Free Quotes from Vetted Local Installers
Solar Panel Installation Edinburgh
Own a home in an EH postcode? Get a free solar quote from one vetted local installer, without a round of calls from solar companies.
- Takes 60 seconds
- MCS certified installer
- Installer rated 4.5 on Trustpilot
- Installer rated 5 stars on Google
Get Your Free Installer Quote
- 1installer contacts you, not a list of companies
- 110+installations across Scotland by the installer
- 0% VATon home solar and batteries until 31 March 2027
- All EHpostcodes covered, across Edinburgh and the Lothians
What Happens Next
One Installer. Not Five Sales Calls.
Most people who have looked into solar know how enquiry forms usually go. You fill one in, and your phone rings for a fortnight with companies you have never heard of.
That is not what happens here.
Your details go to one vetted local installer covering your EH postcode. One company, one call, one clear quote. Your details are not sold on or passed around.
Tell us about your property
Three short questions, around 60 seconds. No account to create, nothing to upload, no survey to book.
One local installer receives your details
A single vetted, MCS certified installer covering your postcode. Nobody else.
They contact you with a free quote
Usually within one working day. The quote is specific to your roof, with no cost and no obligation to go ahead.
Solar Panels Edinburgh is an introduction service, not an installation company. If you decide to go ahead, the installation contract is between you and the installer.
Who Your Quote Comes From
A Vetted Solar Panel Installer in Edinburgh
One installer covers Edinburgh and the Lothians at any time. Before any enquiry is passed on, they are checked against a fixed set of standards.
- MCS Certified
- TrustMark Registered
- RECC Member
- NICEIC Approved
- HIES Insurance-Backed
- Rated 4.5 out of 5 across 37 Trustpilot reviews, and 5 stars on Google
- 110+ installations completed across Scotland
- 5-year workmanship guarantee, provided by the installer
- Registered UK company with public liability insurance
- Covers every EH postcode
These accreditations, ratings and guarantees belong to the installer, not to Solar Panels Edinburgh.
Why MCS Certification Matters
MCS is the UK standard for home solar, and it has practical consequences for you.
- Export payments. Energy suppliers ask for an MCS certificate before they pay you for electricity you export.
- Warranties. Most panel and inverter warranties rely on certified installation.
- Selling your home. The certificate is the record a buyer's solicitor asks for.
Areas Covered
- Edinburgh
- Leith
- Portobello
- Corstorphine
- Morningside
- South Queensferry
- Musselburgh
- Dalkeith
- Bonnyrigg
- Penicuik
- Tranent
- Haddington
- North Berwick
- Dunbar
- Livingston
- Bathgate
- Linlithgow
- Bo'ness
- Peebles
One installer. One free quote.
Start My Free QuoteThe Return
What Solar Could Save an Edinburgh Home
Every unit your roof generates and your home uses is a unit you do not buy, currently 26.32p on the price cap. The units you do not use are sold to the grid for less. So what you save depends mostly on when someone is home.
On weekdays, when is someone usually home?
Add a battery?
Estimated yearly benefit
£380 to £680
Share of your solar power used at home: 15 to 19%
Bill savings plus export income for a typical south-facing system. Indicative only. The installer confirms the figures for your own roof.
Last updated 6 October 2026, using Ofgem's price cap for October to December 2026.
How These Figures Are Worked Out
These figures are a range, not a promise. Each part comes from public data you can check.
- System size: 5.13 kWp, the average home solar installation in Scotland in 2026 (MCS Data Dashboard).
- Generation, top of the range: 938 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof at a 35° pitch in the EH postcode area (MCS irradiance data, the figure certified installers must quote).
- Generation, bottom of the range: about 745 kWh per kWp, the metered median for small solar systems in Scotland in 2024/25 (DESNZ load factors).
- Share used at home: the official MCS look-up tables (guidance note MGD 003), for a home using 2,500 kWh a year, which is Ofgem's typical figure.
- Electricity price: 26.32p per kWh, the Ofgem price cap average for 1 October to 31 December 2026, paying by Direct Debit. There is no VAT on electricity in this period.
- Export income: 6p to 12p per kWh, the ScottishPower SmartGen and SmartGen Premium rates.
- Battery: about 6 kWh, the average home battery installed in Scotland in 2026 (MCS Data Dashboard).
| Someone home | Battery | Share used at home | Estimated yearly benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most of the day | No | 19 to 23% | £410 to £710 |
| Half the day | No | 15 to 19% | £380 to £680 |
| Out all day | No | 11 to 14% | £340 to £650 |
| Most of the day | Yes | 46 to 57% | £670 to £890 |
| Half the day | Yes | 45 to 55% | £660 to £890 |
| Out all day | Yes | 42 to 52% | £630 to £870 |
Not included: future price changes, panel ageing, shading, an electric car or a heat pump. East and west-facing roofs generate less. Your own figures depend on your roof, your usage and your tariffs.
