| Expected output (PVGIS) | 915 kWh a year per 1 kWp, Edinburgh, 35 degree pitch, south-facing, 14% losses |
|---|---|
| Roof panels on a house | Class 2B allows a 1 metre bubble; no Class 2B rights in a conservation area |
| Home Energy Scotland loan | Solar thermal and hybrid PV/water heating: loan up to £5,000, no grant; no standard PV-only line |
| Grid notice (SSEN) | G98 Form B within 28 days of commissioning for up to 3.68 kW per phase |
| Export payments | The Smart Export Guarantee covers installations located in Great Britain |
What a Scottish roof can produce
The European Commission’s PVGIS tool gives a neutral benchmark. For Edinburgh, with a 35 degree pitch, south-facing panels and 14% system losses, it returns about 915 kWh a year for each 1 kWp. On the same inputs, central London gets about 1,025 kWh, so a Scottish kilowatt produces fewer units.
That gap matters when you compare quotes. A system that costs the same per kWp as a southern one will earn its money back more slowly, because it generates less. The benchmark helps you spot a claim that looks too good.
Ask each installer for the expected annual kWh, since the inputs behind it decide whether it is fair. If the figure sits far above 915 kWh per kWp, ask for the shading report. Our solar panel payback guide shows how to test the sums on your own numbers.
Planning rules in Scotland
Scotland sets its own permitted development rules, and they differ from England’s. For a house, the Scottish Government’s guidance puts solar PV under Class 2B. It describes a 1 metre bubble around the walls and roof of a dwellinghouse, and the work must not enlarge the house.
However, there are no Class 2B rights in a conservation area. If the work affects the character or setting of a listed building, you need listed building consent. The guidance also says the local authority may require a building warrant, so ask early. Our planning permission guide lists the checks in order.
Flats
Flats use a separate class, Class 4A, which also treats solar PV as a permitted alteration within a 1 metre bubble. Even so, the guidance says Class 4A gives no rights in a conservation area or within the curtilage of a listed building. If the roof is shared, ask who else must agree before you sign.
If your building has a flat roof, read our note on solar panels on a flat roof before you accept a frame.
Funding in Scotland
Although Scottish funding is real, it is narrow. Home Energy Scotland runs the Scottish Government’s Grant and Loan scheme. Homeowners in Scotland can apply when the property is their only or primary private residence. You do not need to receive benefits.
Heat pumps get the largest support, with grants and loans of up to £7,500 each. Solar is narrower, since the table lists solar thermal and hybrid solar PV and water heating only. Each has a loan of up to £5,000 and no grant. The table has no standard PV-only line, so do not assume that a roof-only quote qualifies.
Funding rules change, so check the table on the official page on the day you apply. The grants and VAT guide explains how Scottish support fits with UK-wide rules.
Connecting to the grid
Two operators share Scotland. SSEN says it serves the north of Scotland, and the ENA guide lists SP Energy Networks for Southern Scotland. Ofgem’s licensee list names SP Distribution plc as a distribution licensee too, so check your postcode with your installer.
For up to 3.68 kW per phase at one property, SSEN sets out three steps. The installer fits G98-compliant equipment. Then it submits G98 Form B within 28 days of commissioning, and SSEN reviews it.
You must apply first in some cases. These include more than one generator, a total above the G98 limits, or a nearby system that the same installer fitted in the last 28 days. Our guide to G98 and G99 applications explains both routes, while your installer should tell you which one applies.
Exports and resale
The Smart Export Guarantee covers installations located in Great Britain, which includes Scotland. Licensed suppliers set their own rates, although a rate must always be above zero. Compare offers before you pick one.
Panels also affect a sale, because a buyer inherits the system. Read our note on selling a house with solar panels before you agree to finance that stays with the property.
Protecting your money
If a quote asks for a deposit, check how the installer protects it. Our deposit and payment checks guide lists the questions to ask. Prices vary, so get written quotes.
Also keep every message in writing. A verbal promise is easy to forget, whereas an email shows what the installer agreed.
Comparing your quotes
Use the quote comparison checklist to match scope, equipment and warranties. Two totals can look alike because one quote leaves out scaffolding or the grid notice, so compare line by line.
Wales and Northern Ireland handle planning and support differently again. See how Welsh planning and Nest help work and the Northern Ireland position if you own property there.
When you are ready, the free enquiry form can match you with MCS-certified installers.