Solar export by area in Scotland
Quick answer
How does solar export differ across Scotland?
Solar export works the same way everywhere in Scotland: a supplier pays you for each unit you send to the grid. What changes is local yield, from around 870 kWh per kWp in Edinburgh to 780 in Shetland, plus which network operator connects you and any local planning or export limits. Choose your area below.
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Choose your area
- Edinburgh & the LothiansEdinburgh, Midlothian, East Lothian, West LothianEdinburgh: ~870 kWh/kWp · SP Energy Networks
- Glasgow & the ClydeGlasgow, Renfrewshire, Dunbartonshire, LanarkshireGlasgow: ~855 kWh/kWp · SP Energy Networks
- Aberdeen & AberdeenshireAberdeen, Inverurie, Ellon, Stonehaven, Peterhead, BanchoryAberdeen: ~840 kWh/kWp · SSEN
- Dundee & AngusDundee, Broughty Ferry, Arbroath, Forfar, Montrose, BrechinDundee: ~845 kWh/kWp · SSEN
- FifeKirkcaldy, Dunfermline, Glenrothes, St Andrews, Cupar, East NeukKirkcaldy: ~852 kWh/kWp · SP Energy Networks
- Perth & KinrossPerth, Kinross, Crieff, Pitlochry, Blairgowrie, AberfeldyPerth: ~835 kWh/kWp · SSEN
- Stirling & FalkirkStirling, Falkirk, Grangemouth, Larbert, Alloa, CallanderStirling: ~848 kWh/kWp · SPEN and SSEN
- Inverness & the HighlandsInverness, Nairn, Dingwall, Aviemore, Fort William, Wick, ThursoInverness: ~820 kWh/kWp · SSEN
- AyrshireAyr, Kilmarnock, Irvine, Troon, Largs, GirvanAyr: ~845 kWh/kWp · SP Energy Networks
- Dumfries & GallowayDumfries, Annan, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbright, Newton Stewart, StranraerDumfries: ~835 kWh/kWp · SP Energy Networks
- Scottish BordersGalashiels, Hawick, Melrose, Kelso, Peebles, JedburghGalashiels: ~838 kWh/kWp · SP Energy Networks
- Scottish IslandsLewis, Harris, the Uists, Orkney, ShetlandStornoway: ~800 kWh/kWp · SSEN
What changes from one area to another
The amount of electricity a solar system generates depends on how far north it is and on local weather. Our figures, based on PVGIS data and the MCS MIS 3002 method, range from about 870 kWh per kWp a year in Edinburgh to about 780 in Thurso and Lerwick. That gap is real but modest: panels in the far north still produce a useful amount, helped by very long summer days.
Housing also varies. Edinburgh and Glasgow have many shared tenement roofs, the East Neuk has pantiles, Aberdeen has granite and slate, and rural areas have farm sheds and barns that can take larger arrays. Conservation areas, listed buildings and the two national parks can need planning consent.
Two network operators
SP Energy Networks runs the electricity network in central and southern Scotland, including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Fife, Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) covers the north, including Dundee, Aberdeen, Perthshire, the Highlands and the islands. Smaller systems are notified under G98 and larger ones need a G99 application. On remote or island lines, the network operator may set an export limit.
What stays the same everywhere
Wherever you live, export payments come from your electricity supplier under the Smart Export Guarantee, and suppliers set their own rates. When we last checked in August 2026, Octopus Outgoing paid 12p/kWh on its fixed export tariff. Rates change, check the supplier before you sign up. Suppliers ask for an MCS certificate, and we install through MCS-certified partners across Scotland.
To estimate your own figures, try the export calculator or see solar yield by Scottish town.
Questions about our area guides
Which part of Scotland generates the most solar power?
In our figures, Edinburgh and the east coast are highest at around 850 to 870 kWh per kWp a year. Caithness and Shetland are lowest at around 780.
Does my area change the export rate I am paid?
No. Export rates are set by suppliers and are the same across Scotland for a given tariff. Your area affects how much you generate and whether the network sets an export limit.
What if my town is not listed?
Each guide covers a wider region, so choose the one nearest you. You can also contact us and we will tell you which network operator and local rules apply.
Get a solar quote anywhere in Scotland
No obligation. We install through MCS-certified partners across Scotland.