Solar panels in Aberdeen: sizing, grid and planning

How big a system do you need?

Sizing comes before everything else. The more power you use by day, the more of your own output you use. Our post on how many solar panels you need walks through sizing from your usage, roof space and PVGIS yield.

Ofgem’s typical domestic figure for medium electricity use is 2,500 kWh a year from July 2026. However, your own bills may be higher or lower, so use your own figure as a guide.

Now compare that with a modelled yield. The European Commission’s PVGIS model gives about 892 kWh a year per kWp for Aberdeen. That is for a south-facing roof at 35 degrees, with default losses of 14%.

For example, a 5 kWp system would make around 5 x 892, or 4,460 kWh a year. That is a modelled estimate, so it will not match your meter exactly. Remember too that you will not use every unit yourself, because output peaks in the middle of the day.

The best tilt in the model is 43 degrees, at about 899 kWh per kWp. Aberdeen is further north than most places in this guide, so the best angle is steeper. Even so, the gain is small. Shade and direction will usually move the result far more than a few degrees.

Short winter days

Aberdeen has long summer days and short winter ones. As a result, output swings through the year, and winter months will look weak. That is normal for a northern site.

Our post on solar panels in winter looks at seasonal output, snow and short days. Read it before you decide what a battery or an export tariff might add.

Connecting to the network

In Aberdeen, our data points to SSEN Distribution, through its Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution area for the north of Scotland. The operator needs to know about your system. Under MCS rules, your installer does that.

MIS 3002 sets the thresholds. Systems up to and including 16 A per phase follow G98, and bigger ones follow G99. The limit adds up every generator, so panels plus a battery can tip a system into G99. For G98, a National Grid page describes notifying within 28 days of commissioning.

Operators differ in their forms and timings. Therefore, ask your installer how they deal with SSEN, and ask for a written timeline.

Planning in Scotland

Scotland has its own rules, and England’s 2026 changes do not apply. The Scottish Government’s mygov.scot page gives a one metre rule. Additions to a home are fine if they stay within a metre of where they attach.

In a conservation area, those additions need planning permission. A listed home also needs listed building consent. Because those limits depend on your street, ask Aberdeen City Council whether any apply. We do not list local areas, since we have not checked council maps.

Shared roofs and flats need a closer look, since other owners may need to agree before work starts. Funding is another point to check. Home Energy Scotland lists only solar PV-T systems for funding, so do not assume standard panels qualify.

Picking an installer

Choose a firm with MCS certification. It is the UK quality mark for small-scale renewables. To claim Smart Export Guarantee payments, GOV.UK says you must show MCS certification, or an equivalent. That covers both the installer and the system.

Then check for the Renewable Energy Consumer Code. RECC members insure deposits, stage payments and workmanship warranties. As a result, you have cover if a firm stops trading.

Expect a roof check as part of the job. MIS 3002 says a suitably competent person must check that the roof structure can carry the load. Ask to see that check in writing.

Collect at least three quotes, because prices and designs vary.

Compare them like for like. Look at kWp, panel make, warranty and who handles the paperwork. Our solar panel installation guide lists what a full quote should include. Our solar panel costs guide shows what government data says about price.

If you are comparing Scottish cities, see our page on solar panels in Edinburgh. When you are ready, you can ask for quotes. With your consent, we will pass your enquiry to an MCS-certified installer.