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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in BH31 (Dorset)

See if solar pays off for you in Dorset — 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
11.9 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£1,025
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£13,422
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 1030 kWh/kW — 28 above the regional median (1001).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 6.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 1030 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)
1030 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: £854, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 11.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2060 kWh 824 kWh 1236 kWh £218 £124 £342 £4,069 11.9 yrs £2,765
3 kW 3089 kWh 1236 kWh 1854 kWh £327 £185 £513 £6,104 11.9 yrs £4,148
4 kW 4119 kWh 1648 kWh 2471 kWh £436 £247 £683 £8,138 11.9 yrs £5,531
5 kW 5149 kWh 2060 kWh 3089 kWh £545 £309 £854 £10,173 11.9 yrs £6,914
6 kW 6179 kWh 2471 kWh 3707 kWh £654 £371 £1,025 £12,207 11.9 yrs £8,296
7 kW 7209 kWh 2883 kWh 4325 kWh £764 £433 £1,196 £14,242 11.9 yrs £9,679
8 kW 8238 kWh 3295 kWh 4943 kWh £873 £494 £1,367 £16,276 11.9 yrs £11,062

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: £1,024, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 12.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2060 kWh 1236 kWh 824 kWh £327 £82 £410 £6,169 15.1 yrs £2,023
3 kW 3089 kWh 1854 kWh 1236 kWh £491 £124 £614 £8,204 13.4 yrs £4,085
4 kW 4119 kWh 2471 kWh 1648 kWh £654 £165 £819 £10,238 12.5 yrs £6,146
5 kW 5149 kWh 3089 kWh 2060 kWh £818 £206 £1,024 £12,273 12.0 yrs £8,208
6 kW 6179 kWh 3707 kWh 2471 kWh £982 £247 £1,229 £14,307 11.6 yrs £10,269
7 kW 7209 kWh 4325 kWh 2883 kWh £1,145 £288 £1,434 £16,342 11.4 yrs £12,331
8 kW 8238 kWh 4943 kWh 3295 kWh £1,309 £330 £1,638 £18,376 11.2 yrs £14,393

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: £1,109, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 12.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2060 kWh 1442 kWh 618 kWh £382 £62 £444 £7,569 17.1 yrs £1,302
3 kW 3089 kWh 2163 kWh 927 kWh £573 £93 £665 £9,604 14.4 yrs £3,703
4 kW 4119 kWh 2883 kWh 1236 kWh £764 £124 £887 £11,638 13.1 yrs £6,104
5 kW 5149 kWh 3604 kWh 1545 kWh £954 £154 £1,109 £13,673 12.3 yrs £8,505
6 kW 6179 kWh 4325 kWh 1854 kWh £1,145 £185 £1,331 £15,707 11.8 yrs £10,906
7 kW 7209 kWh 5046 kWh 2163 kWh £1,336 £216 £1,552 £17,742 11.4 yrs £13,307
8 kW 8238 kWh 5767 kWh 2471 kWh £1,527 £247 £1,774 £19,776 11.1 yrs £15,708

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: £1,134, Upfront: £15,423, 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 2060 kWh 1503 kWh 556 kWh £398 £56 £454 £9,319 20.5 yrs £-244
3 kW 3089 kWh 2255 kWh 834 kWh £597 £83 £681 £11,354 16.7 yrs £2,258
4 kW 4119 kWh 3007 kWh 1112 kWh £796 £111 £907 £13,388 14.8 yrs £4,761
5 kW 5149 kWh 3759 kWh 1390 kWh £995 £139 £1,134 £15,423 13.6 yrs £7,264
6 kW 6179 kWh 4510 kWh 1668 kWh £1,194 £167 £1,361 £17,457 12.8 yrs £9,767
7 kW 7209 kWh 5262 kWh 1946 kWh £1,393 £195 £1,588 £19,492 12.3 yrs £12,270
8 kW 8238 kWh 6014 kWh 2224 kWh £1,593 £222 £1,815 £21,526 11.9 yrs £14,773

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: £1,151, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 14.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2060 kWh 1545 kWh 515 kWh £409 £51 £461 £11,069 24.0 yrs £-1,859
3 kW 3089 kWh 2317 kWh 772 kWh £614 £77 £691 £13,104 19.0 yrs £712
4 kW 4119 kWh 3089 kWh 1030 kWh £818 £103 £921 £15,138 16.4 yrs £3,283
5 kW 5149 kWh 3862 kWh 1287 kWh £1,023 £129 £1,151 £17,173 14.9 yrs £5,854
6 kW 6179 kWh 4634 kWh 1545 kWh £1,227 £154 £1,382 £19,207 13.9 yrs £8,424
7 kW 7209 kWh 5406 kWh 1802 kWh £1,432 £180 £1,612 £21,242 13.2 yrs £10,995
8 kW 8238 kWh 6179 kWh 2060 kWh £1,636 £206 £1,842 £23,276 12.6 yrs £13,566

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: £1,168, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 16.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2060 kWh 1586 kWh 474 kWh £420 £47 £467 £13,519 28.9 yrs £-4,173
3 kW 3089 kWh 2379 kWh 711 kWh £630 £71 £701 £15,554 22.2 yrs £-1,534
4 kW 4119 kWh 3172 kWh 947 kWh £840 £95 £935 £17,588 18.8 yrs £1,104
5 kW 5149 kWh 3965 kWh 1184 kWh £1,050 £118 £1,168 £19,623 16.8 yrs £3,743
6 kW 6179 kWh 4758 kWh 1421 kWh £1,260 £142 £1,402 £21,657 15.4 yrs £6,382
7 kW 7209 kWh 5551 kWh 1658 kWh £1,470 £166 £1,636 £23,692 14.5 yrs £9,020
8 kW 8238 kWh 6344 kWh 1895 kWh £1,680 £189 £1,869 £25,726 13.8 yrs £11,659

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 BH31

Figures below are tailored to BH31 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #158 of 2182
6.3 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~13 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #382 of 2997
10.4 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£1,178 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #77 of 2997
13.8% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£163 fixed • ~£1,178 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.48p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
44.62p/day
Local Sunshine
1030kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1030 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
6.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 52% • Flats: 14% • Bungalows: 33% Based on 3,194 properties

Coverage

Dorset (100%)

Areas Covered

Verwood, Cranborne & Alderholt, Cranborne Chase, Ringwood North & Ellingham

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

BH24 (New Forest)
≈6.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,056 kWh/kWp · +3% vs BH31
BH22 (Dorset)
≈7.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,055 kWh/kWp · +2% vs BH31
SP6 (New Forest)
≈8.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,013 kWh/kWp · -2% vs BH31
BH21 (Dorset)
≈10.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,071 kWh/kWp · +4% vs BH31
BH10 (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole)
≈13.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,075 kWh/kWp · +4% vs BH31
BH11 (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole)
≈13.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,081 kWh/kWp · +5% vs BH31

Similar sunshine across the UK

RM16 (Thurrock)
~1,030 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BH31
RM19 (Thurrock)
~1,030 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BH31
TR7 (Cornwall)
~1,030 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BH31