Solar PV
Scottish daylight, captured.
Solar PV converts daylight directly into electricity — productive on cloudy days as well as bright ones, and surprisingly effective in Scottish summers when the sun stays up past ten.
Two minutes, no obligation — an indicative system size, price range and yearly saving.
How it works
Light into electricity, no moving parts.
Photovoltaic (PV) panels turn light into DC electricity, which an inverter then converts to AC for your home or for export to the grid. A modern 4 kW system typically generates 3,000–4,000 kWh per year in Scotland — enough to cover most of an average home's daytime usage.
Surplus generation is either stored in a battery (see battery storage) or exported via your Smart Export Guarantee tariff. There are no moving parts to maintain, no fuel to deliver, and no flue. Performance is monitored from an app.
How we work
Six steps from estimate to switch-on.
Solar installs run through the same six-stage process as every job we do — with usage modelling at the pre-start survey, scaffolding and DNO scheduling rolled into the proposal, and first-year monitoring confirming the array is generating as designed.
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Step 1
Free estimate
A no-obligation estimate based on what you tell us about the property and what you want the system to do. No call-out fee, no pressure.
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Step 2
Pre-start survey
Once an estimate is accepted, we carry out a proper site survey before any installation — measuring the building, modelling heat loss or generation, and checking the existing services.
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Step 3
Full proposal
Issued after the survey. Clearly flags any changes from the estimate, with the reasoning. Fully transparent up front — no mid-job surprises.
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Step 4
Installation
Carried out by fully qualified engineers at every stage. We programme the schedule with you and keep disruption to the building proportionate.
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Step 5
Detailed handover
On every job. You leave the handover knowing exactly how the system works, what every control does, and where to find your paperwork.
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Step 6
First-year monitoring & optimisation
We remotely monitor every system we install and optimise it through the first year — tuning for efficiency and comfort as you live with it through every season.
Why McInnes Group
Sized for your roof, not the catalogue.
- MCS-certified for the Smart Export Guarantee
- In-house electricians — DNO notification and commissioning
- Sized to Scottish daylight patterns, not UK averages
- Hybrid inverters by default — battery-ready from day one
- Trusted scaffolding partners who leave the site clean
- First-year monitoring confirms the array performs as designed
Costs & grants
What it costs — and what the schemes cover.
Priced to your roof and usage
System size drives the price, and the right size comes from your roof and how you use electricity — most domestic solar + battery combinations fall between 6 kW and 15 kW. Roof faces, scaffolding access and whether storage is included all move the figure, so we price from a survey rather than a rate card — and 0% VAT is already applied to every quote.
Home Energy Scotland loan
Interest-free loan from the Scottish Government covering all or part of the install. Repaid over up to 12 years. We can refer you to a Home Energy Scotland adviser during the survey.
Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)
Your energy supplier pays you for surplus electricity exported to the grid. Each supplier sets its own rate — these currently range from low single digits to over 15 p/kWh on the best smart-tariff plans. You sign up for the SEG with your electricity supplier; we register the installation on the MCS database and give you the MCS certificate they require.
Zero-VAT until April 2027
Solar PV (and standalone batteries) qualify for 0% VAT on the supply and installation. The discount is applied at point of sale — no claim form required.
For Scottish businesses & community organisations
We work with Scottish businesses, charities, and community organisations.
A meaningful share of our work isn't domestic. Community halls, faith buildings, charities, and small businesses across Scotland come to us to scope, fund, and install the same kind of low-carbon systems we put into people's homes — and many of them qualify for support they didn't know existed.
Funding you might not realise you can access
Most commercial and community installs in Scotland are part-funded by Scottish Government schemes administered through Home Energy Scotland and Energy Saving Trust. We tell you honestly which routes fit, draft the technical sections the funder needs from us, and support you from eligibility check to drawdown — you submit and own the application.
- CARES — Community and Renewable Energy Scheme: capital grants for charities, community groups, halls, and faith buildings.
- SME Loan + Cashback — interest-free loans for Scottish small and medium businesses, with cashback grants of up to £30,000 on energy-efficient upgrades.
- Business Energy Scotland — free advice, on-site audits, and route-finding for any commercial energy project. Often the right place to start.
- Public Sector Energy Efficiency Loans — for councils, schools, NHS sites, and other public bodies undertaking decarbonisation work.
Smart system design saves money
On many commercial installs we can retain existing components — controls, distribution pipework, radiators, panels, or cabling — that other installers replace by default. Smart system design typically delivers significant savings versus replace-everything quotes, though every commercial project varies. Same philosophy as our domestic work: design for the building you have, not the catalogue.
Most organisations don't know they qualify
Eligibility is broader than people assume. If you run a hall, a charity, a small business, or a community project anywhere in Scotland, it's worth a conversation — even just to find out what's available before you commit to a direction.
Frequently asked
Solar questions, answered honestly.
Does solar work in Scotland?
Yes. The Highlands have longer summer days than southern England — June daylight stretches past 18 hours up here. Annual generation is around 80–85% of what you would get in Cornwall, and that gap is closing each year as panel efficiency improves. We have installed solar from Inverness to the west coast.
What if it is cloudy?
Solar panels produce useful power on cloudy days — typically 10–30% of bright-sun output, depending on cloud thickness. They work on diffuse light, not just direct sunshine. A grey Scottish afternoon still generates real electricity.
Do I need a south-facing roof?
South is best, but east or west works well — typically 80–85% of optimal annual generation. Even north-facing roofs can work, just with a lower yield. We model your specific roof during the survey and tell you honestly whether the numbers stack up before you commit.
Will my roof support it?
Almost always yes. Modern panels weigh around 12 kg each and the mounting system spreads load across a wide area. We check the roof structure during the survey and flag any issues. For unusual roofs — slate over batten, older timber trusses — we may bring a structural engineer in before quoting.
How long does it last?
Panels are typically guaranteed for 25 years and routinely last 30+ years. Inverters need replacing every 10–15 years (£800–1,500 depending on system size). Performance drops gradually — about 0.5% per year — but you will get useful output for the full life of the panels.
Can I add a battery later?
Yes. We default to hybrid inverters that support both PV and battery from day one, so in many cases adding storage later needs little rework or rewiring — it depends on the products involved. Mention it during the survey and we will specify accordingly.
Do you install for businesses or just homes?
Both — a significant share of our solar work is for Scottish businesses, charities and community organisations. Most commercial solar in Scotland is part-funded through Scottish Government schemes; our commercial and grants pages cover what may apply.
Hear from our customers
A real install, in their own words.
“My smart meter is showing me that I’m not really using any electricity at all. The proof is in my energy bill.”
Pairs well with
Solar earns more when it's part of a system.
Get in touch
Tell us about your project.
We'll be in touch within one working day. No call-out fee, no obligation.
Thanks
We'll be in touch within one working day.
If it's urgent, call us on 01463 231 423 — Monday–Friday, 08:00–17:00.
Prefer to talk? Call 01463 231 423 or email info@mcinnesgroup.co.uk.