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Solar panel cost in Birmingham (B2)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for B2 (Birmingham) in under a minute using official UK data. Start with the calculator, then get a no-obligation quote from an MCS-certified installer. You can also ask the SolarByPostcode assistant to sanity-check your roof, bills and plans.

Solar Calculator

Change the settings below to see how costs and savings work for your situation.

System Size

Roof Direction

Battery Storage

Export Value

Your Numbers

Break-even
10.7 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£9,767
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£910
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£12,973
After paying itself off, you're this much ahead

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How we calculate this

Solar generation: Based on typical south-facing roof at 35° angle. We account for weather, dirt, and system losses (14%).

How much you'll use directly:

  • Without battery: You'll use about 40% of what you generate. The rest gets sold back to the grid.
  • With 5 kWh battery: You'll use about 70% (battery stores extra for evening use).
  • With 10 kWh battery: You'll use about 75% (more storage means less exported).
  • Panel-only payback: The official cost per kW is lower above 4 kW, so a 5–6 kW system can pay back a little faster than a 3–4 kW system on otherwise identical assumptions.
  • Battery & payback: Batteries raise self-use and cut bills, but added hardware cost often lengthens break-even at typical UK rates.
  • When a battery can still make sense:
    • Evening-heavy usage patterns
    • Time-of-use tariffs / cheap night rates
    • Low export rate vs. high unit rate
    • Heat pump or EV charging synergy
    • Optional backup/resilience (system-dependent)
    • Lower evening-hour CO₂ vs. grid

Panel costs: Uses March 2026 TIC mean installation costs: £1,827/kW up to 4 kW and £1,628/kW above 4 kW.

Other costs: Battery prices are modelled at £700 per kWh. Export tariffs vary by supplier (usually 5–15p per kWh).

Grid connection: Systems up to about 3.7 kW typically need just a notification (G98). Larger systems may need permission (G99).

These are typical values based on average usage patterns. Your actual results will vary based on your roof, shading, and how you use electricity.

Your area in context

In Midlands, the current unit rate is 25.33p/kWh with a 59.71p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 940 kWh/kW — 2 below the regional median (942).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 6.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 940 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.3p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.3p/kWh
Standing charge
59.7p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
940 kWh/kW
Export price (baseline)
10p/kWh

Browse the scenarios below. Each battery size has its own expand — open the one that matches your plan (or just explore). For each system size (2–8 kW) we show annual output, how much you use directly, what gets exported, annual benefit, upfront cost, break-even, and a 20-year net. Negative numbers are possible — that’s the honest trade-off when adding more battery than your usage profile justifies.

No battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £758, Upfront: £8,139, Break-even: 10.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1879 kWh 752 kWh 1128 kWh £190 £113 £303 £3,256 10.7 yrs £2,808
3 kW 2819 kWh 1128 kWh 1691 kWh £286 £169 £455 £4,883 10.7 yrs £4,212
4 kW 3759 kWh 1504 kWh 2255 kWh £381 £226 £606 £6,511 10.7 yrs £5,616
5 kW 4699 kWh 1879 kWh 2819 kWh £476 £282 £758 £8,139 10.7 yrs £7,021
6 kW 5638 kWh 2255 kWh 3383 kWh £571 £338 £910 £9,767 10.7 yrs £8,425
7 kW 6578 kWh 2631 kWh 3947 kWh £666 £395 £1,061 £11,394 10.7 yrs £9,829
8 kW 7518 kWh 3007 kWh 4511 kWh £762 £451 £1,213 £13,022 10.7 yrs £11,233

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

3 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £902, Upfront: £10,239, Break-even: 11.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1879 kWh 1128 kWh 752 kWh £286 £75 £361 £5,356 14.8 yrs £1,861
3 kW 2819 kWh 1691 kWh 1128 kWh £428 £113 £541 £6,983 12.9 yrs £3,841
4 kW 3759 kWh 2255 kWh 1504 kWh £571 £150 £722 £8,611 11.9 yrs £5,821
5 kW 4699 kWh 2819 kWh 1879 kWh £714 £188 £902 £10,239 11.4 yrs £7,802
6 kW 5638 kWh 3383 kWh 2255 kWh £857 £226 £1,082 £11,867 11.0 yrs £9,782
7 kW 6578 kWh 3947 kWh 2631 kWh £1,000 £263 £1,263 £13,494 10.7 yrs £11,762
8 kW 7518 kWh 4511 kWh 3007 kWh £1,143 £301 £1,443 £15,122 10.5 yrs £13,743

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £974, Upfront: £11,639, Break-even: 11.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1879 kWh 1316 kWh 564 kWh £333 £56 £390 £6,756 17.3 yrs £1,037
3 kW 2819 kWh 1973 kWh 846 kWh £500 £85 £584 £8,383 14.3 yrs £3,305
4 kW 3759 kWh 2631 kWh 1128 kWh £666 £113 £779 £10,011 12.8 yrs £5,574
5 kW 4699 kWh 3289 kWh 1410 kWh £833 £141 £974 £11,639 11.9 yrs £7,842
6 kW 5638 kWh 3947 kWh 1691 kWh £1,000 £169 £1,169 £13,267 11.3 yrs £10,111
7 kW 6578 kWh 4605 kWh 1973 kWh £1,166 £197 £1,364 £14,894 10.9 yrs £12,379
8 kW 7518 kWh 5262 kWh 2255 kWh £1,333 £226 £1,558 £16,522 10.6 yrs £14,648

