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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in B63 (Dudley)

See if solar pays off for you in Dudley — 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
£8,138
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£606
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£7,019
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 932 kWh/kW — 10 below the regional median (942).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 4.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 932 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)
932 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: £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 1865 kWh 746 kWh 1119 kWh £191 £112 £303 £4,069 13.4 yrs £1,994
3 kW 2797 kWh 1119 kWh 1678 kWh £287 £168 £455 £6,104 13.4 yrs £2,991
4 kW 3730 kWh 1492 kWh 2238 kWh £383 £224 £606 £8,138 13.4 yrs £3,988
5 kW 4662 kWh 1865 kWh 2797 kWh £478 £280 £758 £10,173 13.4 yrs £4,985
6 kW 5594 kWh 2238 kWh 3357 kWh £574 £336 £909 £12,207 13.4 yrs £5,982
7 kW 6527 kWh 2611 kWh 3916 kWh £669 £392 £1,061 £14,242 13.4 yrs £6,979
8 kW 7459 kWh 2984 kWh 4476 kWh £765 £448 £1,213 £16,276 13.4 yrs £7,976

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: £904, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 13.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1865 kWh 1119 kWh 746 kWh £287 £75 £361 £6,169 17.1 yrs £1,061
3 kW 2797 kWh 1678 kWh 1119 kWh £430 £112 £542 £8,204 15.1 yrs £2,641
4 kW 3730 kWh 2238 kWh 1492 kWh £574 £149 £723 £10,238 14.2 yrs £4,221
5 kW 4662 kWh 2797 kWh 1865 kWh £717 £186 £904 £12,273 13.6 yrs £5,801
6 kW 5594 kWh 3357 kWh 2238 kWh £861 £224 £1,084 £14,307 13.2 yrs £7,382
7 kW 6527 kWh 3916 kWh 2611 kWh £1,004 £261 £1,265 £16,342 12.9 yrs £8,962
8 kW 7459 kWh 4476 kWh 2984 kWh £1,148 £298 £1,446 £18,376 12.7 yrs £10,542

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: £977, 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 1865 kWh 1305 kWh 559 kWh £335 £56 £391 £7,569 19.4 yrs £244
3 kW 2797 kWh 1958 kWh 839 kWh £502 £84 £586 £9,604 16.4 yrs £2,116
4 kW 3730 kWh 2611 kWh 1119 kWh £669 £112 £781 £11,638 14.9 yrs £3,988
5 kW 4662 kWh 3263 kWh 1399 kWh £837 £140 £977 £13,673 14.0 yrs £5,860
6 kW 5594 kWh 3916 kWh 1678 kWh £1,004 £168 £1,172 £15,707 13.4 yrs £7,731
7 kW 6527 kWh 4569 kWh 1958 kWh £1,171 £196 £1,367 £17,742 13.0 yrs £9,603
8 kW 7459 kWh 5221 kWh 2238 kWh £1,339 £224 £1,563 £19,776 12.7 yrs £11,475

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: £998, 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 1865 kWh 1361 kWh 504 kWh £349 £50 £399 £9,319 23.3 yrs £-1,331
3 kW 2797 kWh 2042 kWh 755 kWh £524 £76 £599 £11,354 19.0 yrs £628
4 kW 3730 kWh 2723 kWh 1007 kWh £698 £101 £799 £13,388 16.8 yrs £2,588
5 kW 4662 kWh 3403 kWh 1259 kWh £873 £126 £998 £15,423 15.4 yrs £4,547
6 kW 5594 kWh 4084 kWh 1511 kWh £1,047 £151 £1,198 £17,457 14.6 yrs £6,506
7 kW 6527 kWh 4765 kWh 1762 kWh £1,222 £176 £1,398 £19,492 13.9 yrs £8,466
8 kW 7459 kWh 5445 kWh 2014 kWh £1,396 £201 £1,598 £21,526 13.5 yrs £10,425

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: £1,013, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1865 kWh 1399 kWh 466 kWh £359 £47 £405 £11,069 27.3 yrs £-2,965
3 kW 2797 kWh 2098 kWh 699 kWh £538 £70 £608 £13,104 21.6 yrs £-947
4 kW 3730 kWh 2797 kWh 932 kWh £717 £93 £810 £15,138 18.7 yrs £1,071
5 kW 4662 kWh 3497 kWh 1166 kWh £897 £117 £1,013 £17,173 17.0 yrs £3,089
6 kW 5594 kWh 4196 kWh 1399 kWh £1,076 £140 £1,216 £19,207 15.8 yrs £5,106
7 kW 6527 kWh 4895 kWh 1632 kWh £1,255 £163 £1,418 £21,242 15.0 yrs £7,124
8 kW 7459 kWh 5594 kWh 1865 kWh £1,434 £186 £1,621 £23,276 14.4 yrs £9,142

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: £1,028, 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 1865 kWh 1436 kWh 429 kWh £368 £43 £411 £13,519 32.9 yrs £-5,298
3 kW 2797 kWh 2154 kWh 643 kWh £552 £64 £617 £15,554 25.2 yrs £-3,222
4 kW 3730 kWh 2872 kWh 858 kWh £736 £86 £822 £17,588 21.4 yrs £-1,146
5 kW 4662 kWh 3590 kWh 1072 kWh £920 £107 £1,028 £19,623 19.1 yrs £930
6 kW 5594 kWh 4308 kWh 1287 kWh £1,105 £129 £1,233 £21,657 17.6 yrs £3,006
7 kW 6527 kWh 5026 kWh 1501 kWh £1,289 £150 £1,439 £23,692 16.5 yrs £5,083
8 kW 7459 kWh 5744 kWh 1716 kWh £1,473 £172 £1,644 £25,726 15.6 yrs £7,159

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 B63

Figures below are tailored to B63 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1730 of 2182
4.5 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~9 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1954 of 2997
11.7 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£694 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2518 of 2997
27.9% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£193 fixed • ~£694 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.64p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
53.00p/day
Local Sunshine
932kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~932 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
4.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 64% • Flats: 26% • Bungalows: 6% Based on 9,860 properties

Coverage

Dudley (100%)

Areas Covered

Belle Vale, Hayley Green & Cradley South, Cradley North & Wollescote, Halesowen South, Halesowen North, Cradley Heath and Old Hill

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

B64 (Sandwell)
≈2.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~930 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B63
B62 (Dudley)
≈2.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~939 kWh/kWp · +1% vs B63
B65 (Sandwell)
≈3.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~933 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B63
DY9 (Dudley)
≈4.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~945 kWh/kWp · +1% vs B63
B32 (Birmingham)
≈4.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~932 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B63
DY5 (Dudley)
≈5.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~924 kWh/kWp · -1% vs B63

Similar sunshine across the UK

NE7 (Newcastle upon Tyne)
~932 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B63
EH40 (East Lothian)
~932 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B63
CF40 (Rhondda Cynon Taf)
~933 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B63