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Solar panel cost in Bradford (BD98)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for BD98 (Bradford) in under a minute using official UK data. Start with the calculator, then get a no-obligation quote from an MCS-certified installer. You can also ask the SolarByPostcode assistant to sanity-check your roof, bills and plans.

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
11.1 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,139
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£730
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£10,111
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: The official cost per kW is lower above 4 kW, so a 5–6 kW system can pay back a little faster than a 3–4 kW system on otherwise identical assumptions.
  • 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

Panel costs: Uses March 2026 TIC mean installation costs: £1,827/kW up to 4 kW and £1,628/kW above 4 kW.

Other costs: Battery prices are modelled at £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 Yorkshire, the current unit rate is 25.31p/kWh with a 64.38p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 905 kWh/kW — 24 below the regional median (929).

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
64.4p/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: £8,139, Break-even: 11.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1811 kWh 724 kWh 1087 kWh £183 £109 £292 £3,256 11.1 yrs £2,584
3 kW 2716 kWh 1087 kWh 1630 kWh £275 £163 £438 £4,883 11.1 yrs £3,876
4 kW 3622 kWh 1449 kWh 2173 kWh £367 £217 £584 £6,511 11.1 yrs £5,169
5 kW 4527 kWh 1811 kWh 2716 kWh £458 £272 £730 £8,139 11.1 yrs £6,461
6 kW 5433 kWh 2173 kWh 3260 kWh £550 £326 £876 £9,767 11.1 yrs £7,753
7 kW 6338 kWh 2535 kWh 3803 kWh £642 £380 £1,022 £11,394 11.1 yrs £9,045
8 kW 7244 kWh 2897 kWh 4346 kWh £733 £435 £1,168 £13,022 11.1 yrs £10,337

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

3 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £869, Upfront: £10,239, Break-even: 11.8 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 £347 £5,356 15.4 yrs £1,593
3 kW 2716 kWh 1630 kWh 1087 kWh £413 £109 £521 £6,983 13.4 yrs £3,440
4 kW 3622 kWh 2173 kWh 1449 kWh £550 £145 £695 £8,611 12.4 yrs £5,287
5 kW 4527 kWh 2716 kWh 1811 kWh £688 £181 £869 £10,239 11.8 yrs £7,133
6 kW 5433 kWh 3260 kWh 2173 kWh £825 £217 £1,042 £11,867 11.4 yrs £8,980
7 kW 6338 kWh 3803 kWh 2535 kWh £963 £254 £1,216 £13,494 11.1 yrs £10,826
8 kW 7244 kWh 4346 kWh 2897 kWh £1,100 £290 £1,390 £15,122 10.9 yrs £12,673

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £938, Upfront: £11,639, Break-even: 12.4 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 £6,756 18.0 yrs £748
3 kW 2716 kWh 1901 kWh 815 kWh £481 £81 £563 £8,383 14.9 yrs £2,872
4 kW 3622 kWh 2535 kWh 1087 kWh £642 £109 £750 £10,011 13.3 yrs £4,996
5 kW 4527 kWh 3169 kWh 1358 kWh £802 £136 £938 £11,639 12.4 yrs £7,119
6 kW 5433 kWh 3803 kWh 1630 kWh £963 £163 £1,125 £13,267 11.8 yrs £9,243
7 kW 6338 kWh 4437 kWh 1901 kWh £1,123 £190 £1,313 £14,894 11.3 yrs £11,367
8 kW 7244 kWh 5071 kWh 2173 kWh £1,283 £217 £1,501 £16,522 11.0 yrs £13,491

