Solar Panels in Edinburgh — Battery & EV Charging
Conservation areas and listed buildings need planning savvy — we run pre-app checks for every Edinburgh job.
A typical 4kWp solar install in Edinburgh generates around 3,600 kWh/year — saving roughly £1,008/year at current electricity prices. Fully installed: £6,500–£8,500.
Solar in Edinburgh — the Ecoaim view
Edinburgh is the toughest solar market in the Central Belt — and we love it. Tenement roofs, conservation-area planning, listed-building stock and dense terraced layouts mean off-the-shelf quotes routinely fall over. Ecoaim has installed across every EH postcode from the Old Town to Cramond, and we run pre-application planning checks on every Edinburgh quote so the cost we promise is the cost you pay.
Edinburgh property types we install on
- Victorian and Edwardian tenement flats (rear-roof installs predominant)
- New Town and Georgian terraces (often listed or in conservation zones)
- 1930s suburban semis in Corstorphine, Morningside, Liberton
- Modern detached / executive homes in Cramond, Barnton, Liberton south
- New-build estates in West Edinburgh and Gilmerton
Neighbourhoods + postcodes we cover
Grid connection — your DNO in Edinburgh
Every Edinburgh commercial array above 3.68 kW/phase needs a G99 connection agreement (typical 6-12 week turnaround); dense city-centre substations can be export-constrained, so an export-capacity check runs at survey stage and a larger array may need an export-limitation device.
Planning + council notes
City of Edinburgh Council planning. Conservation areas cover roughly 40% of central Edinburgh — pre-app advice for any visible-elevation work is standard. Listed Building Consent required for installs on Category A/B/C listed properties. Our planning lead handles all pre-app dialogue.
Conservation areas to watch: New Town, Old Town, Stockbridge, Marchmont, Bruntsfield, Dean Village, Grange, Morningside.
Visible-elevation installs in any of these usually require pre-application dialogue with the planning department. We handle this on every conservation-area quote — there is no extra charge for it.
Solar yields by Edinburgh postcode
| Postcode | kWh/kWp/yr | Local note |
|---|---|---|
| EH1-EH3 | 870 | Central conservation zones — yields slightly lower due to shading + lower-pitch rear roofs. |
| EH4 | 905 | Cramond / Barnton — open aspect detached homes hit Central Belt average. |
| EH9-10 | 895 | South Edinburgh tenement and semi. Conservation factor lowers ideal install size. |
| EH12-14 | 905 | West Edinburgh suburbia — standard yields. |
| EH16-17 | 900 | South-east Edinburgh — strong yields. |
Real Edinburgh install
Pre-app cleared in 18 days. Install across 2 days including scaffolding. SP Energy Networks G99 issued in 7 weeks. Customer is netting roughly £180/month off her electricity bill compared with the year prior.
Edinburgh response time + travel from Livingston
30 minutes from Livingston HQ via the A8 / M8. Most install crews are on-site for 08:00 starts; warranty callouts are typically same-day or next-day.
Why Ecoaim wins Edinburgh installs
Edinburgh-specific planning knowledge is genuinely rare among Scottish installers. Most subcontract to crews that have never dealt with City of Edinburgh Conservation Officers. We hold the pre-app templates, the listed-building permitted-development knowledge and the rear-of-roof solar design experience to turn an Edinburgh quote into an Edinburgh install.
Local landmarks (for context)
Edinburgh Castle (conservation zone reference) · Arthur’s Seat and Holyrood Park (south-facing roofs nearby) · Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh · Murrayfield Stadium · Edinburgh Airport (within 12 mins of Livingston HQ).
Edinburgh solar FAQs
Can I install solar panels in an Edinburgh conservation area? +
Often yes — rear-of-roof installs on non-front-facing aspects are usually permitted under PDR (Permitted Development Rights). Front-of-roof or visible-elevation installs typically need full planning. We run a pre-app check on every quote so you know before signing.
How long does an Edinburgh solar install take? +
A typical 4 kWp tenement install is 1-2 days including scaffolding. Larger 6-10 kWp detached installs are 2-3 days. Planning pre-app adds 14-21 days where required.
Which DNO covers Edinburgh? +
SP Energy Networks. G98 notifications (under 3.68 kW per phase) are typically same-day; G99 applications (3.68 kW+) take 6-12 weeks. We handle all DNO paperwork.
