In the vast majority of cases, you won't need planning permission. However, there are specific circumstances when approval from the City of Edinburgh Council is required.

For instance, if your solar panels are set to protrude more than 200mm from your roof's surface or wall, and they extend above the highest point of the roof, excluding the chimney, you may need to apply for permission.

Additionally, properties located in conservation areas or those designated as listed buildings require prior consent, which is particularly relevant in Edinburgh given its World Heritage Site status and abundance of historic buildings.

If your property is a flat or apartment, meaning the panels would be installed on shared property, planning permission might also be necessary.

Yes, they will! Solar panels do not require direct sunlight to function; they only need daylight to generate electricity.

Although Scotland's weather can include overcast days and shorter winter daylight hours, modern solar panels will still harness indirect sunlight effectively. Advances in solar technology mean that even on grey, overcast days, your system will produce enough energy to be a worthwhile investment, reducing your energy bills significantly over time.

During Edinburgh's longer summer days, your system will actually produce more energy than similar installations in many parts of the UK, helping to offset the reduced winter production.

The cost of a solar installation depends on several factors, including system size, placement, installation requirements, product quality, and labour.

When you first get in touch with us at Solar Panels Edinburgh, we discuss these variables and provide an indicative estimate for your consideration. If you're happy with the initial estimate, our team will conduct a detailed site survey that considers roof or land space, sunlight access, and any unique needs.

Our final proposal clearly outlines all costs and expected energy savings, making the decision- making process straightforward for both residential and commercial properties.

For context, typical domestic system costs are:

●  2 kW – £2,500 to £3,500

●  4 kW – £5,000 to £6,000

●  6 kW – £9,500 to £10,500

Typical commercial systems range from:

●  10 kW – £13,000 to £15,000

●  50 kW – £33,000 to £60,000

●  100 kW – £60,000 to £120,000

Solar panel systems are built to last, given their lack of moving parts. Typically, you can expect your panels to last at least 25 years, with most warranties covering this period.

The inverter, an essential component of your solar installation, generally has a shorter lifespan of over 10 years. With proper maintenance, your system should continue to generate energy efficiently throughout its intended lifespan, even in Edinburgh's variable climate.

For domestic properties, the installation process is generally quick and unobtrusive, often completed within a day or two. This includes mounting the panels on your roof, installing the inverter, and connecting your solar PV system to your home's electrical network.

For commercial installations, the timescales can vary significantly based on the complexity and size of the project, ranging from a week to several weeks. Please get in touch with us for a more tailored estimate based on your specific requirements.

A south-facing roof will squeeze the very highest annual energy yield in Edinburgh, but it is far from essential.

Modern solar technology, such as monocrystalline panels paired with optimisers, can capture plenty of energy from indirect daylight, so east- or west-facing roofs in Edinburgh can still deliver 80–90% of a south-facing system's output.

The key considerations are pitch (30°- 40° is ideal) and shading, which can hurt performance more than orientation, especially given Edinburgh's northern latitude.

We will carry out a shade analysis and design split east/west strings or tilted frames on flat roofs to ensure you still achieve an attractive return, even in Edinburgh's unique solar conditions.

Most panels generate a good amount of energy per square metre, so you can still get plenty of electricity, even from a smaller roof.

For context, a typical 3.5 kW solar panel system will need to be around 215 ft2 or 20 m2. This may sound quite large, but when we put it into a different measurement, it only comes out at 15ftx15ft or 4.57x4.57m. This will easily fit on most rooftops in Edinburgh.

Larger PV systems naturally require more roof space. For example, for a larger 6 kW solar system, the space required would double to around 430 ft2 or 40m2.

Where roof area is simply too tight, we will consider higher-watt panels and ground-mounted frames to help achieve optimum solar performance.

This depends on several factors such as your property's annual electricity consumption, the efficiency of the solar panel brand you go for, the number of sunlight hours at your location, and the size of your home.

For context, typical residential system sizes are:

●  1 to 2bedroom home - 2 kW system

●  3 bedroom home - 4 kW system

●  4 to 5 bedroom home - 6 kW system

Typical commercial system sizes are:

●  Small office or shop - 10 kW

●  Medium supermarket or cafe - 50 kW

●  Large-scale shops or restaurants - 100 kW

Please note that these are rough estimates. Please get in touch to understand what system would be perfect for you.

To maximise your solar panels! Adding a battery lets you store daytime surplus and use it when electricity rates peak or after dark, lifting self-consumption from about 50% to 70–80% of the energy your panels produce per year.

This is particularly valuable in Edinburgh, where shorter winter days mean you might generate less solar power precisely when you need more electricity for lighting and heating.

Because each kilowatt-hour you use yourself avoids paying the grid rate (on average 27p) rather than earning the lower SEG export rate (on average 10p), the extra savings soon add up.

A battery also provides backup during outages, can charge on cheap overnight tariffs, and positions your home for future add-ons like electric-vehicle charging and smart-home energy management, typically paying back its cost within six to ten years while boosting energy independence and cutting carbon.