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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in BB12 (Burnley)

See if solar pays off for you in Burnley — 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
14.2 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,138
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£572
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£6,152
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 North West, the current unit rate is 27.11p/kWh with a 51.16p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 848 kWh/kW — 22 below the regional median (870).

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 848 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 27.1p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
27.1p/kWh
Standing charge
51.2p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
848 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: £715, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 14.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1697 kWh 679 kWh 1018 kWh £184 £102 £286 £4,069 14.2 yrs £1,647
3 kW 2545 kWh 1018 kWh 1527 kWh £276 £153 £429 £6,104 14.2 yrs £2,471
4 kW 3394 kWh 1357 kWh 2036 kWh £368 £204 £572 £8,138 14.2 yrs £3,294
5 kW 4242 kWh 1697 kWh 2545 kWh £460 £255 £715 £10,173 14.2 yrs £4,118
6 kW 5090 kWh 2036 kWh 3054 kWh £552 £305 £857 £12,207 14.2 yrs £4,941
7 kW 5939 kWh 2375 kWh 3563 kWh £644 £356 £1,000 £14,242 14.2 yrs £5,765
8 kW 6787 kWh 2715 kWh 4072 kWh £736 £407 £1,143 £16,276 14.2 yrs £6,588

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: £860, Upfront: £12,273, 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 1697 kWh 1018 kWh 679 kWh £276 £68 £344 £6,169 17.9 yrs £708
3 kW 2545 kWh 1527 kWh 1018 kWh £414 £102 £516 £8,204 15.9 yrs £2,112
4 kW 3394 kWh 2036 kWh 1357 kWh £552 £136 £688 £10,238 14.9 yrs £3,517
5 kW 4242 kWh 2545 kWh 1697 kWh £690 £170 £860 £12,273 14.3 yrs £4,921
6 kW 5090 kWh 3054 kWh 2036 kWh £828 £204 £1,032 £14,307 13.9 yrs £6,325
7 kW 5939 kWh 3563 kWh 2375 kWh £966 £238 £1,204 £16,342 13.6 yrs £7,729
8 kW 6787 kWh 4072 kWh 2715 kWh £1,104 £271 £1,375 £18,376 13.4 yrs £9,133

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: £932, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 14.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1697 kWh 1188 kWh 509 kWh £322 £51 £373 £7,569 20.3 yrs £-111
3 kW 2545 kWh 1782 kWh 764 kWh £483 £76 £559 £9,604 17.2 yrs £1,583
4 kW 3394 kWh 2375 kWh 1018 kWh £644 £102 £746 £11,638 15.6 yrs £3,278
5 kW 4242 kWh 2969 kWh 1273 kWh £805 £127 £932 £13,673 14.7 yrs £4,972
6 kW 5090 kWh 3563 kWh 1527 kWh £966 £153 £1,119 £15,707 14.0 yrs £6,667
7 kW 5939 kWh 4157 kWh 1782 kWh £1,127 £178 £1,305 £17,742 13.6 yrs £8,361
8 kW 6787 kWh 4751 kWh 2036 kWh £1,288 £204 £1,492 £19,776 13.3 yrs £10,056

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: £954, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 16.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1697 kWh 1239 kWh 458 kWh £336 £46 £382 £9,319 24.4 yrs £-1,687
3 kW 2545 kWh 1858 kWh 687 kWh £504 £69 £572 £11,354 19.8 yrs £95
4 kW 3394 kWh 2477 kWh 916 kWh £672 £92 £763 £13,388 17.5 yrs £1,876
5 kW 4242 kWh 3097 kWh 1145 kWh £839 £115 £954 £15,423 16.2 yrs £3,658
6 kW 5090 kWh 3716 kWh 1374 kWh £1,007 £137 £1,145 £17,457 15.2 yrs £5,439
7 kW 5939 kWh 4335 kWh 1603 kWh £1,175 £160 £1,336 £19,492 14.6 yrs £7,221
8 kW 6787 kWh 4955 kWh 1833 kWh £1,343 £183 £1,526 £21,526 14.1 yrs £9,002

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: £969, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1697 kWh 1273 kWh 424 kWh £345 £42 £387 £11,069 28.6 yrs £-3,321
3 kW 2545 kWh 1909 kWh 636 kWh £517 £64 £581 £13,104 22.5 yrs £-1,481
4 kW 3394 kWh 2545 kWh 848 kWh £690 £85 £775 £15,138 19.5 yrs £358
5 kW 4242 kWh 3181 kWh 1060 kWh £862 £106 £969 £17,173 17.7 yrs £2,198
6 kW 5090 kWh 3818 kWh 1273 kWh £1,035 £127 £1,162 £19,207 16.5 yrs £4,038
7 kW 5939 kWh 4454 kWh 1485 kWh £1,207 £148 £1,356 £21,242 15.7 yrs £5,877
8 kW 6787 kWh 5090 kWh 1697 kWh £1,380 £170 £1,550 £23,276 15.0 yrs £7,717

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: £983, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 20.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1697 kWh 1307 kWh 390 kWh £354 £39 £393 £13,519 34.4 yrs £-5,655
3 kW 2545 kWh 1960 kWh 585 kWh £531 £59 £590 £15,554 26.4 yrs £-3,757
4 kW 3394 kWh 2613 kWh 781 kWh £708 £78 £786 £17,588 22.4 yrs £-1,859
5 kW 4242 kWh 3266 kWh 976 kWh £885 £98 £983 £19,623 20.0 yrs £38
6 kW 5090 kWh 3920 kWh 1171 kWh £1,063 £117 £1,180 £21,657 18.4 yrs £1,936
7 kW 5939 kWh 4573 kWh 1366 kWh £1,240 £137 £1,376 £23,692 17.2 yrs £3,834
8 kW 6787 kWh 5226 kWh 1561 kWh £1,417 £156 £1,573 £25,726 16.4 yrs £5,731

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 BB12

Figures below are tailored to BB12 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1424 of 2182
4.7 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~10 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #2589 of 2997
12.4 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£659 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2584 of 2997
28.3% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£187 fixed • ~£659 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.11p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
51.16p/day
Local Sunshine
848kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~848 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: 80% • Flats: 9% • Bungalows: 10% Based on 10,134 properties

Coverage

Burnley (77%)|Pendle (14%)|Ribble Valley (9%)

Areas Covered

Gawthorpe, Hapton with Park, Whittlefield with Ightenhill, Gannow, Daneshouse with Stoneyholme, Fence & Higham, East Whalley, Read & Simonstone + 5 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 North West

BB11 (Burnley)
≈2.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~848 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BB12
BB10 (Burnley)
≈3.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~848 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BB12
BB9 (Pendle)
≈6.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~845 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BB12
BB5 (Hyndburn)
≈7.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~855 kWh/kWp · +1% vs BB12
BB6 (Ribble Valley)
≈8.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~860 kWh/kWp · +1% vs BB12
BB8 (Pendle)
≈10.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~846 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BB12

Similar sunshine across the UK

AB45 (Aberdeenshire)
~848 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BB12
FK4 (Falkirk)
~848 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BB12
ML3 (South Lanarkshire)
~849 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BB12