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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in B21 (Birmingham)

See if solar pays off for you in Birmingham — price, savings and payback in under a minute (official UK data).

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
13.4 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£760
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,817
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: Bigger systems don’t shorten payback—cost and savings rise together per kW.
  • 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

Costs: Battery prices are typically £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 25.64p/kWh with a 53.00p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 935 kWh/kW — 7 below the regional median (942).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 5.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 935 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.6p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.6p/kWh
Standing charge
53.0p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
935 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: £760, Upfront: £10,173, 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 1869 kWh 748 kWh 1121 kWh £192 £112 £304 £4,069 13.4 yrs £2,008
3 kW 2804 kWh 1121 kWh 1682 kWh £288 £168 £456 £6,104 13.4 yrs £3,012
4 kW 3738 kWh 1495 kWh 2243 kWh £383 £224 £608 £8,138 13.4 yrs £4,015
5 kW 4673 kWh 1869 kWh 2804 kWh £479 £280 £760 £10,173 13.4 yrs £5,019
6 kW 5607 kWh 2243 kWh 3364 kWh £575 £336 £912 £12,207 13.4 yrs £6,023
7 kW 6542 kWh 2617 kWh 3925 kWh £671 £393 £1,063 £14,242 13.4 yrs £7,027
8 kW 7476 kWh 2991 kWh 4486 kWh £767 £449 £1,215 £16,276 13.4 yrs £8,031

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, battery £/kWh = 700.

3 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £906, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 13.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1869 kWh 1121 kWh 748 kWh £288 £75 £362 £6,169 17.0 yrs £1,077
3 kW 2804 kWh 1682 kWh 1121 kWh £431 £112 £543 £8,204 15.1 yrs £2,666
4 kW 3738 kWh 2243 kWh 1495 kWh £575 £150 £725 £10,238 14.1 yrs £4,254
5 kW 4673 kWh 2804 kWh 1869 kWh £719 £187 £906 £12,273 13.5 yrs £5,843
6 kW 5607 kWh 3364 kWh 2243 kWh £863 £224 £1,087 £14,307 13.2 yrs £7,431
7 kW 6542 kWh 3925 kWh 2617 kWh £1,006 £262 £1,268 £16,342 12.9 yrs £9,020
8 kW 7476 kWh 4486 kWh 2991 kWh £1,150 £299 £1,449 £18,376 12.7 yrs £10,608

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, battery £/kWh = 700.

5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £979, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 14.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1869 kWh 1308 kWh 561 kWh £335 £56 £392 £7,569 19.3 yrs £262
3 kW 2804 kWh 1963 kWh 841 kWh £503 £84 £587 £9,604 16.4 yrs £2,143
4 kW 3738 kWh 2617 kWh 1121 kWh £671 £112 £783 £11,638 14.9 yrs £4,023
5 kW 4673 kWh 3271 kWh 1402 kWh £839 £140 £979 £13,673 14.0 yrs £5,904
6 kW 5607 kWh 3925 kWh 1682 kWh £1,006 £168 £1,175 £15,707 13.4 yrs £7,785
7 kW 6542 kWh 4579 kWh 1963 kWh £1,174 £196 £1,370 £17,742 12.9 yrs £9,666
8 kW 7476 kWh 5233 kWh 2243 kWh £1,342 £224 £1,566 £19,776 12.6 yrs £11,547

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, battery £/kWh = 700.

7.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,001, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1869 kWh 1364 kWh 505 kWh £350 £50 £400 £9,319 23.3 yrs £-1,313
3 kW 2804 kWh 2047 kWh 757 kWh £525 £76 £600 £11,354 18.9 yrs £656
4 kW 3738 kWh 2729 kWh 1009 kWh £700 £101 £801 £13,388 16.7 yrs £2,624
5 kW 4673 kWh 3411 kWh 1262 kWh £875 £126 £1,001 £15,423 15.4 yrs £4,593
6 kW 5607 kWh 4093 kWh 1514 kWh £1,050 £151 £1,201 £17,457 14.5 yrs £6,561
7 kW 6542 kWh 4775 kWh 1766 kWh £1,224 £177 £1,401 £19,492 13.9 yrs £8,530
8 kW 7476 kWh 5458 kWh 2019 kWh £1,399 £202 £1,601 £21,526 13.4 yrs £10,498

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, battery £/kWh = 700.

10 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,015, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 16.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1869 kWh 1402 kWh 467 kWh £359 £47 £406 £11,069 27.3 yrs £-2,946
3 kW 2804 kWh 2103 kWh 701 kWh £539 £70 £609 £13,104 21.5 yrs £-919
4 kW 3738 kWh 2804 kWh 935 kWh £719 £93 £812 £15,138 18.6 yrs £1,108
5 kW 4673 kWh 3505 kWh 1168 kWh £899 £117 £1,015 £17,173 16.9 yrs £3,135
6 kW 5607 kWh 4205 kWh 1402 kWh £1,078 £140 £1,218 £19,207 15.8 yrs £5,162
7 kW 6542 kWh 4906 kWh 1635 kWh £1,258 £164 £1,422 £21,242 14.9 yrs £7,189
8 kW 7476 kWh 5607 kWh 1869 kWh £1,438 £187 £1,625 £23,276 14.3 yrs £9,216

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, battery £/kWh = 700.

13.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,030, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1869 kWh 1439 kWh 430 kWh £369 £43 £412 £13,519 32.8 yrs £-5,279
3 kW 2804 kWh 2159 kWh 645 kWh £554 £64 £618 £15,554 25.2 yrs £-3,194
4 kW 3738 kWh 2878 kWh 860 kWh £738 £86 £824 £17,588 21.3 yrs £-1,108
5 kW 4673 kWh 3598 kWh 1075 kWh £923 £107 £1,030 £19,623 19.1 yrs £977
6 kW 5607 kWh 4318 kWh 1290 kWh £1,107 £129 £1,236 £21,657 17.5 yrs £3,063
7 kW 6542 kWh 5037 kWh 1505 kWh £1,292 £150 £1,442 £23,692 16.4 yrs £5,148
8 kW 7476 kWh 5757 kWh 1720 kWh £1,476 £172 £1,648 £25,726 15.6 yrs £7,234

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 2,035, 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.

Insights for B21

Figures below are tailored to B21 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1573 of 2182
4.6 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~10 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1943 of 2997
11.7 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£869 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1983 of 2997
22.3% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£193 fixed • ~£869 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.64p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
53.00p/day
Local Sunshine
935kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~935 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
5.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 80% • Flats: 18% • Bungalows: 0% Based on 8,021 properties

Coverage

Birmingham (98%)|Sandwell (2%)

Areas Covered

Lozells, Holyhead, Handsworth, Soho & Jewellery Quarter, Handsworth Wood, West Bromwich Central, St Pauls

Data Sources & Assumptions

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

Electricity rates: Ofgem price cap, Q4 2025

Installation costs: MCS certified installer data, March 2025

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

B20 (Birmingham)
≈1.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~936 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B21
B18 (Birmingham)
≈1.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~938 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B21
B66 (Sandwell)
≈2.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~933 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B21
B19 (Birmingham)
≈2.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~938 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B21
B99 (Birmingham)
≈3.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~940 kWh/kWp · +1% vs B21
B67 (Sandwell)
≈3.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~933 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B21

Similar sunshine across the UK

LS22 (Leeds)
~935 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B21
S42 (North East Derbyshire)
~935 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B21
SA10 (Neath Port Talbot)
~935 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B21