The short answer for Aberdeen: a 4kW south-facing system in Aberdeen generates about 3,570 kWh a year on the EU's PVGIS model — about 12% less than London. Installed prices for that size run roughly £6,600–£7,800 on the UK government's 2025/26 cost data, and at October–December 2026 North Scotland electricity prices (26.35p/kWh) it is worth roughly £600 a year without a battery, or £800 if a battery lets you use most of it yourself.
Aberdeen is further north than Glasgow or Edinburgh, but its long late-spring and summer days give it a better yield than Glasgow over a year. Half its homes are flats, from tenements to council multi-storeys, and its older houses are granite with slate roofs, which affects how panels go on.
How much a solar panel system generates in Aberdeen
The table uses the European Commission's PVGIS tool for Aberdeen: crystalline panels at a 35° pitch, with PVGIS's standard 14% allowance for system losses and the local horizon. Your installer's MCS estimate will differ a little because MCS uses its own irradiance tables and your actual pitch and shading, but the gap between places and orientations is what matters here.
| Roof faces | Per kW | 3kW system | 4kW system | 6kW system |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South | 893 kWh | 2,680 kWh | 3,570 kWh | 5,360 kWh |
| East | 685 kWh | 2,060 kWh | 2,740 kWh | 4,110 kWh |
| West | 687 kWh | 2,060 kWh | 2,750 kWh | 4,120 kWh |
Annual output, PVGIS 5.3 (SARAH3 satellite data, 2005–2023) for Aberdeen, fetched 30 October 2026. Actual output varies year to year.
Of the 25 areas we cover, Aberdeen ranks 23rd for south-facing yield (Dorset is highest at 1,126 kWh per kW, Glasgow lowest at 853). The seasons matter as much as the location: in December a 4kW system here makes about 84 kWh for the whole month, against 471 kWh in June — which is why a battery is mostly a summer and shoulder-season tool, and why nobody should promise you winter bills near zero.
On PVGIS, a south-facing roof in Aberdeen makes about 5% more per kW over a year than one in Glasgow, and almost as much as Edinburgh. Its strength is May and June, when a 4kW system here makes more than the same system in either of the other two cities. The flip side is the short winter days, so size a battery for spring-to-autumn surpluses rather than winter evenings. East- and west-facing slopes still make just over three-quarters of a south-facing one. If you live near the sea, at Footdee or along the beach, ask whether the mounting kit and fixings are rated for coastal exposure.
What solar costs and saves in Aberdeen
There is no separate "Aberdeen price" for solar — installers price by system size, roof and access — so the fairest benchmark is the government's own cost series. Across domestic installations registered with MCS between April 2025 and March 2026, the average installed cost was £1,955 per kW for systems up to 4kW and £1,645 per kW for 4–10kW, VAT included and batteries excluded.
| System | Output in Aberdeen | Typical installed price | Year-one value, no battery | Simple payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3kW | 2,680 kWh | £4,900–£5,900 | £500 | 10–12 years |
| 4kW | 3,570 kWh | £6,600–£7,800 | £600 | 10–12 years |
| 6kW | 5,360 kWh | £9,900–£11,700 | £1,000 | 10–12 years |
Price range: DESNZ Solar PV cost data (published 28 May 2026), each size priced between the 4–10kW average (£1,645/kW) and the up-to-4kW average (£1,955/kW); bigger systems tend towards the lower figure per kW. Value: south-facing PVGIS output, 40% used in the home at the North Scotland price-cap unit rate of 26.35p/kWh (1 October to 31 December 2026), the rest exported at 12p/kWh (the 12p rate several large suppliers pay their own import customers in September 2026). Payback ignores panel degradation, future price changes and inverter replacement.
Two things move those numbers more than anything about Aberdeen itself. First, how much you use yourself: every unit you use saves 26.35p, every unit you export earns only what your export tariff pays — 12p in this illustration. Our illustration assumes you use 40% without a battery; with a battery taking that to around 70%, the same 4kW system is worth about £800 a year — but the battery adds several thousand pounds, so price it as its own line and judge it on its own payback (battery storage guide). Second, the export tariff: rates are set by suppliers, not Ofgem, and range widely — see the solar payback guide for current examples.
VAT on solar panels and batteries installed in homes is 0% until 31 March 2027 (how the relief works), so a quote that adds 20% VAT to a domestic install is wrong.
Help with the cost in Aberdeen
There is no council solar group-buy in Aberdeen, and standalone solar panels and batteries aren't on the list for Home Energy Scotland's Grant and Loan. It does offer interest-free loans of up to £5,000 for solar thermal or hybrid PV-T panels, which heat water as well as making electricity, with a 1.5% admin fee capped at £150 (Home Energy Scotland). You apply through Home Energy Scotland, not through us or an installer, and work can't start until you have its written offer. Its free advice line is 0808 808 2282.