Get a quote with real numbers for your roof.
Start My Free Quote31 March 2027
The 0% VAT Deadline
Solar panels and batteries fitted to homes currently carry 0% VAT. That is set to end on 31 March 2027, when the rate returns to 5%. The 0% rate covers supply and fitting together, when one company does both.
Installations booked close to the deadline depend on survey dates, scaffolding and grid paperwork. None of those move quickly in the first months of the year.
HMRC VAT Notice 708/6, gov.uk. This is the position as it stands today.
Before You Enquire
Will Solar Work on Your Edinburgh Roof?
Edinburgh's homes run from Old Town tenements and New Town townhouses to bungalows and semis across the Lothians. Most roofs can take panels. These are the questions that decide how well.
Swipe for more
Slate and Stone
Slate is the standard roof on Edinburgh's stone homes, and it is entirely workable. Fitting takes longer than on concrete tiles, because slates are lifted one by one and flashing is cut to suit. That shows in the quote as labour, not as a problem.
Planning and Conservation Areas
Most homes in Scotland do not need planning permission for roof panels, as long as they sit no more than 1 metre off the roof. Three exceptions matter in Edinburgh:
- Old and New Towns World Heritage Site: permission is needed.
- Listed buildings: permission is needed.
- Conservation areas: panels on the front of the building, or on a side that faces a road, need permission. A rear roof slope usually does not.
If you are unsure, check with City of Edinburgh Council or your local council. The installer can also advise as part of the quote.
Which Way It Faces
South gives the most. In the EH area, a south-east or south-west roof generates around 6% less, and an east or west roof around 22% less. North-facing roofs are not recommended.
Shading
Chimneys, neighbouring buildings and trees can cost more output than a less-than-ideal direction. Optimisers let each panel work on its own, so one shaded panel does not drag down the rest. The installer checks shading as part of the quote.
Planning rules from Scotland's permitted development rights for home solar (Class 6HA, in force since 24 May 2024). Direction figures from MCS irradiance data for the EH area.
Storage
Add a Battery, Now or Later
Without a battery, most of what your panels generate in the day goes to the grid, especially if you are out at work. A battery stores it for the evening, so you use more of your own power.
A unit you keep is worth 26.32p. A unit you export earns 6p to 12p. That gap is the whole case for a battery. On the figures above, it adds roughly £190 to £290 a year for a typical home.
- With new panels: fitted in the same visit.
- Later: if a hybrid inverter goes in with your panels, a battery can usually be added without replacing it.
- Already have panels, or want a battery on its own: choose Solar Battery on the form.
Batteries carry 0% VAT until 31 March 2027 as well.
Start My Free Quote
On the Day
Solar Panel Installation in Edinburgh, Step by Step
Most home installations take one to two days. Nothing happens until you have had your quote and decided to go ahead.
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Survey and Scaffolding
The installer checks the roof's condition and covering, then puts up scaffolding to suit the house and the street. An Old Town tenement needs more than a bungalow in the suburbs.
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Mounting and Panels
Selected slates or tiles are lifted so brackets can be fixed to the rafters, then replaced with waterproof flashing, cut to suit traditional Scottish slate where needed. Rails go on, then the panels.
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Electrical Connection
The panels are wired to the inverter, and the inverter to your home's supply. The installer deals with SP Energy Networks, the local network operator, on the grid connection.
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Testing and Your MCS Certificate
The system is tested and you are shown how it works. You receive your warranties and documents, and the installation is registered with MCS. Keep the certificate, because you need it for export payments.
Your Questions
Common Questions
Is the quote really free?
Yes. There is no charge for the quote and no obligation to go ahead.
Who contacts me, and how many companies?
One. Your details go to a single vetted local installer covering your postcode, who contacts you directly. They are not passed to a list of companies competing for the job. Solar Panels Edinburgh does not carry out installation work.
Why do you only ask for my postcode?
It is all that is needed to confirm the installer covers you. They take your full address when they call, once you have decided you want a quote.
How quickly will I hear back?
Most enquiries are contacted within one working day.
Do solar panels work in Edinburgh's weather?
Yes. Panels need daylight, not direct sunshine, so they still generate on overcast days. Output is lowest in winter and highest in the long days from May to August. The savings figures on this page already use cautious Scottish data.
I rent, or I live in a flat. Can I still enquire?
Yes. Renters can enquire, though installation needs the owner's agreement. Flats with a shared roof need the other owners to agree.
What happens to my details?
They are passed to one local installer so they can prepare your quote. They are not sold on. ReachAI Ltd is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office under reference ZB828222. Full detail is in the Privacy Policy.
Putting the Power in Your Hands.
Takes 60 seconds. One installer. No cost and no obligation.
Start My Free Quote