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Solar panel cost in Birmingham (B28)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for B28 (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
£8,139
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£760
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£10,868
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 943 kWh/kW — 1 above 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 943 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)
943 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: £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 1885 kWh 754 kWh 1131 kWh £191 £113 £304 £3,256 10.7 yrs £2,827
3 kW 2828 kWh 1131 kWh 1697 kWh £286 £170 £456 £4,883 10.7 yrs £4,240
4 kW 3770 kWh 1508 kWh 2262 kWh £382 £226 £608 £6,511 10.7 yrs £5,653
5 kW 4713 kWh 1885 kWh 2828 kWh £477 £283 £760 £8,139 10.7 yrs £7,066
6 kW 5655 kWh 2262 kWh 3393 kWh £573 £339 £912 £9,767 10.7 yrs £8,480
7 kW 6598 kWh 2639 kWh 3959 kWh £668 £396 £1,064 £11,394 10.7 yrs £9,893
8 kW 7540 kWh 3016 kWh 4524 kWh £764 £452 £1,216 £13,022 10.7 yrs £11,306

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: £905, Upfront: £10,239, Break-even: 11.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1885 kWh 1131 kWh 754 kWh £286 £75 £362 £5,356 14.8 yrs £1,882
3 kW 2828 kWh 1697 kWh 1131 kWh £430 £113 £543 £6,983 12.9 yrs £3,874
4 kW 3770 kWh 2262 kWh 1508 kWh £573 £151 £724 £8,611 11.9 yrs £5,865
5 kW 4713 kWh 2828 kWh 1885 kWh £716 £189 £905 £10,239 11.3 yrs £7,856
6 kW 5655 kWh 3393 kWh 2262 kWh £859 £226 £1,086 £11,867 10.9 yrs £9,847
7 kW 6598 kWh 3959 kWh 2639 kWh £1,003 £264 £1,267 £13,494 10.7 yrs £11,839
8 kW 7540 kWh 4524 kWh 3016 kWh £1,146 £302 £1,448 £15,122 10.4 yrs £13,830

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: £977, 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 1885 kWh 1320 kWh 566 kWh £334 £57 £391 £6,756 17.3 yrs £1,060
3 kW 2828 kWh 1979 kWh 848 kWh £501 £85 £586 £8,383 14.3 yrs £3,341
4 kW 3770 kWh 2639 kWh 1131 kWh £668 £113 £782 £10,011 12.8 yrs £5,621
5 kW 4713 kWh 3299 kWh 1414 kWh £836 £141 £977 £11,639 11.9 yrs £7,901
6 kW 5655 kWh 3959 kWh 1697 kWh £1,003 £170 £1,172 £13,267 11.3 yrs £10,181
7 kW 6598 kWh 4618 kWh 1979 kWh £1,170 £198 £1,368 £14,894 10.9 yrs £12,461
8 kW 7540 kWh 5278 kWh 2262 kWh £1,337 £226 £1,563 £16,522 10.6 yrs £14,742

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: £999, 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 1885 kWh 1376 kWh 509 kWh £349 £51 £399 £8,506 21.3 yrs £-516
3 kW 2828 kWh 2064 kWh 763 kWh £523 £76 £599 £10,133 16.9 yrs £1,851
4 kW 3770 kWh 2752 kWh 1018 kWh £697 £102 £799 £11,761 14.7 yrs £4,218
5 kW 4713 kWh 3440 kWh 1272 kWh £871 £127 £999 £13,389 13.4 yrs £6,584
6 kW 5655 kWh 4128 kWh 1527 kWh £1,046 £153 £1,198 £15,017 12.5 yrs £8,951
7 kW 6598 kWh 4816 kWh 1781 kWh £1,220 £178 £1,398 £16,644 11.9 yrs £11,318
8 kW 7540 kWh 5504 kWh 2036 kWh £1,394 £204 £1,598 £18,272 11.4 yrs £13,685

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: £1,013, Upfront: £15,139, Break-even: 14.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1885 kWh 1414 kWh 471 kWh £358 £47 £405 £10,256 25.3 yrs £-2,151
3 kW 2828 kWh 2121 kWh 707 kWh £537 £71 £608 £11,883 19.5 yrs £274
4 kW 3770 kWh 2828 kWh 943 kWh £716 £94 £810 £13,511 16.7 yrs £2,699
5 kW 4713 kWh 3535 kWh 1178 kWh £895 £118 £1,013 £15,139 14.9 yrs £5,123
6 kW 5655 kWh 4241 kWh 1414 kWh £1,074 £141 £1,216 £16,767 13.8 yrs £7,548
7 kW 6598 kWh 4948 kWh 1649 kWh £1,253 £165 £1,418 £18,394 13.0 yrs £9,973
8 kW 7540 kWh 5655 kWh 1885 kWh £1,432 £189 £1,621 £20,022 12.4 yrs £12,398

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: £1,028, Upfront: £17,589, Break-even: 17.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1885 kWh 1452 kWh 434 kWh £368 £43 £411 £12,706 30.9 yrs £-4,485
3 kW 2828 kWh 2177 kWh 650 kWh £552 £65 £617 £14,333 23.2 yrs £-2,003
4 kW 3770 kWh 2903 kWh 867 kWh £735 £87 £822 £15,961 19.4 yrs £480
5 kW 4713 kWh 3629 kWh 1084 kWh £919 £108 £1,028 £17,589 17.1 yrs £2,962
6 kW 5655 kWh 4355 kWh 1301 kWh £1,103 £130 £1,233 £19,217 15.6 yrs £5,445
7 kW 6598 kWh 5080 kWh 1517 kWh £1,287 £152 £1,439 £20,844 14.5 yrs £7,927
8 kW 7540 kWh 5806 kWh 1734 kWh £1,471 £173 £1,644 £22,472 13.7 yrs £10,410

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.

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Check what MCS certification means

Understand DNO, G98 and G99 export limits

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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 B28

Figures below are tailored to B28 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1134 of 2182
5.0 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~11 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1654 of 2996
10.7 years (UK avg 10.8 years)
~£761 /yr • £8,139 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1955 of 2996
28.6% (UK avg 26.6%) drag on savings
£218 fixed • ~£761 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −21.0% West −19.5%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Seasonal solar output in B28

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 36 Jan 50 Feb 82 Mar 105 Apr 114 May 114 Jun 115 Jul 104 Aug 88 Sep 62 Oct 41 Nov 32 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 50.0% 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 39 kWh per month; the average month produces around 79 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 157 kWh in winter, or 314 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.33p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
59.71p/day
Local Sunshine
943kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~943 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: 78% • Flats: 17% • Bungalows: 3% Based on 6,972 properties

Coverage

Birmingham (99%)|Solihull (1%)

Areas Covered

Hall Green North, Hall Green South, Acocks Green, Billesley, Tyseley & Hay Mills, Olton

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

B27 (Birmingham)
≈2.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~946 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B28
B90 (Solihull)
≈2.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~945 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B28
B13 (Birmingham)
≈3.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~942 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B28
B11 (Birmingham)
≈3.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~939 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B28
B14 (Birmingham)
≈3.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~942 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B28
B25 (Birmingham)
≈3.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~942 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B28

Similar sunshine across the UK

S20 (Sheffield)
~942 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B28
DE13 (East Staffordshire)
~943 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B28
NG6 (Nottingham)
~942 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B28