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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in BA11 (Somerset)

See if solar pays off for you in Somerset — 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
12.5 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£814
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£10,178
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 Southern, the current unit rate is 26.48p/kWh with a 44.62p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 981 kWh/kW — 20 below the regional median (1001).

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 981 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.5p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.5p/kWh
Standing charge
44.6p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
981 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: £814, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 12.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1962 kWh 785 kWh 1177 kWh £208 £118 £326 £4,069 12.5 yrs £2,443
3 kW 2944 kWh 1177 kWh 1766 kWh £312 £177 £488 £6,104 12.5 yrs £3,665
4 kW 3925 kWh 1570 kWh 2355 kWh £416 £235 £651 £8,138 12.5 yrs £4,887
5 kW 4906 kWh 1962 kWh 2944 kWh £520 £294 £814 £10,173 12.5 yrs £6,108
6 kW 5887 kWh 2355 kWh 3532 kWh £624 £353 £977 £12,207 12.5 yrs £7,330
7 kW 6869 kWh 2747 kWh 4121 kWh £728 £412 £1,140 £14,242 12.5 yrs £8,551
8 kW 7850 kWh 3140 kWh 4710 kWh £831 £471 £1,302 £16,276 12.5 yrs £9,773

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: £976, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 12.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1962 kWh 1177 kWh 785 kWh £312 £78 £390 £6,169 15.8 yrs £1,637
3 kW 2944 kWh 1766 kWh 1177 kWh £468 £118 £585 £8,204 14.0 yrs £3,505
4 kW 3925 kWh 2355 kWh 1570 kWh £624 £157 £781 £10,238 13.1 yrs £5,374
5 kW 4906 kWh 2944 kWh 1962 kWh £779 £196 £976 £12,273 12.6 yrs £7,242
6 kW 5887 kWh 3532 kWh 2355 kWh £935 £235 £1,171 £14,307 12.2 yrs £9,111
7 kW 6869 kWh 4121 kWh 2747 kWh £1,091 £275 £1,366 £16,342 12.0 yrs £10,979
8 kW 7850 kWh 4710 kWh 3140 kWh £1,247 £314 £1,561 £18,376 11.8 yrs £12,848

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: £1,057, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 12.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1962 kWh 1374 kWh 589 kWh £364 £59 £423 £7,569 17.9 yrs £884
3 kW 2944 kWh 2061 kWh 883 kWh £546 £88 £634 £9,604 15.1 yrs £3,076
4 kW 3925 kWh 2747 kWh 1177 kWh £728 £118 £845 £11,638 13.8 yrs £5,268
5 kW 4906 kWh 3434 kWh 1472 kWh £909 £147 £1,057 £13,673 12.9 yrs £7,459
6 kW 5887 kWh 4121 kWh 1766 kWh £1,091 £177 £1,268 £15,707 12.4 yrs £9,651
7 kW 6869 kWh 4808 kWh 2061 kWh £1,273 £206 £1,479 £17,742 12.0 yrs £11,843
8 kW 7850 kWh 5495 kWh 2355 kWh £1,455 £235 £1,691 £19,776 11.7 yrs £14,035

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: £1,081, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 14.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1962 kWh 1433 kWh 530 kWh £379 £53 £432 £9,319 21.6 yrs £-672
3 kW 2944 kWh 2149 kWh 795 kWh £569 £79 £649 £11,354 17.5 yrs £1,617
4 kW 3925 kWh 2865 kWh 1060 kWh £759 £106 £865 £13,388 15.5 yrs £3,906
5 kW 4906 kWh 3582 kWh 1325 kWh £948 £132 £1,081 £15,423 14.3 yrs £6,195
6 kW 5887 kWh 4298 kWh 1590 kWh £1,138 £159 £1,297 £17,457 13.5 yrs £8,483
7 kW 6869 kWh 5014 kWh 1855 kWh £1,328 £185 £1,513 £19,492 12.9 yrs £10,772
8 kW 7850 kWh 5730 kWh 2119 kWh £1,517 £212 £1,729 £21,526 12.4 yrs £13,061

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: £1,097, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 15.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1962 kWh 1472 kWh 491 kWh £390 £49 £439 £11,069 25.2 yrs £-2,293
3 kW 2944 kWh 2208 kWh 736 kWh £585 £74 £658 £13,104 19.9 yrs £61
4 kW 3925 kWh 2944 kWh 981 kWh £779 £98 £878 £15,138 17.2 yrs £2,414
5 kW 4906 kWh 3680 kWh 1227 kWh £974 £123 £1,097 £17,173 15.7 yrs £4,768
6 kW 5887 kWh 4416 kWh 1472 kWh £1,169 £147 £1,316 £19,207 14.6 yrs £7,122
7 kW 6869 kWh 5152 kWh 1717 kWh £1,364 £172 £1,536 £21,242 13.8 yrs £9,475
8 kW 7850 kWh 5887 kWh 1962 kWh £1,559 £196 £1,755 £23,276 13.3 yrs £11,829

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: £1,113, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 17.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1962 kWh 1511 kWh 451 kWh £400 £45 £445 £13,519 30.4 yrs £-4,613
3 kW 2944 kWh 2267 kWh 677 kWh £600 £68 £668 £15,554 23.3 yrs £-2,195
4 kW 3925 kWh 3022 kWh 903 kWh £800 £90 £891 £17,588 19.7 yrs £223
5 kW 4906 kWh 3778 kWh 1128 kWh £1,000 £113 £1,113 £19,623 17.6 yrs £2,641
6 kW 5887 kWh 4533 kWh 1354 kWh £1,200 £135 £1,336 £21,657 16.2 yrs £5,060
7 kW 6869 kWh 5289 kWh 1580 kWh £1,400 £158 £1,558 £23,692 15.2 yrs £7,478
8 kW 7850 kWh 6044 kWh 1805 kWh £1,601 £181 £1,781 £25,726 14.4 yrs £9,896

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 BA11

Figures below are tailored to BA11 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1208 of 2182
4.9 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~10 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1099 of 2997
10.9 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£935 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #851 of 2997
17.4% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£163 fixed • ~£935 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.48p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
44.62p/day
Local Sunshine
981kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~981 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: 71% • Flats: 19% • Bungalows: 10% Based on 9,550 properties

Coverage

Somerset (97%)|Bath and North East Somerset (3%)

Areas Covered

Frome West, Frome East, Frome North, Mendip Central and East, Kingsmead, Mendip Hills, Ethandune, Southwick

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 Southern

BA13 (Wiltshire)
≈9.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,006 kWh/kWp · +3% vs BA11
BA12 (Wiltshire)
≈10.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,011 kWh/kWp · +3% vs BA11
BA14 (Wiltshire)
≈12.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,000 kWh/kWp · +2% vs BA11
BA15 (Wiltshire)
≈13.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,001 kWh/kWp · +2% vs BA11
BA10 (Somerset)
≈16.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,001 kWh/kWp · +2% vs BA11
SN12 (Wiltshire)
≈20.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~994 kWh/kWp · +1% vs BA11

Similar sunshine across the UK

OX17 (West Northamptonshire)
~981 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BA11
LA13 (Westmorland and Furness)
~981 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BA11
CV37 (Stratford-on-Avon)
~981 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BA11