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Solar panel cost in Scottish Borders (TD12)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for TD12 (Scottish Borders) 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
10.8 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£9,767
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£903
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£12,808
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 Southern Scotland, the current unit rate is 25.85p/kWh with a 64.17p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 921 kWh/kW — 71 above the regional median (850).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 6.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 921 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.9p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.9p/kWh
Standing charge
64.2p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
921 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: £752, Upfront: £8,139, Break-even: 10.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1842 kWh 737 kWh 1105 kWh £190 £111 £301 £3,256 10.8 yrs £2,764
3 kW 2763 kWh 1105 kWh 1658 kWh £286 £166 £451 £4,883 10.8 yrs £4,147
4 kW 3684 kWh 1474 kWh 2210 kWh £381 £221 £602 £6,511 10.8 yrs £5,529
5 kW 4605 kWh 1842 kWh 2763 kWh £476 £276 £752 £8,139 10.8 yrs £6,911
6 kW 5526 kWh 2210 kWh 3316 kWh £571 £332 £903 £9,767 10.8 yrs £8,293
7 kW 6447 kWh 2579 kWh 3868 kWh £667 £387 £1,053 £11,394 10.8 yrs £9,675
8 kW 7368 kWh 2947 kWh 4421 kWh £762 £442 £1,204 £13,022 10.8 yrs £11,058

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: £898, Upfront: £10,239, Break-even: 11.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1842 kWh 1105 kWh 737 kWh £286 £74 £359 £5,356 14.9 yrs £1,832
3 kW 2763 kWh 1658 kWh 1105 kWh £429 £111 £539 £6,983 13.0 yrs £3,798
4 kW 3684 kWh 2210 kWh 1474 kWh £571 £147 £719 £8,611 12.0 yrs £5,765
5 kW 4605 kWh 2763 kWh 1842 kWh £714 £184 £898 £10,239 11.4 yrs £7,731
6 kW 5526 kWh 3316 kWh 2210 kWh £857 £221 £1,078 £11,867 11.0 yrs £9,697
7 kW 6447 kWh 3868 kWh 2579 kWh £1,000 £258 £1,258 £13,494 10.7 yrs £11,663
8 kW 7368 kWh 4421 kWh 2947 kWh £1,143 £295 £1,438 £15,122 10.5 yrs £13,629

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: £971, Upfront: £11,639, 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 1842 kWh 1289 kWh 553 kWh £333 £55 £389 £6,756 17.4 yrs £1,016
3 kW 2763 kWh 1934 kWh 829 kWh £500 £83 £583 £8,383 14.4 yrs £3,274
4 kW 3684 kWh 2579 kWh 1105 kWh £667 £111 £777 £10,011 12.9 yrs £5,532
5 kW 4605 kWh 3224 kWh 1382 kWh £833 £138 £971 £11,639 12.0 yrs £7,791
6 kW 5526 kWh 3868 kWh 1658 kWh £1,000 £166 £1,166 £13,267 11.4 yrs £10,049
7 kW 6447 kWh 4513 kWh 1934 kWh £1,167 £193 £1,360 £14,894 11.0 yrs £12,307
8 kW 7368 kWh 5158 kWh 2210 kWh £1,333 £221 £1,554 £16,522 10.6 yrs £14,565

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: £993, Upfront: £13,389, Break-even: 13.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1842 kWh 1345 kWh 497 kWh £348 £50 £397 £8,506 21.4 yrs £-559
3 kW 2763 kWh 2017 kWh 746 kWh £521 £75 £596 £10,133 17.0 yrs £1,787
4 kW 3684 kWh 2689 kWh 995 kWh £695 £99 £795 £11,761 14.8 yrs £4,133
5 kW 4605 kWh 3362 kWh 1243 kWh £869 £124 £993 £13,389 13.5 yrs £6,478
6 kW 5526 kWh 4034 kWh 1492 kWh £1,043 £149 £1,192 £15,017 12.6 yrs £8,824
7 kW 6447 kWh 4707 kWh 1741 kWh £1,217 £174 £1,391 £16,644 12.0 yrs £11,170
8 kW 7368 kWh 5379 kWh 1989 kWh £1,390 £199 £1,589 £18,272 11.5 yrs £13,516

