Is plug-in solar worth it in Scotland?

Yes, on the same terms as anywhere else. Scotland's modelled yield is around 15% below the south coast, which lengthens payback rather than eliminating it. Self-consumption and shading move the result more than latitude does.

Why do the figures assume only 60% self-consumption?

Because you only save money on generation you use at the moment it is produced. Exported surplus has no assumed value here: the position on export payments for plug-in solar is uncertain, and we will not build a payback figure on income we cannot promise.

Are these figures a guarantee?

No. They are modelled estimates using published irradiance bands and stated assumptions, not measured output from installed systems. Real results vary with weather, position, shading, household usage and your tariff.

Can I reuse this dataset?

Yes. The figures, the assumptions and the methodology on this page may be quoted with attribution to SocketPower and a link to this page. If you need a different set of assumptions modelled, contact us.

Original data · Great Britain

Where in Britain does plug-in solar pay back fastest?

Q: Where in Britain does plug-in solar pay back fastest?

On the south coast and in the West Country, where modelled annual irradiance is highest. Payback lengthens gradually moving north, with Scotland and the far north the slowest band. The difference between the best and worst regions is roughly a fifth of annual output — less than the difference between a lightly shaded and a heavily shaded garden.

Plug-in solar pays back fastest on the south coast and slowest in the far north of Scotland — but the spread across Great Britain is far smaller than most people assume, and it is dwarfed by two things you control: shading and how much of the generation you actually use at the time it is produced.

Last reviewed: 13 August 2026

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Regions modelled: Five irradiance bands
Kits modelled: All four in the range
North–south spread: 24% of annual output
Framework live: 27 August 2026

The headline finding

Modelled on identical assumptions, the Pro Compact 515W generates around 487 kWh a year in the sunniest band we model and 394 kWh in the least sunny — a spread of about 24%. Payback moves from 7.6 years to 9.4 years.

That is a real difference, and it is worth knowing before you buy. But it is smaller than the swing caused by a badly shaded position, and much smaller than the swing caused by self-consumption. A Highland household that uses most of its generation will beat a Cornish household that exports most of it.

Generation and payback by region

The Pro Compact 515W at £599 is used as the reference kit, because it is the entry point to the range.

Pro Compact 515W modelled across Great Britain
Region	Annual generation	Used in the home	Annual saving	Payback	CO₂ avoided / yr
Scotland and the far north Aberdeen, Inverness, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee	394 kWh	236 kWh	£64	9.4 yrs	47 kg
Northern England, Northern Ireland border counties and North Wales Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Bangor	417 kWh	250 kWh	£68	8.9 yrs	50 kg
The Midlands and mid Wales Birmingham, Nottingham, Leicester, Shrewsbury, Aberystwyth	440 kWh	264 kWh	£71	8.4 yrs	53 kg
Southern England, London and South Wales London, Bristol, Cardiff, Oxford, Norwich	464 kWh	278 kWh	£75	8 yrs	56 kg
The south coast and the West Country Brighton, Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Exeter, Truro	487 kWh	292 kWh	£79	7.6 yrs	58 kg

Every kit, every region

Larger kits generate more but cost more, so payback does not automatically improve with size. The full grid lets you see where each kit lands.

Pro Duo 890W — 890W DC, £999

Region	Annual generation	Annual saving	Payback
Scotland and the far north	672 kWh	£109	9.2 yrs
Northern England, Northern Ireland border counties and North Wales	711 kWh	£115	8.7 yrs
The Midlands and mid Wales	751 kWh	£122	8.2 yrs
Southern England, London and South Wales	790 kWh	£128	7.8 yrs
The south coast and the West Country	830 kWh	£134	7.4 yrs

Pro Plus 1030W — 1030W DC, £1,099

Region	Annual generation	Annual saving	Payback
Scotland and the far north	761 kWh	£123	8.9 yrs
Northern England, Northern Ireland border counties and North Wales	805 kWh	£130	8.4 yrs
The Midlands and mid Wales	850 kWh	£138	8 yrs
Southern England, London and South Wales	895 kWh	£145	7.6 yrs
The south coast and the West Country	940 kWh	£152	7.2 yrs

Pro Max 1260W — 1260W DC, £1,199

Region	Annual generation	Annual saving	Payback
Scotland and the far north	897 kWh	£145	8.2 yrs
Northern England, Northern Ireland border counties and North Wales	950 kWh	£154	7.8 yrs
The Midlands and mid Wales	1003 kWh	£162	7.4 yrs
Southern England, London and South Wales	1055 kWh	£171	7 yrs
The south coast and the West Country	1108 kWh	£180	6.7 yrs

Methodology

Annual generation is modelled as DC panel capacity in kWp × a regional yield figure in kWh per kWp per year, adjusted by orientation, shading, tilt and inverter clipping. Savings are the self-consumed share valued at the import tariff. Payback is the kit RRP divided by the annual saving.

South-facing array at roughly 30° tilt, the reference case for a free-standing garden or patio position.
Light shading applied everywhere — a realistic domestic garden rather than an unobstructed test site.
60% self-consumption: the share of generation used in the home at the moment it is produced. Only this share saves money.
27p per kWh import tariff, held constant across every region so the comparison isolates location alone.
Inverter clipping applied where DC panel capacity exceeds the 799 VA AC ceiling.
Payback uses the kit RRP only, with no allowance for tariff changes, degradation or resale value.

Constants used: 27p/kWh import tariff, 60% self-consumption, south-facing, 30° tilt, light shading. Regional yield bands run from 850 kWh/kWp in the far north to 1,050 kWh/kWp on the south coast.

Limitations we will not paper over

These are modelled figures, not metered results. We have no installed base to publish real generation data from yet — the framework only commences on 27 August 2026. When we do have consented customer data, we will publish measured output alongside this model and show where the model was wrong.

What moves the result more than your postcode

Self-consumption

Halving self-consumption from 60% to 30% roughly halves the saving. Running the dishwasher, washing machine, hot water or an EV charge during daylight matters more than living two hundred miles further south.

Shading

Moving from light to heavy shading removes around 39% of annual output — more than double the entire north-to-south spread. A fence, a hedge or a neighbour's extension is the first thing to check.

Your tariff

Every kWh you avoid buying is worth exactly what you would have paid for it. A higher unit rate shortens payback proportionally.

Common questions

Model your own case Compare the range Cost and savings explained

Sources

Plug-in solar: final-stage impact assessment(opens in a new tab) — DESNZ (PDF)
Final Plug-in Solar Device Interim Product Specification(opens in a new tab) — DESNZ (PDF)

Editorial note · Last reviewed 13 August 2026

Written and reviewed by SocketPower, a trading name of Storm Renewables Ltd (SC802881). This guide is general information about plug-in solar in Great Britain, not electrical design advice for your property. Always follow the instructions supplied with your product and use a qualified electrician for any work on your fixed wiring.

Keep reading

Plug-in solar in Great Britain: the framework covers single-phase solar PV with a maximum inverter apparent output of 800 VA, and SocketPower devices are limited to 799 VA continuous AC output. Plug-in batteries and battery-integrated devices are outside the framework and are not sold by SocketPower. The current G98 arrangements allow one plug-in solar device per household, and network notification remains required — SocketPower handles the applicable notification for kits bought from us. This framework applies in Great Britain from 27 August 2026 and not in Northern Ireland. Always follow the instructions supplied with your product, check that your socket and circuit are suitable, never use extension leads, multiway adaptors, travel adaptors or plug-in RCD adaptors, and obtain any permissions you need before installing.