Solar explained to clever people by people who are not trying to be clever

Solar Panels in BD98 (Bradford)

See if solar pays off for you in Bradford — 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
13.9 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£730
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,086
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

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 905 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
58.6p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
905 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: £730, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 13.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1811 kWh 724 kWh 1087 kWh £183 £109 £292 £4,069 13.9 yrs £1,774
3 kW 2716 kWh 1087 kWh 1630 kWh £275 £163 £438 £6,104 13.9 yrs £2,661
4 kW 3622 kWh 1449 kWh 2173 kWh £367 £217 £584 £8,138 13.9 yrs £3,547
5 kW 4527 kWh 1811 kWh 2716 kWh £459 £272 £730 £10,173 13.9 yrs £4,434
6 kW 5433 kWh 2173 kWh 3260 kWh £550 £326 £876 £12,207 13.9 yrs £5,321
7 kW 6338 kWh 2535 kWh 3803 kWh £642 £380 £1,022 £14,242 13.9 yrs £6,208
8 kW 7244 kWh 2897 kWh 4346 kWh £734 £435 £1,169 £16,276 13.9 yrs £7,095

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: £869, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 14.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1811 kWh 1087 kWh 724 kWh £275 £72 £348 £6,169 17.7 yrs £784
3 kW 2716 kWh 1630 kWh 1087 kWh £413 £109 £521 £8,204 15.7 yrs £2,226
4 kW 3622 kWh 2173 kWh 1449 kWh £550 £145 £695 £10,238 14.7 yrs £3,668
5 kW 4527 kWh 2716 kWh 1811 kWh £688 £181 £869 £12,273 14.1 yrs £5,110
6 kW 5433 kWh 3260 kWh 2173 kWh £826 £217 £1,043 £14,307 13.7 yrs £6,552
7 kW 6338 kWh 3803 kWh 2535 kWh £963 £254 £1,217 £16,342 13.4 yrs £7,994
8 kW 7244 kWh 4346 kWh 2897 kWh £1,101 £290 £1,391 £18,376 13.2 yrs £9,436

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: £939, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 14.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1811 kWh 1268 kWh 543 kWh £321 £54 £375 £7,569 20.2 yrs £-61
3 kW 2716 kWh 1901 kWh 815 kWh £482 £81 £563 £9,604 17.1 yrs £1,659
4 kW 3622 kWh 2535 kWh 1087 kWh £642 £109 £751 £11,638 15.5 yrs £3,379
5 kW 4527 kWh 3169 kWh 1358 kWh £803 £136 £939 £13,673 14.6 yrs £5,098
6 kW 5433 kWh 3803 kWh 1630 kWh £963 £163 £1,126 £15,707 13.9 yrs £6,818
7 kW 6338 kWh 4437 kWh 1901 kWh £1,124 £190 £1,314 £17,742 13.5 yrs £8,538
8 kW 7244 kWh 5071 kWh 2173 kWh £1,284 £217 £1,502 £19,776 13.2 yrs £10,257

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: £959, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 16.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1811 kWh 1322 kWh 489 kWh £335 £49 £384 £9,319 24.3 yrs £-1,644
3 kW 2716 kWh 1983 kWh 733 kWh £502 £73 £576 £11,354 19.7 yrs £159
4 kW 3622 kWh 2644 kWh 978 kWh £670 £98 £767 £13,388 17.4 yrs £1,962
5 kW 4527 kWh 3305 kWh 1222 kWh £837 £122 £959 £15,423 16.1 yrs £3,765
6 kW 5433 kWh 3966 kWh 1467 kWh £1,005 £147 £1,151 £17,457 15.2 yrs £5,568
7 kW 6338 kWh 4627 kWh 1711 kWh £1,172 £171 £1,343 £19,492 14.5 yrs £7,371
8 kW 7244 kWh 5288 kWh 1956 kWh £1,339 £196 £1,535 £21,526 14.0 yrs £9,174

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: £973, Upfront: £17,173, 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 1811 kWh 1358 kWh 453 kWh £344 £45 £389 £11,069 28.4 yrs £-3,283
3 kW 2716 kWh 2037 kWh 679 kWh £516 £68 £584 £13,104 22.4 yrs £-1,425
4 kW 3622 kWh 2716 kWh 905 kWh £688 £91 £779 £15,138 19.4 yrs £434
5 kW 4527 kWh 3395 kWh 1132 kWh £860 £113 £973 £17,173 17.6 yrs £2,292
6 kW 5433 kWh 4075 kWh 1358 kWh £1,032 £136 £1,168 £19,207 16.4 yrs £4,151
7 kW 6338 kWh 4754 kWh 1585 kWh £1,204 £158 £1,363 £21,242 15.6 yrs £6,009
8 kW 7244 kWh 5433 kWh 1811 kWh £1,376 £181 £1,557 £23,276 14.9 yrs £7,868

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: £987, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1811 kWh 1394 kWh 417 kWh £353 £42 £395 £13,519 34.2 yrs £-5,622
3 kW 2716 kWh 2092 kWh 625 kWh £530 £62 £592 £15,554 26.3 yrs £-3,708
4 kW 3622 kWh 2789 kWh 833 kWh £706 £83 £790 £17,588 22.3 yrs £-1,794
5 kW 4527 kWh 3486 kWh 1041 kWh £883 £104 £987 £19,623 19.9 yrs £120
6 kW 5433 kWh 4183 kWh 1250 kWh £1,060 £125 £1,185 £21,657 18.3 yrs £2,034
7 kW 6338 kWh 4880 kWh 1458 kWh £1,236 £146 £1,382 £23,692 17.1 yrs £3,948
8 kW 7244 kWh 5578 kWh 1666 kWh £1,413 £167 £1,579 £25,726 16.3 yrs £5,862

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.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.33p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
58.65p/day
Local Sunshine
905kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~905 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

No EPC data available for this outcode

Coverage

Bradford (100%)

Areas Covered

City, Shipley

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.