Solar export in Inverness and the Highlands
Quick answer
Is there enough sunlight for solar exports in the Highlands?
Yes, though yields fall the further north you go. Inverness averages about 820 kWh per kWp a year, Fort William around 810 and Thurso around 780. Very long summer days make up for dark winters. The SSEN network covers the Highlands, and some remote lines can carry export limits, which your installer checks before connection.
Last updated:
Covering Inverness, Nairn, Dingwall, Aviemore, Fort William, Wick, Thurso and nearby.
Long days, remote lines and Highland homes
In midsummer, Inverness gets around 18 hours of daylight, and most of the year's generation in the Highlands comes between April and September. In December output is low, so a system here works best when you use solar electricity during the long summer days and export the surplus.
Many Highland homes, crofts and holiday lets in places such as Nairn, Dingwall, Aviemore, Fort William and Wick are not on the mains gas network. Remote properties are often at the end of long rural lines, so SSEN may limit how much a new system can export. Parts of the area sit in the Cairngorms National Park, where planning rules can differ.
Local generation estimate for Inverness
Using PVGIS data and the MCS MIS 3002 method, Inverness averages about 820 kWh per kWp a year. A 4kW system would produce around 3,280 kWh. If about 65% is exported, that is roughly 2,132 kWh a year sent to the grid. These are estimates, not a promise of income, and what you are paid depends on your supplier's export rate. Your own figure depends on roof direction, pitch, shading and how much electricity you use at home.
Connecting to the grid in Inverness & the Highlands
The local electricity network here is run by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN). Most home systems up to 3.68kW per phase are notified under G98 after installation. Larger systems, or a battery that takes total inverter capacity above that limit, need a G99 application before connection. Our installation partner handles this paperwork for you.
Choosing an export tariff
Export payments come from your electricity supplier under the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), not from the network operator. Suppliers set their own rates and change them often. Published rates by supplier:
- Octopus Outgoing (12p/kWh)
- E.ON Next (12p/kWh)
- British Gas (9p/kWh)
- Scottish Power (8p/kWh)
Rates change, check the supplier. Last checked August 2026.
Suppliers ask for an MCS certificate before paying for exports. We install through MCS-certified partners, so your system comes with the paperwork suppliers need.
Neighbouring areas
Useful pages
Solar export questions in Inverness & the Highlands
Do solar panels work in winter in the Highlands?
They generate a little on clear winter days, but output from November to January is low. Most generation happens from spring to early autumn, helped by very long summer days.
Why might SSEN limit my export in a remote area?
Some rural and remote lines have limited capacity. To protect the network, SSEN can set a maximum export level for new systems. Your installer checks this as part of the G98 or G99 process.
Does solar generate much in Caithness?
Thurso averages around 780 kWh per kWp a year, the lowest in our Scottish figures but still a useful amount of generation. A 4kW system there could produce roughly 3,120 kWh a year.
Get a solar quote in Inverness & the Highlands
No obligation. We install through MCS-certified partners across Scotland.