Scottish Power Solar Panels Review (2026): Price, Wait Times & Verdict
ScottishPower sells solar panels and batteries across Great Britain, fitted by partner installers, and pays up to 15p/kWh for exported power if you buy from it. This independent review covers the prices, what’s included, the kit, how long it takes, the warranty small print, the SmartGen export tariffs, and how to register your panels, submit Feed-in Tariff readings or change ownership. It ends with how it compares with a local MCS installer.
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ScottishPower solar installation
★★★½☆ Easy, all-in package with a good export rate, but a thin warranty and pricey entry system
The bottom line: a hassle-free package with scaffolding, bird-proofing and a 15p export rate thrown in. Its warranty and entry price lag a good local installer, so treat it as one quote of two.
Get a local price to compare →What ScottishPower Solar is (and isn’t)
ScottishPower is one of Britain’s biggest energy suppliers, owned by the Spanish group Iberdrola. Alongside gas and electricity it sells solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and EV chargers. Solar is sold online: you get a guide price in a few minutes, a survey follows, and the system is fitted by ScottishPower’s MCS and TrustMark-certified installation partners anywhere in Great Britain. You don’t have to be a ScottishPower energy customer to buy, but you do to get its better export rates.
It’s easy to confuse ScottishPower with SP Energy Networks, a sister company that runs the local electricity network in central and southern Scotland, Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales. SP Energy Networks is the DNO your installer notifies when panels are connected, whoever supplies your energy. ScottishPower, the supplier, is who pays you for exports if you sign up to its tariff. Registering your panels with one isn’t the same as registering with the other (see below).
ScottishPower solar panel prices (2026)
ScottishPower’s advertised starting price is £4,655 for a 4-panel “Electrify” package, based on a home in central England. Prices vary by region and roof. Every package includes scaffolding, bird-proofing, surge protection and monitoring set-up, which some installers charge extra for. Batteries start at £1,680 when added with panels or £2,910 on their own for an existing system, from 3kWh upwards. It runs occasional promotions too, such as £250 off panels and a battery bought before 5 October 2026.
| What you’re buying | ScottishPower | Typical local MCS installer |
|---|---|---|
| Entry system | From £4,655 for 4 panels | £4,500–£6,000 for a 3kW (7-panel) system |
| Typical 4kW (9–10 panels) | Quote on survey | £5,500–£7,500 |
| Battery with new panels | From £1,680 (3kWh+) | £3,000–£4,500 for 5kWh |
| Battery for existing panels | From £2,910 | £3,000–£4,500 for 5kWh |
| Scaffolding & bird-proofing | Included | Usually included, check the quote |
The takeaway: four panels is a small system, well under half the 9–10 panels a typical three-bed home uses, and the entry price is close to what many local installers charge for a full 3kW array. The battery add-on price is keen, though at 3kWh the starting battery is small. Check what capacity you’re actually quoted. ScottishPower’s own figures suggest an average household takes about 13 years to break even on panels alone. For comparison, E.ON’s fixed-price package puts 12 panels on the roof for £6,495. See solar panel cost UK, 4kW solar with battery and what size battery.
All installed solar and batteries are 0% VAT until 31 March 2027, whoever you buy from. ScottishPower has offered monthly payments over three to five years. Compare the total repayable with a cash price or other solar finance.
Four panels or a full system? Get both prices
A vetted local installer will size the system to your roof and usage, name the kit, and give you a fixed price for panels with or without a battery, so you can compare like for like with ScottishPower.
Compare With a Local MCS Quote →What panels, inverter and battery do they use?
ScottishPower’s website doesn’t name its panel, inverter or battery brands. It says only that batteries come from “leading manufacturers” and are modular, so you can add storage later. What it does publish is the warranty: 25 years on the panels from the manufacturer, a 30-year performance warranty, 10 years on the inverter and 10 years on the battery. Those figures are typical of mainstream Tier 1 kit such as JA Solar, Jinko or Trina panels.
Before you sign, ask for the exact panel model, inverter and battery, with datasheets. It’s a reasonable request, and it’s the only way to compare like for like with another quote. See best solar panels UK.
Who installs ScottishPower solar panels, and wait times
ScottishPower doesn’t install with its own staff. It uses a network of MCS and TrustMark-certified partner installers, so the quality of your job depends on the partner who covers your area, and you may not know who that is until the survey. ScottishPower doesn’t publish installation lead times. Third-party reviews suggest around 6–10 weeks from order to install, similar to other big suppliers. If you want its export tariff, allow up to six more weeks after installation for the application, including the DNO setting up your export meter number.
A local MCS installer can often fit within two to eight weeks, and you know who’ll be on your roof. See how long installation takes and how to choose an installer.
