ScottishPower Solar Panels UK Review
ScottishPower is one of the UK's Big Six energy suppliers, owned by Spanish renewables giant Iberdrola. Its SmartPower brand offers solar panel installations across the UK, paired with ScottishPower's own Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) tariff. This review covers SmartPower's pricing, what's included, and how it compares to British Gas, E.ON, and independent installers.
Quick Answer
ScottishPower sells solar panels and batteries UK-wide but doesn't publish a fixed solar price: you get a guide price for your home online, then a survey. Its batteries are from £1,680 when fitted with solar, or £2,910 for a 3 kWh battery on its own. Export pays 12p/kWh for ScottishPower electricity customers and 15p if you also bought the system from them. For comparison, independent MCS installers typically charge £6,000–£7,800 for a 4 kW system.
What is ScottishPower SmartPower?
ScottishPower is a UK energy supplier serving around 5 million customers. It is owned by Iberdrola, one of the world's largest renewable energy companies. ScottishPower's home-energy product range (solar, battery storage, EV chargers, heat pumps) is marketed under the SmartPower brand.
SmartPower solar installations include MCS-certified hardware and commissioning, integration with ScottishPower's SEG tariff, and a single-supplier relationship covering your electricity, solar, and (optionally) EV charging.
How much do ScottishPower solar panels cost?
ScottishPower doesn't publish a fixed price for solar panels. Its website gives a guide price for your home, and the final price follows a survey. It does publish battery prices:
| Item | ScottishPower | Independent MCS installer (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| Solar panels, 3–4 kWp | Guide price online, then survey | £5,000–£7,800 |
| Battery, fitted with solar | From £1,680 | £2,500–£4,000 (5 kWh) |
| Battery on its own (3 kWh) | From £2,910 | £3,400–£4,000 (about 5 kWh) |
ScottishPower prices are from its solar battery pages, checked November 2026; the battery size behind the “with solar” price isn't stated. Prices include 0% VAT, which applies to residential solar and batteries until 31 March 2027. Ask for the guide price and compare it with at least two local quotes for the same size.
ScottishPower SEG tariff
ScottishPower's Smart Export Guarantee tariff is called SmartGen. SmartGen Premium pays 12p/kWh to ScottishPower electricity customers, and SmartGen Premium Plus pays 15p/kWh if you also bought your solar panels or battery from ScottishPower. Anyone with an MCS-certified system can join the standard SmartGen tariff at about 6p/kWh, one of the better rates open to non-customers. Rates change, so confirm the current figure on ScottishPower's SEG page before signing up. For the full rate breakdown, see our Scottish Power export tariff review.
Comparable or higher SEG rates are available elsewhere, such as EDF Export 12m (15p/kWh) and Ecotricity (16p/kWh), both for their own import customers. See our full SEG comparison.
ScottishPower Solar pros and cons
Pros
- Financial stability: Iberdrola is one of the world's largest utilities
- Nationwide UK coverage
- Single supplier for electricity, solar, and EV
- SmartGen export pays 12p, or 15p if you bought your system from ScottishPower
- Cheap battery add-on, from £1,680 with solar
Cons
- No fixed published solar price, so you can't compare before a survey
- Long quote-to-install lead times (6–10 weeks typical)
- Panel brand choice tied to current supplier contract
- Mixed customer service reviews across Trustpilot
- Best export rate needs ScottishPower electricity as well
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ScottishPower install solar panels?
Yes. ScottishPower's SmartPower brand offers MCS-certified solar panel installations across the UK, typically through a mix of direct engineers and approved subcontractors.
How much do ScottishPower solar panels cost?
ScottishPower doesn't publish a fixed solar price: its website gives a guide price for your home, followed by a survey. Batteries are from £1,680 when fitted with solar, or £2,910 for a 3 kWh battery on its own. Independent MCS installers typically charge £6,000–£7,800 for a 4 kW system.
What is the ScottishPower SEG rate?
SmartGen Premium pays 12p/kWh to ScottishPower electricity customers, and SmartGen Premium Plus pays 15p/kWh if you also bought your solar or battery from ScottishPower. Anyone with an MCS-certified system can join the standard tariff at about 6p/kWh. Confirm the current rate on ScottishPower's SEG page.
Do I have to be a ScottishPower customer to get solar from them?
No. SmartPower solar installations are available to anyone in the UK regardless of current electricity supplier. However, bundling with ScottishPower electricity is often marketed.
Are ScottishPower solar panels any good?
The panels themselves are Tier 1 equipment (typically Jinko, JA Solar, or Trina). Quality is not the concern; the decision usually comes down to price vs brand support trade-off.
ScottishPower vs British Gas solar: which is better?
British Gas (through Hive) publishes a fixed price, 8 panels from £5,035 or £6,835 with a 5 kWh battery, so it is easier to compare up front. ScottishPower gives a guide price for your home instead. Both pay 12p/kWh export to their own electricity customers, and ScottishPower pays 15p if you bought the system from it.
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Sources
- ScottishPower SmartPower: scottishpower.co.uk
- Ofgem, Smart Export Guarantee: ofgem.gov.uk
Last updated: November 2026
Fact-checked by John Rooney, Solar Energy Editor. Editorial policy
John Rooney is the founder of Solar Info and has been covering the UK solar energy market since 2023. He researches every battery and inverter brand against manufacturer datasheets, MCS and Ofgem data, and feedback from the MCS-certified installers in our directory before publishing.
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