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

7.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £996, Upfront: £13,389, Break-even: 13.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1879 kWh 1372 kWh 507 kWh £348 £51 £398 £8,506 21.4 yrs £-540
3 kW 2819 kWh 2058 kWh 761 kWh £521 £76 £597 £10,133 17.0 yrs £1,815
4 kW 3759 kWh 2744 kWh 1015 kWh £695 £101 £797 £11,761 14.8 yrs £4,170
5 kW 4699 kWh 3430 kWh 1269 kWh £869 £127 £996 £13,389 13.4 yrs £6,525
6 kW 5638 kWh 4116 kWh 1522 kWh £1,043 £152 £1,195 £15,017 12.6 yrs £8,879
7 kW 6578 kWh 4802 kWh 1776 kWh £1,216 £178 £1,394 £16,644 11.9 yrs £11,234
8 kW 7518 kWh 5488 kWh 2030 kWh £1,390 £203 £1,593 £18,272 11.5 yrs £13,589

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

10 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,010, Upfront: £15,139, Break-even: 15.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1879 kWh 1410 kWh 470 kWh £357 £47 £404 £10,256 25.4 yrs £-2,175
3 kW 2819 kWh 2114 kWh 705 kWh £536 £70 £606 £11,883 19.6 yrs £238
4 kW 3759 kWh 2819 kWh 940 kWh £714 £94 £808 £13,511 16.7 yrs £2,650
5 kW 4699 kWh 3524 kWh 1175 kWh £893 £117 £1,010 £15,139 15.0 yrs £5,063
6 kW 5638 kWh 4229 kWh 1410 kWh £1,071 £141 £1,212 £16,767 13.8 yrs £7,475
7 kW 6578 kWh 4933 kWh 1644 kWh £1,250 £164 £1,414 £18,394 13.0 yrs £9,888
8 kW 7518 kWh 5638 kWh 1879 kWh £1,428 £188 £1,616 £20,022 12.4 yrs £12,300

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

13.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,024, Upfront: £17,589, Break-even: 17.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1879 kWh 1447 kWh 432 kWh £367 £43 £410 £12,706 31.0 yrs £-4,510
3 kW 2819 kWh 2171 kWh 648 kWh £550 £65 £615 £14,333 23.3 yrs £-2,040
4 kW 3759 kWh 2894 kWh 865 kWh £733 £86 £820 £15,961 19.5 yrs £431
5 kW 4699 kWh 3618 kWh 1081 kWh £916 £108 £1,024 £17,589 17.2 yrs £2,901
6 kW 5638 kWh 4341 kWh 1297 kWh £1,100 £130 £1,229 £19,217 15.6 yrs £5,371
7 kW 6578 kWh 5065 kWh 1513 kWh £1,283 £151 £1,434 £20,844 14.5 yrs £7,841
8 kW 7518 kWh 5789 kWh 1729 kWh £1,466 £173 £1,639 £22,472 13.7 yrs £10,311

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

Figures are illustrative and use the same method as the calculator above. For exact results, adjust your roof direction, tariff, and usage in the calculator.

Before you request quotes in Birmingham

Use the numbers above to sanity-check installer quotes. The main things to compare are system size, battery assumptions, payback claims, MCS certification, DNO paperwork and export assumptions.

Compare solar quotes before you sign

Check what MCS certification means

Understand DNO, G98 and G99 export limits

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Share the first part of your postcode and a few basics. We’ll help you check whether system size, battery, export and paperwork assumptions look sensible before you commit to installer conversations.

This is a practical sanity-check request, not an instant quote promise. The Blue Ape quote route above remains available if you already want installer introductions.

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Insights for B2

Figures below are tailored to B2 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #1652 of 2996
10.7 years (UK avg 10.8 years)
~£910 /yr • £9,767 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1204 of 2996
24.0% (UK avg 26.6%) drag on savings
£218 fixed • ~£910 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −21.4% West −19.5%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Seasonal solar output in B2

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 36 Jan 50 Feb 82 Mar 105 Apr 114 May 113 Jun 114 Jul 103 Aug 87 Sep 61 Oct 41 Nov 32 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 50.8% of an average month (Dec–Feb)

Best / worst month: Jul / Dec

These figures show output per kilowatt (kW) of panels installed. In winter, a 1 kW system here produces about 40 kWh per month; the average month produces around 78 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 159 kWh in winter, or 313 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.33p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
59.71p/day
Local Sunshine
940kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~940 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
6.0kW
For eligible homes in this area

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 0% • Flats: 100% • Bungalows: 0% Based on 650 properties

Coverage

Birmingham (100%)

Areas Covered

Ladywood, Newtown

Data Sources & Assumptions

Solar yield: PVGIS (EU Joint Research Centre), January 2025 data

Electricity rates: Ofgem price cap, Q3 2026

Installation costs: DESNZ/MCS data, March 2026 (TIC)

Property data: EPC open data (Open Government Licence), aggregated

All estimates are typical values. Actual results vary based on your specific situation, roof characteristics, and usage patterns.

Compare nearby areas

Nearby in Midlands

B4 (Birmingham)
≈0.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~940 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B2
B3 (Birmingham)
≈0.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~935 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B2
B5 (Birmingham)
≈0.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~936 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B2
B1 (Birmingham)
≈0.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~935 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B2
B99 (Birmingham)
≈1.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~940 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B2
B19 (Birmingham)
≈1.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~938 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B2

Similar sunshine across the UK

CF37 (Rhondda Cynon Taf)
~940 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B2
LL12 (Wrexham)
~939 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B2
SY13 (Shropshire)
~939 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B2