ScottishPower solar warranties: read this bit
The kit warranties are fine. What’s short is the workmanship warranty: two years on both solar and battery installs. That’s what covers leaks, loose fixings or wiring faults caused by the installation itself, and problems like these can take longer than two years to show. Most good independent MCS installers give ten years of workmanship cover, often insurance-backed, so it survives even if the installer goes bust.
| Cover | ScottishPower | Good local installer |
|---|---|---|
| Panel manufacturer warranty | 25 years | 25 years (panel-dependent) |
| Panel performance warranty | 30 years | 25–30 years |
| Inverter | 10 years | 10–12 years (brand-dependent) |
| Battery | 10 years manufacturer | 10 years manufacturer |
| Workmanship | 2 years | 10 years, often insurance-backed |
If you go with ScottishPower, ask whether a longer or insurance-backed workmanship guarantee is available, and who handles claims after year two. See solar panel warranties explained.
Want ten years’ workmanship cover on the same kit?
A vetted local installer will name the panels, inverter and battery in writing and back the job with a ten-year workmanship guarantee. Get a price to put next to ScottishPower’s.
Match Me With a Local Installer →SmartGen export tariffs and Solar Saver
ScottishPower’s Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) tariffs pay for the electricity your panels send to the grid. There are three levels:
| Tariff | Export rate | Who can get it |
|---|---|---|
| SmartGen | 6p/kWh | Anyone eligible for SEG |
| SmartGen Premium | 12p/kWh | ScottishPower electricity customers at the same address |
| SmartGen Premium Plus | 15p/kWh | ScottishPower electricity customers who installed their solar or battery with ScottishPower |
15p is a competitive export rate, but it only applies if you buy your energy from ScottishPower too, so compare its import prices with the alternatives. On a typical 4kW system exporting around half its output, the difference between 12p and 15p is worth roughly £50–£65 a year. That’s useful, but not enough to justify a more expensive installation. ScottishPower also offers Solar Saver, an import tariff for solar homes with a cheaper rate from 7pm to 9am (20p/kWh when we checked). That’s well above the overnight rates on dedicated battery and EV tariffs (off-peak charging, Intelligent Octopus Go). Compare every supplier’s rates in SEG tariffs compared.
Registering your solar panels with ScottishPower
“Registering” can mean three different things, depending on when your panels were fitted:
- New panels, fitted since April 2019: apply for SmartGen (SEG). Apply online and upload your MCS certificate (or equivalent from Flexi-Orb, NICEIC or NAPIT), proof that you own the system, and a meter reading. You need a meter that records exports every half hour, which usually means a smart meter (solar and smart meters). ScottishPower validates the application within about 14 days, the DNO creates an export meter number in one to two weeks, and payment set-up takes another one to two weeks, so allow up to six weeks in total.
- Older panels on the Feed-in Tariff: submit readings. The FiT closed to new applicants on 31 March 2019, so you can’t newly register for it. If you already get FiT payments from ScottishPower, you submit generation meter readings (below). You can also move an existing FiT agreement to ScottishPower from another licensee using its FiT switch request form.
- Telling the network. Your installer notifies the DNO (SP Energy Networks in its areas) under G98 or G99. You don’t need to do this yourself, and it isn’t the same as signing up to an export tariff.
Feed-in Tariff readings and payments
If ScottishPower is your FiT licensee, you submit generation meter readings through the online form on its Feed-in Tariff page. Payments are calculated on a 90-day billing cycle. A reading sent less than 90 days after your last bill won’t trigger a new payment, but it’s kept on file. If you have more than one meter, give readings for all of them on the same date. For multiple meters or if the form won’t work, email a clear photo of each meter, showing the serial number and the reading, to fitreads@scottishpower.com.
ScottishPower solar panels: change of ownership
If you’ve bought a home with solar panels on the FiT, or inherited them, the payments need to move to you. ScottishPower’s FiT change of responsibility form (April 2026 version) asks for:
- Proof of ownership: Land Registry documents or a solicitor’s letter after a sale, or probate or a solicitor’s letter after a bereavement.
- A photo of the FiT generation meter, and of the export meter if you have one.
- A bank statement showing your name, address, sort code and account number.
- A schematic diagram, if a battery has been installed.
Email the completed form to FITCORrs@scottishpower.com. Missing documents delay the change. Don’t submit a meter reading until ScottishPower confirms the change is complete, or the payment may go to the previous owner’s account. For SEG, the new owner applies for a SmartGen tariff in their own name. More: moving house with solar panels.
ScottishPower solar contact details
| What you need | How to contact |
|---|---|
| FiT help, including change of ownership | 0800 001 5156 |
| FiT change of ownership forms | FITCORrs@scottishpower.com |
| FiT meter readings (multiple meters or form problems) | fitreads@scottishpower.com |
| New solar or battery quote, SmartGen applications | Online, through ScottishPower’s solar and SEG pages |
These details are taken from ScottishPower’s own FiT forms and pages as of September 2026. Check its website if they don’t connect, as contact routes do change.
What ScottishPower customers say
ScottishPower’s Trustpilot score is a strong 4.4 out of 5 from more than 200,000 reviews, but almost all of those are about energy supply, not solar installation. Citizens Advice’s customer service ratings are less flattering: 2.76 out of 5 for April to June 2026, ranked 12th among the suppliers it assesses. With installs done by partner firms, your experience will depend heavily on the local partner. Ask who they are and check their own reviews and MCS listing.
