Solar Panel Installation in Edinburgh

Solar Base Energy matches Edinburgh households with MCS-certified installers, free of charge. For solar panel installation in Edinburgh, you fill in one short form and we find a match. Because we only match, you stay free to decline any quote.

We lead with batteries, since panels make power in daylight while many homes use most of theirs after dark. A home battery for solar panels holds spare daytime power until you need it. Yet whether it pays off depends on your roof, your use and your tariff.

PVGIS, the EU Joint Research Centre tool, models a 4 kWp south-facing array in central Edinburgh at about 3,611 kWh a year. It assumes a 35 degree tilt and 14 percent losses. Although it is a model for the city centre, it is not a guarantee.

That is lower than the 3,880 kWh modelled for Nottingham, yet a good array still makes useful power. Roof direction and nearby buildings change the result. Thus, ask each installer how they estimated your output.

In plain terms, 3,611 kWh is about 10 kWh a day on average. Output swings with the seasons, so summer days make much more than winter days.

The City of Edinburgh Council reports that about 56 percent of households live in flats, from Census 2022. Around 94 percent of those flats are purpose-built blocks or tenements. As a result, roof ownership is often shared.

A tenement roof is shared, so talk to your neighbours and the council before work starts. Yet you may also need a building warrant, so ask your installer. In Scotland, most house panels need no planning application, except on listed buildings and in World Heritage Sites.

Edinburgh has 50 conservation areas, and the Old and New Towns are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In a conservation area, panels may go only on a rear elevation or a side that does not face a road. Flat owners should check with the council, because the detailed rules differ.

SP Energy Networks names Edinburgh in the area its SP Distribution network serves. That firm is your network operator, or DNO. Since boundaries can split a city, check your postcode on its website.

Your installer handles the DNO side, by notice or request as needed. The routes are called G98 and G99, so ask which one your quote uses. For example, ask the installer to name it in writing.

Home Energy Scotland no longer offers grants or loans for standard solar panels or batteries. This changed in June 2024, and its funding now centres on heat pumps and insulation. Thus, treat older web pages that promise solar loans with care.

The main national help is tax. HMRC says solar panels and batteries in a UK home are VAT-free at 0 percent until 31 March 2027. Moreover, an MCS-certified system can earn Smart Export Guarantee payments for surplus power.

Each supplier sets its own export rate, although it must be above zero. In October 2026, for example, the Octopus open tariff paid 4.1p per kWh and the British Gas non-customer tariff paid 3p. Rates move, so check them before you choose.

Many solar and battery systems switch off during a power cut. Yet backup is an extra feature, so ask whether your quote includes it. Our guide to off-grid solar battery backup explains the options, and our off-grid backup service page covers what to ask.

The inverter turns panel power into household power, and it limits which batteries fit. Our guide to solar inverter types and choices compares the main kinds. Choose one with a future battery in mind.

Pick an MCS installer, because payments under the Smart Export Guarantee need an MCS system. MCS firms follow MIS 3002 for panels and MIS 3012 for batteries. See our page on MCS certified solar installers for how to check a certificate.

Government data for 2025/26 puts the median small home system at about £1,700 to £1,800 per kW installed. That means roughly £7,000 to £7,500 for 4 kW, before any grants. Yet quotes vary, so read our guide on whether solar batteries are worth it before you decide.

A good quote lists the panel make and count, the inverter, the battery size and the monitoring. It should also name who handles the DNO paperwork. Since tenement roofs can be hard to reach, ask how the installer plans to get access.

Other cities may help you compare options. See our pages on battery storage installers in Glasgow and solar panel installers in Newcastle. Still, get at least two quotes whichever you pick.