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: £1,008, Upfront: £15,139, Break-even: 15.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1842 kWh 1382 kWh 461 kWh £357 £46 £403 £10,256 25.4 yrs £-2,192
3 kW 2763 kWh 2072 kWh 691 kWh £536 £69 £605 £11,883 19.6 yrs £212
4 kW 3684 kWh 2763 kWh 921 kWh £714 £92 £806 £13,511 16.8 yrs £2,616
5 kW 4605 kWh 3454 kWh 1151 kWh £893 £115 £1,008 £15,139 15.0 yrs £5,020
6 kW 5526 kWh 4145 kWh 1382 kWh £1,071 £138 £1,210 £16,767 13.9 yrs £7,425
7 kW 6447 kWh 4835 kWh 1612 kWh £1,250 £161 £1,411 £18,394 13.0 yrs £9,829
8 kW 7368 kWh 5526 kWh 1842 kWh £1,429 £184 £1,613 £20,022 12.4 yrs £12,233

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: £1,023, Upfront: £17,589, 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 1842 kWh 1418 kWh 424 kWh £367 £42 £409 £12,706 31.1 yrs £-4,525
3 kW 2763 kWh 2128 kWh 636 kWh £550 £64 £614 £14,333 23.4 yrs £-2,063
4 kW 3684 kWh 2837 kWh 847 kWh £733 £85 £818 £15,961 19.5 yrs £400
5 kW 4605 kWh 3546 kWh 1059 kWh £917 £106 £1,023 £17,589 17.2 yrs £2,862
6 kW 5526 kWh 4255 kWh 1271 kWh £1,100 £127 £1,227 £19,217 15.7 yrs £5,325
7 kW 6447 kWh 4964 kWh 1483 kWh £1,283 £148 £1,432 £20,844 14.6 yrs £7,787
8 kW 7368 kWh 5674 kWh 1695 kWh £1,467 £169 £1,636 £22,472 13.7 yrs £10,250

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 Scottish Borders

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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Check what MCS certification means

Understand DNO, G98 and G99 export limits

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Insights for TD12

Figures below are tailored to TD12 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #62 of 2182
6.9 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~15 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1824 of 2996
10.8 years (UK avg 10.8 years)
~£903 /yr • £9,767 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1598 of 2996
25.9% (UK avg 26.6%) drag on savings
£234 fixed • ~£903 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −22.4% West −21.6%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Seasonal solar output in TD12

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 30 Jan 48 Feb 81 Mar 107 Apr 120 May 112 Jun 115 Jul 103 Aug 84 Sep 59 Oct 39 Nov 23 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 44.2% 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 34 kWh per month; the average month produces around 77 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 136 kWh in winter, or 307 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.85p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
64.17p/day
Local Sunshine
921kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~921 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
6.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 47% • Flats: 7% • Bungalows: 46% Based on 571 properties

Coverage

Scottish Borders (64%)|Northumberland (36%)

Areas Covered

Mid Berwickshire, Norham & Islandshires, Wooler

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 Southern Scotland

TD5 (Scottish Borders)
≈12.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~874 kWh/kWp · -5% vs TD12
TD10 (Scottish Borders)
≈14.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~913 kWh/kWp · -1% vs TD12
TD11 (Scottish Borders)
≈15.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~933 kWh/kWp · +1% vs TD12
TD15 (Northumberland)
≈19.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~905 kWh/kWp · -2% vs TD12
TD3 (Scottish Borders)
≈20.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~903 kWh/kWp · -2% vs TD12
TD14 (Scottish Borders)
≈26.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~900 kWh/kWp · -2% vs TD12

Similar sunshine across the UK

L16 (Liverpool)
~921 kWh/kWp · -0% vs TD12
ST12 (Stafford)
~921 kWh/kWp · -0% vs TD12
L25 (Liverpool)
~921 kWh/kWp · -0% vs TD12