The complete guide to solar panels in Glasgow

✔ Solar panels reduce the average Glasgow household’s electricity bills by 64%

✔ Homes with solar panels in Glasgow typically break even in 16.5 years

✔ More than 1,900 households have solar panels in Glasgow

The cost of solar panels is dropping, which is fantastic news for anyone in Glasgow who’s thinking of slashing their electricity bills for decades to come.

The average three-bedroom household in Glasgow can save £435 per year with solar panels, which will allow you to break even in 16.5 years and spend the next decade or two using totally free electricity.

In this guide, we’ll go through how much you’ll typically pay for solar panels in Glasgow, how the weather affects your savings, and whether there are any government grants you can use.

If you want to go solar at any point, you can compare solar panel prices with our help. Just provide a few quick details, and our expert installers will be in touch with free quotes for you to compare.

Are solar panels worth getting in Glasgow?

Solar panels are absolutely worth getting in Glasgow.

The average three-bedroom household in Glasgow will save 64% on its electricity bills by getting solar panels.

That adds up to an annual average saving of £435.

You’ll typically break even in 16.5 years – and with solar panels usually lasting at least 25 years, you’ll be able to rack up an average overall profit of £3,689.

If you’d had solar panels on your Glasgow home for the past five years, you would typically have cut your electricity bills by £1,300 – and now you can save even more, thanks to higher Smart Export Guarantee rates.

Generating your own solar energy can also help reduce your dependence on the electricity grid and help the country to adjust to a more electricity-heavy power supply.

And if you get a solar battery, you can keep the lights on in the event of a power cut, as long as you ensure your installer adds this ability to the system when they’re setting it up.

You will of course also be doing what you can to create a better future for humans, by fighting climate change in a results-driven way.

Solar panels in Glasgow will decrease your annual carbon footprint by 0.44 tonnes of CO2, on average, and multiple scientific studies agree that going solar encourages your neighbours to follow your lead.

It’s worth getting solar panels in Scotland, wherever you are – and that very much includes Glasgow.

How much do solar panels cost in Glasgow?

Solar panels cost £719 to buy and install in Glasgow, on average.

This will typically buy you a 350-watt (W) solar panel. To get the 3.5 kWp system we recommend for average three-bedroom households in Glasgow, you’ll need 10 of these panels, which will cost £7,191 in total.

For more help working out how many solar panels you should get, check out our guide, How Many Solar Panels Do I Need For My Home?

Do solar panels work in Glasgow weather?

Solar panels work very well in Glasgow weather.

This wonderful city endures its fair share of rain and wind, but still receives more than enough sunlight to produce enough solar electricity to drastically cut your energy bills.

And its mild climate actually helps panels to avoid overheating, which is the primary cause of reduced solar output in the UK.

The rain also has benefits. Clear, sunny skies may be best for solar panels, but they still generate electricity in overcast conditions, and the occasional downpour helps to stop dirt and debris gathering on your panels.

How many people have solar panels in Glasgow?

1,942 homes in Glasgow have Microgeneration Certification Scheme-certified solar panels, according to the body.

That means a minimum of 0.66% of Glasgow households have gone solar.

That’s way below the UK average of 5%, but seeing as this number only includes MCS-certified installations, the real number of solar homes in Glasgow is likely much higher.

Cities also usually have proportionally fewer solar installations than other areas, but no for any good reason. If you can afford solar panels in Glasgow, they can cut your electricity bills just the same.

Government grants for solar panels in Glasgow

There are four government grants for solar panels available to people in Glasgow.

Here’s all the information you need to figure out if you’re eligible for any of them, how much you can claim, and where to apply.

ECO4

The UK government’s ECO4 scheme compels big energy providers to fund the installation of green upgrades like solar panels in disadvantaged households.

You can qualify for free solar panels if your home is electrically heated and you fulfil any of the following criteria:

• Your total household income is under £31,000 per year
• You’ve been referred to ECO4 by your doctor, energy supplier, or local authority
• You receive at least one government benefit from the list below

You may even be able to get free insulation through ECO4 as well, as your home must be well-insulated before any solar panels are installed.

To access ECO4, just contact an energy supplier or Glasgow City Council, who can walk you through the steps.

LA Flex

If you don’t qualify for ECO4 through the regular pathway detailed above, you could still receive funding from a different section of the scheme: the Local Authority Flexible Eligibility (LA Flex) initiative.

LA Flex gives local authorities like Glasgow City Council the money to help low-income, vulnerable, and energy-inefficient homes that don’t meet ECO4’s criteria.

The government took this step of handing over half of ECO4 funding to local authorities because 46.1% of fuel-poor homes wouldn’t otherwise receive help, according to its own data.

LA Flex can get you hugely discounted or free solar panels, just like the regular ECO4 scheme.

For more information, read Glasgow City Council’s ECO4 Flexible Eligibility Statement of Intent, which explains the requirements and contact methods you can use.

Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan

The Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan is available to all homeowners in Scotland – you’ll just need a decent credit rating to qualify.

All eligible households can get a maximum of £6,000 to pay for installation, made up of a £1,250 grant and an optional £4,750 loan. That’s usually close to the full cost of a solar panel system.

The loan is interest-free, and you’ll have five years to repay it if you borrow under £5,000, or 10 years if you borrow £5,000 or more.

Check out our full guide to the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan for more details, or

To start your application process, just call Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282.

Warmer Homes Scotland

Home Energy Scotland also runs the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme, which could provide you with a grant to pay for solar panels.

It’s open to all homeowners and private-sector tenants who’ve lived in their property for six months or longer, and whose homes meet the following requirements:

• A poor energy rating
• A floor area of 230m² or less
• A council tax band of A-F
• It meets the standards laid out by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006

The property must also fulfil one of these criteria:

• It has no central heating
• It includes a resident who’s over 75 years old
• It includes a resident who has a DS1500 or BASRiS medical certificate
• It includes a resident who’s on certain government benefits

To check if you’re eligible and get your application started, visit Warmer Homes Scotland.

Next steps

The best next step is to check your annual electricity consumption, figure out how many solar panels you would get and how much it could save you on your energy bills, and make your final decision.

If you choose to move ahead with your installation, you’ll want to get multiple solar panel quotes, to make sure you get the best possible deal for your home.

You can start this process by using our free comparison tool. Simply fill in a few details and our trusted suppliers will get in touch with free quotes.

Solar panels in Glasgow: FAQs