On “free” solar: ScottishPower doesn’t offer free panels. Genuinely funded schemes are for lower-income households only (free solar panels, solar grants UK, and solar panels in Scotland for Warmer Homes Scotland).
ScottishPower vs a local installer
| ScottishPower | Good local MCS installer | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | From £4,655 (4 panels) | £4,500–£6,000 (7 panels, 3kW) |
| Panels & inverter | Not named online | Named in writing, your choice |
| Battery add-on | From £1,680 (3kWh+) | £3,000–£4,500 (5kWh) |
| Installed by | Partner firms | Themselves |
| Workmanship warranty | 2 years | 10 years typical |
| Export tariff | Up to 15p (SP customers who install with SP) | Any SEG supplier |
| Lead time | Not published (~6–10 weeks reported) | 2–8 weeks |
Other big-name options: E.ON, Octopus, British Gas, EDF and OVO, all compared in solar panel companies UK.
ScottishPower solar panels: pros and cons
Pros
- GB-wide, with a quick online guide price
- Scaffolding, bird-proofing, surge protection and monitoring included
- Keenly priced battery add-on (from £1,680 with panels)
- 15p/kWh export rate for customers who install with ScottishPower
- Batteries can be added to any existing system
- Big, established supplier behind the sale
Cons
- Only a 2-year workmanship warranty
- Entry price buys just four panels
- Panel, inverter and battery brands not named up front
- Installed by partner firms you can’t choose
- Best export rate ties you to ScottishPower for your energy
- Mid-table customer service scores from Citizens Advice
Verdict: who should buy solar panels from ScottishPower?
3.6 / 5. ScottishPower solar suits someone who wants a single, hassle-free purchase from a big-name supplier, is happy to buy their energy from ScottishPower for the 15p export rate, and wants a battery added cheaply at the same time. It’s less convincing on the things that matter over 25 years. The workmanship warranty is two years rather than ten, the kit isn’t named until you ask, and the entry price buys a small system. Get the exact components and system size in writing, then put the quote next to one from a vetted local MCS installer. You’ll either confirm ScottishPower is the right choice or save yourself a four-figure sum.
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ScottishPower solar panels: frequently asked questions
Are ScottishPower solar panels any good?
They’re a convenient option. ScottishPower sells solar panels and batteries across Great Britain, fitted by MCS and TrustMark-certified partner installers, with scaffolding, bird-proofing and monitoring included and a 25-year panel warranty. The drawbacks are a two-year workmanship warranty, compared with ten years from most independent installers, and panel and inverter brands that aren’t named until you ask. It’s worth getting a quote, but compare it with a local MCS installer before signing.
How much do ScottishPower solar panels cost?
ScottishPower’s solar panels start from £4,655 for a 4-panel package, based on a home in central England, with prices varying by region and roof. Scaffolding and bird-proofing are included. A battery costs from £1,680 when added with panels, or from £2,910 for an existing system. For comparison, a typical 4kW system of 9–10 panels from a local MCS installer costs £5,500–£7,500 with 0% VAT.
How do I register my solar panels with ScottishPower?
For panels fitted since April 2019, apply online for a ScottishPower SmartGen export tariff and upload your MCS certificate, proof of ownership and a meter reading. You’ll need a smart or half-hourly export meter, and set-up takes up to six weeks. The Feed-in Tariff closed to new applicants on 31 March 2019, so older systems already on the FiT just submit generation meter readings instead.
What export tariff does ScottishPower pay for solar?
ScottishPower’s SmartGen tariff pays 6p/kWh to anyone eligible for the Smart Export Guarantee. SmartGen Premium pays 12p/kWh to ScottishPower electricity customers, and SmartGen Premium Plus pays 15p/kWh to ScottishPower electricity customers who installed their solar panels or battery with ScottishPower. You need a meter that records exports every half hour.
How do I change ownership of solar panels with ScottishPower?
Complete ScottishPower’s FiT change of responsibility form and email it to FITCORrs@scottishpower.com, with proof of ownership (Land Registry documents, a solicitor’s letter or probate), a photo of the generation meter, and a bank statement showing your name, address and account details. Don’t submit a meter reading until ScottishPower confirms the change, or the payment may go to the previous owner.
What is the ScottishPower solar panels contact number?
ScottishPower’s Feed-in Tariff forms give 0800 001 5156 for help, including change of ownership. FiT meter readings can be emailed to fitreads@scottishpower.com and change of ownership forms to FITCORrs@scottishpower.com. New solar quotes and SmartGen export applications are handled online through ScottishPower’s website.
Going Solar UK is independent and not affiliated with ScottishPower. Prices, tariffs and contact details are taken from ScottishPower’s website and FiT forms as of September 2026 and can change. Check the current terms on ScottishPower’s SEG page. Local installer prices are typical 2026 UK ranges with 0% VAT, which applies until 31 March 2027. Customer ratings are from Trustpilot and Citizens Advice (April to June 2026). Lead times for ScottishPower are third-party reports, not published by ScottishPower. Savings depend on your roof, usage and tariff.