Warm Homes loan: the UK government's Warm Homes Loan Scheme, published on GOV.UK on 28 October 2026, covers homes anywhere in the UK, including Scotland, and can pay for standard solar panels and batteries on a home you own. You apply to one of the listed lenders, directly or through an MCS installer arranging finance, and pass the lender's credit checks. It can sit alongside Home Energy Scotland funding, but not for the same improvement (GOV.UK). It's a loan from a lender, not a grant, and we don't arrange credit.
Aberdeen homes and what they mean for your roof
Scotland's Census 2022 counted 109,450 households in Aberdeen: 21.2% semi-detached, 16.0% terraced, 12.6% detached and 50.2% flats or maisonettes, with 56.0% owner-occupied and 19.8% privately rented (Scotland: 62.9% owned).
Aberdeen's older suburbs, such as Rubislaw and Great Western Road, are built of granite and slate, in the council's own words (council page). Slate takes more care than concrete tiles when the brackets go on, so ask how the installer will fix them and who pays for any broken slates. Semi-detached houses are the biggest group of houses, and most suit a 3–4kW system on one slope.
Half of Aberdeen households live in flats. In a tenement, unless your title deeds say otherwise, the top-floor flat includes the roof over it, but every owner shares its upkeep under the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004, and the Act's majority rule covers repairs, not improvements. So panels need the other owners' written agreement. Many of the city's multi-storey blocks are heated by Aberdeen Heat & Power, a not-for-profit district heating company (Aberdeen Heat & Power); in a block like that, any solar would be a decision for the council or the owners together, not one flat.
Planning permission in Aberdeen
In Scotland, solar panels on a home are normally permitted development, so no planning application is needed, under rules that took effect on 24 May 2024. The panels can stand up to 1 metre proud of the roof or wall, and the rules cover flats and tenements as well as houses. The main exceptions: a listed building (or a building in its grounds) or any home inside a World Heritage Site needs planning permission, and listed buildings also need listed building consent. In a conservation area, panels can't go on the front of the building or on a side that faces a road, so in practice they go on the rear slope. Panels on a garage or shed are also permitted, up to 50cm proud, as long as it isn't in front of the house. A council can withdraw these rights in a particular area with an Article 4 direction. Permitted development only answers the planning question: on a tenement or any shared roof you still need the other owners to agree.
Aberdeen has eleven conservation areas, from Union Street in the city centre to Footdee fishing village, including Old Aberdeen, Rosemount and Westburn, Ferryhill and Great Western Road. The council says that if you live in one and plan work on your property, "however minor", you should check with it first (council page). Under the national rules, panels in a conservation area must go on the rear or on a side that doesn't face a road, which on a granite terrace usually means the back slope. Listed buildings always need planning permission and listed building consent.
Connecting to the grid: SSEN (Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution)
Aberdeen's local electricity network is run by SSEN Distribution, through Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution, the network operator for the north of Scotland (SSEN). Glasgow and Edinburgh are on a different network, SP Energy Networks. Your installer notifies or applies to SSEN for the connection; your electricity supplier is a separate company. Aberdeen is in Ofgem's North Scotland price-cap region, which the prices on this page use.
For a typical home system the installer handles this. A single-phase installation up to 3.68kW of inverter capacity (16 amps per phase) is connected under the G98 process and the network operator is notified within 28 days of commissioning. Anything larger — including a bigger system, or panels plus a battery whose combined inverter capacity passes that limit — goes through G99, which needs the network operator's approval before installation and can add weeks. Ask your installer which route your design needs and whether an export limit is being applied.
Getting a quote in Aberdeen
Tell us about your home
Postcode, property type and how you'd pay. Two minutes.
We pass it to one installer
If an accredited (MCS-certified) installer covers your area, we'll pass your enquiry to them, and only them. They can arrange a roof survey and quote.
Judge the quote
Check it against the figures on this page. If it's out of range, you can say no. No obligation at any stage.
How your enquiry is handled
- One installer introduction, fulfilling your request. If an accredited (MCS-certified) installer covers your area, we'll pass your enquiry to them, and only them — not a list of companies.
- No obligation, at any stage. You can say no at any point, including after the survey or the quote, and owe nothing.
- It costs you nothing. An installer may pay Great British Energy a referral fee if you go ahead, and that fee does not change your price.
- We are an independent guide, not an installer. Great British Energy Guide doesn't install anything and isn't the government body of a similar name. Your consent is recorded with the enquiry, as set out in our privacy policy.
Get your solar quote in Aberdeen
One MCS-certified installer who covers your postcode. Nothing is shared until you submit.
What the quote should show
- The installer's MCS certificate number — needed for a Smart Export Guarantee tariff — and their consumer code (RECC or HIES).
- Named panel and inverter make and model, with quantities, and the MCS performance estimate for your roof in kWh a year. Every saving quoted to you should come from that estimate.
- Scaffolding stated as included or excluded, and any battery priced as a separate line.
- No VAT added on a home installation (0% until 31 March 2027), warranty terms split out, and, if financed, the total repayable next to the cash price.
The full checklist is on the solar quotes page.
