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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in B79 (Tamworth)

See if solar pays off for you in Tamworth — 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
13.1 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£778
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£9,287
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 East Midlands, the current unit rate is 25.55p/kWh with a 49.09p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 960 kWh/kW — 8 below the regional median (968).

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 960 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
49.1p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
960 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: £778, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 13.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1920 kWh 768 kWh 1152 kWh £196 £115 £311 £4,069 13.1 yrs £2,158
3 kW 2879 kWh 1152 kWh 1728 kWh £294 £173 £467 £6,104 13.1 yrs £3,237
4 kW 3839 kWh 1536 kWh 2304 kWh £392 £230 £623 £8,138 13.1 yrs £4,316
5 kW 4799 kWh 1920 kWh 2879 kWh £490 £288 £778 £10,173 13.1 yrs £5,395
6 kW 5759 kWh 2304 kWh 3455 kWh £589 £346 £934 £12,207 13.1 yrs £6,474
7 kW 6719 kWh 2687 kWh 4031 kWh £687 £403 £1,090 £14,242 13.1 yrs £7,554
8 kW 7678 kWh 3071 kWh 4607 kWh £785 £461 £1,245 £16,276 13.1 yrs £8,633

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: £928, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 13.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1920 kWh 1152 kWh 768 kWh £294 £77 £371 £6,169 16.6 yrs £1,252
3 kW 2879 kWh 1728 kWh 1152 kWh £441 £115 £557 £8,204 14.7 yrs £2,928
4 kW 3839 kWh 2304 kWh 1536 kWh £589 £154 £742 £10,238 13.8 yrs £4,604
5 kW 4799 kWh 2879 kWh 1920 kWh £736 £192 £928 £12,273 13.2 yrs £6,280
6 kW 5759 kWh 3455 kWh 2304 kWh £883 £230 £1,113 £14,307 12.9 yrs £7,956
7 kW 6719 kWh 4031 kWh 2687 kWh £1,030 £269 £1,299 £16,342 12.6 yrs £9,633
8 kW 7678 kWh 4607 kWh 3071 kWh £1,177 £307 £1,484 £18,376 12.4 yrs £11,309

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: £1,002, Upfront: £13,673, 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 1920 kWh 1344 kWh 576 kWh £343 £58 £401 £7,569 18.9 yrs £449
3 kW 2879 kWh 2016 kWh 864 kWh £515 £86 £601 £9,604 16.0 yrs £2,424
4 kW 3839 kWh 2687 kWh 1152 kWh £687 £115 £802 £11,638 14.5 yrs £4,398
5 kW 4799 kWh 3359 kWh 1440 kWh £858 £144 £1,002 £13,673 13.6 yrs £6,373
6 kW 5759 kWh 4031 kWh 1728 kWh £1,030 £173 £1,203 £15,707 13.1 yrs £8,347
7 kW 6719 kWh 4703 kWh 2016 kWh £1,202 £202 £1,403 £17,742 12.6 yrs £10,322
8 kW 7678 kWh 5375 kWh 2304 kWh £1,373 £230 £1,604 £19,776 12.3 yrs £12,297

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: £1,025, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1920 kWh 1401 kWh 518 kWh £358 £52 £410 £9,319 22.7 yrs £-1,122
3 kW 2879 kWh 2102 kWh 777 kWh £537 £78 £615 £11,354 18.5 yrs £942
4 kW 3839 kWh 2803 kWh 1037 kWh £716 £104 £820 £13,388 16.3 yrs £3,006
5 kW 4799 kWh 3503 kWh 1296 kWh £895 £130 £1,025 £15,423 15.1 yrs £5,071
6 kW 5759 kWh 4204 kWh 1555 kWh £1,074 £155 £1,230 £17,457 14.2 yrs £7,135
7 kW 6719 kWh 4905 kWh 1814 kWh £1,253 £181 £1,435 £19,492 13.6 yrs £9,199
8 kW 7678 kWh 5605 kWh 2073 kWh £1,432 £207 £1,639 £21,526 13.1 yrs £11,263

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: £1,040, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 16.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1920 kWh 1440 kWh 480 kWh £368 £48 £416 £11,069 26.6 yrs £-2,752
3 kW 2879 kWh 2160 kWh 720 kWh £552 £72 £624 £13,104 21.0 yrs £-629
4 kW 3839 kWh 2879 kWh 960 kWh £736 £96 £832 £15,138 18.2 yrs £1,495
5 kW 4799 kWh 3599 kWh 1200 kWh £920 £120 £1,040 £17,173 16.5 yrs £3,619
6 kW 5759 kWh 4319 kWh 1440 kWh £1,104 £144 £1,248 £19,207 15.4 yrs £5,743
7 kW 6719 kWh 5039 kWh 1680 kWh £1,287 £168 £1,455 £21,242 14.6 yrs £7,867
8 kW 7678 kWh 5759 kWh 1920 kWh £1,471 £192 £1,663 £23,276 14.0 yrs £9,991

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: £1,055, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 18.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1920 kWh 1478 kWh 442 kWh £378 £44 £422 £13,519 32.1 yrs £-5,083
3 kW 2879 kWh 2217 kWh 662 kWh £566 £66 £633 £15,554 24.6 yrs £-2,899
4 kW 3839 kWh 2956 kWh 883 kWh £755 £88 £844 £17,588 20.8 yrs £-716
5 kW 4799 kWh 3695 kWh 1104 kWh £944 £110 £1,055 £19,623 18.6 yrs £1,468
6 kW 5759 kWh 4434 kWh 1325 kWh £1,133 £132 £1,265 £21,657 17.1 yrs £3,651
7 kW 6719 kWh 5173 kWh 1545 kWh £1,322 £155 £1,476 £23,692 16.0 yrs £5,835
8 kW 7678 kWh 5912 kWh 1766 kWh £1,511 £177 £1,687 £25,726 15.2 yrs £8,018

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 B79

Figures below are tailored to B79 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1491 of 2182
4.7 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~10 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1648 of 2997
11.4 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£890 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1431 of 2997
20.1% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£179 fixed • ~£890 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.55p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
49.09p/day
Local Sunshine
960kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~960 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: 72% • Flats: 20% • Bungalows: 6% Based on 7,009 properties

Coverage

Tamworth (69%)|Lichfield (19%)|North Warwickshire (12%)

Areas Covered

Spital, Mercian, Castle, Newton Regis and Warton, Mease Valley, Whittington & Streethay, Bolehall, Polesworth East + 3 more

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 East Midlands

B77 (Tamworth)
≈2.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~956 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B79
B78 (North Warwickshire)
≈3.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~961 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B79
CV9 (North Warwickshire)
≈12.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~962 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B79
DE12 (North West Leicestershire)
≈14.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~956 kWh/kWp · -0% vs B79
DE11 (South Derbyshire)
≈17.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~946 kWh/kWp · -1% vs B79
DE15 (East Staffordshire)
≈18.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~937 kWh/kWp · -2% vs B79

Similar sunshine across the UK

GL50 (Cheltenham)
~960 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B79
B96 (Redditch)
~960 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B79
GL52 (Cheltenham)
~960 kWh/kWp · +0% vs B79