Commercial solar in Edinburgh — business FAQs
How much do commercial solar panels cost in Edinburgh? +
A 30 kWp commercial system in Edinburgh typically costs £24,000–£32,000 installed, a 100 kWp system £75,000–£95,000, and a 250 kWp warehouse roof £150,000–£190,000. Edinburgh businesses can claim the 100% Annual Investment Allowance and 0% VAT (until March 2027), cutting the net cost by roughly a third for profitable companies.
What's the payback period for commercial solar in Edinburgh? +
Most Edinburgh commercial installs pay back in 5–7 years, and faster — often inside 4 years — for high daytime-load sites such as manufacturing at Sighthill/Newbridge, cold storage, hotels and retail. Edinburgh's ~860–900 kWh/kWp yield is slightly above the Scottish average, which helps returns.
Do I need planning permission for commercial solar in Edinburgh? +
Most flat-roof commercial PV across the EH postcodes is permitted development. But the Old Town and New Town World Heritage Site and conservation areas (Leith, Stockbridge, Morningside, Dean Village) plus listed buildings need City of Edinburgh Council planning and/or listed-building consent. Ecoaim runs the conservation check at design stage and files any consent on your behalf.
Who is the DNO for Edinburgh and do I need a G99 application? +
Edinburgh's distribution network operator is SP Energy Networks (SP Distribution licence area, distributor ID 18). Every commercial install above 3.68 kW per phase needs a G99 connection agreement before commissioning. Ecoaim submits and manages the G99 with SP Energy Networks — typical turnaround 6–12 weeks — and runs an export-capacity check first, as some dense city-centre substations need an export limitation device.
Is Edinburgh too far north for commercial solar to be worthwhile? +
No. Edinburgh's drier east-coast climate gives ~860–900 kWh per kWp per year — slightly above the Scottish average and only marginally below the UK figure. Because commercial demand peaks during weekday daytime, a well-designed array on an EH flat roof self-consumes most of its output, so the latitude has little bearing on the business case.
Nearby areas we cover
View all 60 →Local guides for Edinburgh
Commercial Solar Edinburgh: 2026 Business Guide
Commercial solar in Edinburgh 2026: 30–250kWp costs, 4–7 year payback, 100% AIA tax relief, SP Energy Networks G99, conservation planning and HES routes.
Battery Storage Edinburgh: Costs, ROI and Grants 2026
What home battery storage costs in Edinburgh in 2026 — real Octopus Flux ROI, HES loan routes, plus tenement and conservation-area notes.
Solar for Care Homes in Edinburgh 2026
Care home solar in Edinburgh — EPS-backed battery for clinical resilience.
Ecoaim installs near Edinburgh
See real Ecoaim projects across the Central Belt.
Farm Tech Solar Installation by Ecoaim
Walkthrough of an agricultural solar PV installation at a Scottish farm — ground-mount arrays designed around parlour loads and arable cycles.
Polar Bear Club x Ecoaim — World Record Attempt
Ecoaim partnered with the Polar Bear Club for Allana Baird's world record full-body ice contact attempt. Community sponsorship through renewable energy.
Solar & Battery Installation Livingston
Domestic solar PV + battery storage installed in Livingston — a typical 4-bed install with EcoFlow PowerOcean battery and Octopus Flux configuration.
Inset Domestic Solar Panel System
In-roof integrated solar PV — panels sit flush with the roof tile pattern. Clean aesthetic, ideal for conservation areas and new builds.
The Gailes Hotel — Part 1
Phase 1 of the Gailes Hotel & Spa solar installation — covering the golf and leisure facility with sustainable energy.
The Gailes Hotel — Part 2: The Installation
Phase 2 — the actual install at Gailes Hotel & Spa. Walkthrough of the commercial solar PV rollout across the hotel's leisure complex.
AB Renewables Solar Install by Ecoaim
A commercial solar PV partnership delivery for AB Renewables — featuring large-array commercial rooftop installation.
Genesys Biotech Solar System Installation by Ecoaim
Solar PV system installed at Genesys Biotech — commercial pharma/lab facility with strict uptime requirements.
Free quote in 24 hours.
No high-pressure sales. No commission-driven scripts. Just a no-obligation survey + transparent quote — covering every postcode in Scotland's Central Belt.