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

7.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £959, Upfront: £13,389, 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 1811 kWh 1322 kWh 489 kWh £335 £49 £383 £8,506 22.2 yrs £-836
3 kW 2716 kWh 1983 kWh 733 kWh £502 £73 £575 £10,133 17.6 yrs £1,371
4 kW 3622 kWh 2644 kWh 978 kWh £669 £98 £767 £11,761 15.3 yrs £3,578
5 kW 4527 kWh 3305 kWh 1222 kWh £836 £122 £959 £13,389 14.0 yrs £5,785
6 kW 5433 kWh 3966 kWh 1467 kWh £1,004 £147 £1,150 £15,017 13.1 yrs £7,992
7 kW 6338 kWh 4627 kWh 1711 kWh £1,171 £171 £1,342 £16,644 12.4 yrs £10,199
8 kW 7244 kWh 5288 kWh 1956 kWh £1,338 £196 £1,534 £18,272 11.9 yrs £12,406

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

10 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £973, Upfront: £15,139, Break-even: 15.6 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 £10,256 26.4 yrs £-2,475
3 kW 2716 kWh 2037 kWh 679 kWh £516 £68 £584 £11,883 20.4 yrs £-212
4 kW 3622 kWh 2716 kWh 905 kWh £688 £91 £778 £13,511 17.4 yrs £2,050
5 kW 4527 kWh 3395 kWh 1132 kWh £859 £113 £973 £15,139 15.6 yrs £4,313
6 kW 5433 kWh 4075 kWh 1358 kWh £1,031 £136 £1,167 £16,767 14.4 yrs £6,575
7 kW 6338 kWh 4754 kWh 1585 kWh £1,203 £158 £1,362 £18,394 13.5 yrs £8,838
8 kW 7244 kWh 5433 kWh 1811 kWh £1,375 £181 £1,556 £20,022 12.9 yrs £11,100

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

13.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £986, Upfront: £17,589, Break-even: 17.8 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 £12,706 32.2 yrs £-4,814
3 kW 2716 kWh 2092 kWh 625 kWh £529 £62 £592 £14,333 24.2 yrs £-2,496
4 kW 3622 kWh 2789 kWh 833 kWh £706 £83 £789 £15,961 20.2 yrs £-178
5 kW 4527 kWh 3486 kWh 1041 kWh £882 £104 £986 £17,589 17.8 yrs £2,140
6 kW 5433 kWh 4183 kWh 1250 kWh £1,059 £125 £1,184 £19,217 16.2 yrs £4,458
7 kW 6338 kWh 4880 kWh 1458 kWh £1,235 £146 £1,381 £20,844 15.1 yrs £6,776
8 kW 7244 kWh 5578 kWh 1666 kWh £1,412 £167 £1,578 £22,472 14.2 yrs £9,094

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, 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.

Before you request quotes in Bradford

Use the numbers above to sanity-check installer quotes. The main things to compare are system size, battery assumptions, payback claims, MCS certification, DNO paperwork and export assumptions.

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Understand DNO, G98 and G99 export limits

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Insights for BD98

Figures below are tailored to BD98 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2061 of 2996
11.1 years (UK avg 10.8 years)
~£730 /yr • £8,139 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2458 of 2996
32.2% (UK avg 26.6%) drag on savings
£235 fixed • ~£730 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −20.9% West −20.3%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Seasonal solar output in BD98

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 32 Jan 47 Feb 80 Mar 104 Apr 114 May 109 Jun 112 Jul 103 Aug 83 Sep 56 Oct 38 Nov 28 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 47.4% of an average month (Dec–Feb)

Best / worst month: May / Dec

These figures show output per kilowatt (kW) of panels installed. In winter, a 1 kW system here produces about 36 kWh per month; the average month produces around 75 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 143 kWh in winter, or 302 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.31p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
64.38p/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, Q3 2026

Installation costs: DESNZ/MCS data, March 2026 (TIC)

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 Yorkshire

BD9 (Bradford)
≈1.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~906 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BD98
BD8 (Bradford)
≈1.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~907 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BD98
BD18 (Bradford)
≈1.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~907 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BD98
BD2 (Bradford)
≈2.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~904 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BD98
BD1 (Bradford)
≈2.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~908 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BD98
BD97 (Bradford)
≈2.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~905 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BD98

Similar sunshine across the UK

WA2 (Warrington)
~905 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BD98
DG12 (Dumfries and Galloway)
~906 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BD98
LL32 (Conwy)
~906 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BD98