kWh 753 kWh £475 £75 £550 £11,638 21.1 yrs £-629
5 kW 3136 kWh 2195 kWh 941 kWh £594 £94 £688 £13,673 19.9 yrs £88
6 kW 3763 kWh 2634 kWh 1129 kWh £713 £113 £826 £15,707 19.0 yrs £806
7 kW 4390 kWh 3073 kWh 1317 kWh £832 £132 £963 £17,742 18.4 yrs £1,523
8 kW 5017 kWh 3512 kWh 1505 kWh £950 £151 £1,101 £19,776 18.0 yrs £2,241

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: £704, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 21.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1254 kWh 916 kWh 339 kWh £248 £34 £282 £9,319 33.1 yrs £-3,686
3 kW 1881 kWh 1373 kWh 508 kWh £372 £51 £422 £11,354 26.9 yrs £-2,905
4 kW 2509 kWh 1831 kWh 677 kWh £496 £68 £563 £13,388 23.8 yrs £-2,123
5 kW 3136 kWh 2289 kWh 847 kWh £619 £85 £704 £15,423 21.9 yrs £-1,341
6 kW 3763 kWh 2747 kWh 1016 kWh £743 £102 £845 £17,457 20.7 yrs £-559
7 kW 4390 kWh 3205 kWh 1185 kWh £867 £119 £986 £19,492 19.8 yrs £223
8 kW 5017 kWh 3662 kWh 1355 kWh £991 £135 £1,127 £21,526 19.1 yrs £1,005

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: £715, Upfront: £17,173, 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 1254 kWh 941 kWh 314 kWh £255 £31 £286 £11,069 38.7 yrs £-5,351
3 kW 1881 kWh 1411 kWh 470 kWh £382 £47 £429 £13,104 30.6 yrs £-4,526
4 kW 2509 kWh 1881 kWh 627 kWh £509 £63 £572 £15,138 26.5 yrs £-3,702
5 kW 3136 kWh 2352 kWh 784 kWh £636 £78 £715 £17,173 24.0 yrs £-2,877
6 kW 3763 kWh 2822 kWh 941 kWh £764 £94 £858 £19,207 22.4 yrs £-2,052
7 kW 4390 kWh 3292 kWh 1097 kWh £891 £110 £1,001 £21,242 21.2 yrs £-1,228
8 kW 5017 kWh 3763 kWh 1254 kWh £1,018 £125 £1,144 £23,276 20.4 yrs £-403

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: £725, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 27.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1254 kWh 966 kWh 288 kWh £261 £29 £290 £13,519 46.6 yrs £-7,715
3 kW 1881 kWh 1449 kWh 433 kWh £392 £43 £435 £15,554 35.7 yrs £-6,848
4 kW 2509 kWh 1932 kWh 577 kWh £523 £58 £580 £17,588 30.3 yrs £-5,980
5 kW 3136 kWh 2414 kWh 721 kWh £653 £72 £725 £19,623 27.0 yrs £-5,113
6 kW 3763 kWh 2897 kWh 865 kWh £784 £87 £871 £21,657 24.9 yrs £-4,245
7 kW 4390 kWh 3380 kWh 1010 kWh £915 £101 £1,016 £23,692 23.3 yrs £-3,378
8 kW 5017 kWh 3863 kWh 1154 kWh £1,045 £115 £1,161 £25,726 22.2 yrs £-2,511

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 PH49

Figures below are tailored to PH49 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2996 of 2997
16.7 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£486 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2996 of 2997
45.8% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£223 fixed • ~£486 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.06p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
61.00p/day
Local Sunshine
627kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~627 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

Fort William and Ardnamurchan

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

PA39 (Highland)
≈0.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~583 kWh/kWp · -7% vs PH49
PA40 (Highland)
≈11.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~633 kWh/kWp · +1% vs PH49
PH50 (Highland)
≈11.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~653 kWh/kWp · +4% vs PH49
PH33 (Highland)
≈16.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~668 kWh/kWp · +6% vs PH49
PA38 (Argyll and Bute)
≈18.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~694 kWh/kWp · +11% vs PH49
PH34 (Highland)
≈27.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~701 kWh/kWp · +12% vs PH49

Similar sunshine across the UK

PA40 (Highland)
~633 kWh/kWp · +1% vs PH49
PH38 (Highland)
~647 kWh/kWp · +3% vs PH49
PH50 (Highland)
~653 kWh/kWp · +4% vs PH49