Questions from Aberdeen homeowners
Is Aberdeen too far north for solar panels?
No. On PVGIS data a south-facing roof in Aberdeen makes about 893 kWh per kW a year, about 12% less than London and slightly more than Glasgow. Long days in May and June make up for the short winter days. How much of the output you use yourself matters more than latitude.
Can I put solar panels on a granite house with a slate roof?
Yes. The granite walls do not change the planning rules; what matters is the slate. Fixing brackets through slate takes more care than through concrete tiles, so ask how the installer will do it and who pays for any broken slates.
Do I need planning permission for solar panels in Aberdeen?
Not usually for a house, flat or tenement that is not listed. In one of Aberdeen's eleven conservation areas the panels must go on the rear or on a side that does not face a road, and the council asks you to check with it before any work there. A listed building always needs permission and listed building consent.
Who is the electricity network operator in Aberdeen?
SSEN Distribution, through Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution, which runs the network across the north of Scotland. Your MCS installer notifies it, or applies for approval first for a bigger system. You do not need to contact it yourself.
Can I get help paying for solar panels in Aberdeen?
There is no grant for standalone solar panels if you are paying yourself, but there are loans. The UK Warm Homes Loan Scheme, which covers Scotland, lets homeowners borrow for standard solar panels and batteries through approved lenders. Home Energy Scotland offers interest-free loans of up to £5,000 for solar thermal or hybrid PV-T panels, applied for through Home Energy Scotland before any work starts. For funded routes for lower-income households, see the Aberdeen energy grants page.
Other areas
- Solar in Birmingham
- Solar in Newcastle
- Solar in Manchester
- Solar in Bristol
- Solar in Sheffield
- Solar in Doncaster
- Solar in Nottingham
- Solar in Cornwall
- Solar in Cambridge
- Solar in Cardiff
- Solar in Derby
- Solar in Devon
- Solar in Dorset
- Solar in Edinburgh
- Solar in Essex
- Solar in Glasgow
- Solar in Hull
- Solar in Kent
- Solar in Leeds
- Solar in Leicester
- Solar in Liverpool
- Solar in London
- Solar in Norfolk
- Solar in Telford & Shropshire
Thinking about a heat pump too? The Boiler Upgrade Scheme doesn't cover Scotland. See Home Energy Scotland grants and loans for heat pumps and the other Scottish schemes.
Solar or heating for business premises in Scotland? See Business Energy Scotland loans and cashback and commercial solar panels.
Sources
- European Commission JRC, PVGIS 5.3 — grid-connected PV, Aberdeen, 1kWp crystalline silicon, 35° slope, 14% system loss, south/east/west, SARAH3 2005–2023; queried 30 October 2026.
- National Records of Scotland, Scotland's Census 2022 tables UV402 (accommodation type, households), UV404 (tenure, households), UV407 (central heating) and UV408 (bedrooms), council area level; Scotland's Census, downloaded via the UK Data Service. NRS perturbs cell values, so shares may not sum to exactly 100%.
- DESNZ, Solar PV cost data, updated 28 May 2026 — domestic, mean cost per kW, Total Installed Capacity basis, 2025/26 (Official Statistics in development).
- Ofgem, Changes to energy price cap between 1 October and 31 December 2026 (26 August 2026) and regional unit rates and standing charges; electricity at 0% VAT from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027 (HMRC).
- Ofgem, Smart Export Guarantee: tariffs must be above zero; suppliers with 150,000+ domestic customers must offer one. Supplier export rates checked on supplier websites, 23 September 2026.
- HMRC, VAT Notice 708/6: 0% on installing energy-saving materials in homes, 1 May 2023 to 31 March 2027.
- Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992, Schedule 1 Part 1A Classes 6HA and 6HB, inserted by SSI 2024/102 from 24 May 2024; Scottish Government, Planning circular 1/2024: householder permitted development rights (28 May 2024).
- Network connection thresholds (G98 up to 16A per phase — 3.68kW single-phase; larger systems G99): SP Electricity North West; find your operator via the Energy Networks Association.
- Home Energy Scotland, Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan: solar thermal and hybrid PV-T loans up to £5,000 with no grant, heat pump grant up to £7,500 (plus a £1,500 uplift for eligible rural and island homes) and an optional interest-free loan up to £7,500; loans carry a 1.5% admin fee, capped at £150; standalone solar PV and batteries not listed; advice line 0808 808 2282 (checked 30 October 2026).
- Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004, section 2(3) (a top flat includes the roof over it, unless the title says otherwise), section 9 (no owner may materially impair the building's support or shelter) and schedule 1, the Tenement Management Scheme (the roof is scheme property; majority decisions cover maintenance, not alteration or improvement).
- Aberdeen City Council, conservation areas (checked 30 October 2026); Aberdeen Heat & Power.
- SSEN, who we are; Ofgem postcode-to-region map, regional unit rates page (checked 30 October 2026).
- GOV.UK, Warm Homes Loan Scheme (published 28 October 2026; checked 30 October 2026).