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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in BH8 (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole)

See if solar pays off for you in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole — 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
11.2 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£6,104
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£543
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£7,481
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 1092 kWh/kW — 90 above the regional median (1001).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 3.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 1092 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)
1092 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: £906, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 11.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2183 kWh 873 kWh 1310 kWh £231 £131 £362 £4,069 11.2 yrs £3,176
3 kW 3275 kWh 1310 kWh 1965 kWh £347 £197 £543 £6,104 11.2 yrs £4,764
4 kW 4367 kWh 1747 kWh 2620 kWh £463 £262 £725 £8,138 11.2 yrs £6,353
5 kW 5458 kWh 2183 kWh 3275 kWh £578 £328 £906 £10,173 11.2 yrs £7,941
6 kW 6550 kWh 2620 kWh 3930 kWh £694 £393 £1,087 £12,207 11.2 yrs £9,529
7 kW 7642 kWh 3057 kWh 4585 kWh £809 £459 £1,268 £14,242 11.2 yrs £11,117
8 kW 8734 kWh 3493 kWh 5240 kWh £925 £524 £1,449 £16,276 11.2 yrs £12,705

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: £1,086, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 11.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2183 kWh 1310 kWh 873 kWh £347 £87 £434 £6,169 14.2 yrs £2,516
3 kW 3275 kWh 1965 kWh 1310 kWh £520 £131 £651 £8,204 12.6 yrs £4,823
4 kW 4367 kWh 2620 kWh 1747 kWh £694 £175 £868 £10,238 11.8 yrs £7,131
5 kW 5458 kWh 3275 kWh 2183 kWh £867 £218 £1,086 £12,273 11.3 yrs £9,439
6 kW 6550 kWh 3930 kWh 2620 kWh £1,041 £262 £1,303 £14,307 11.0 yrs £11,747
7 kW 7642 kWh 4585 kWh 3057 kWh £1,214 £306 £1,520 £16,342 10.8 yrs £14,055
8 kW 8734 kWh 5240 kWh 3493 kWh £1,388 £349 £1,737 £18,376 10.6 yrs £16,362

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: £1,176, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 11.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2183 kWh 1528 kWh 655 kWh £405 £66 £470 £7,569 16.1 yrs £1,835
3 kW 3275 kWh 2293 kWh 983 kWh £607 £98 £705 £9,604 13.6 yrs £4,503
4 kW 4367 kWh 3057 kWh 1310 kWh £809 £131 £940 £11,638 12.4 yrs £7,170
5 kW 5458 kWh 3821 kWh 1638 kWh £1,012 £164 £1,176 £13,673 11.6 yrs £9,838
6 kW 6550 kWh 4585 kWh 1965 kWh £1,214 £197 £1,411 £15,707 11.1 yrs £12,506
7 kW 7642 kWh 5349 kWh 2293 kWh £1,416 £229 £1,646 £17,742 10.8 yrs £15,173
8 kW 8734 kWh 6113 kWh 2620 kWh £1,619 £262 £1,881 £19,776 10.5 yrs £17,841

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: £1,203, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 12.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2183 kWh 1594 kWh 590 kWh £422 £59 £481 £9,319 19.4 yrs £301
3 kW 3275 kWh 2391 kWh 884 kWh £633 £88 £722 £11,354 15.7 yrs £3,077
4 kW 4367 kWh 3188 kWh 1179 kWh £844 £118 £962 £13,388 13.9 yrs £5,852
5 kW 5458 kWh 3985 kWh 1474 kWh £1,055 £147 £1,203 £15,423 12.8 yrs £8,628
6 kW 6550 kWh 4782 kWh 1769 kWh £1,266 £177 £1,443 £17,457 12.1 yrs £11,403
7 kW 7642 kWh 5579 kWh 2063 kWh £1,477 £206 £1,684 £19,492 11.6 yrs £14,179
8 kW 8734 kWh 6375 kWh 2358 kWh £1,688 £236 £1,924 £21,526 11.2 yrs £16,955

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: £1,221, Upfront: £17,173, 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 2183 kWh 1638 kWh 546 kWh £434 £55 £488 £11,069 22.7 yrs £-1,305
3 kW 3275 kWh 2456 kWh 819 kWh £650 £82 £732 £13,104 17.9 yrs £1,543
4 kW 4367 kWh 3275 kWh 1092 kWh £867 £109 £976 £15,138 15.5 yrs £4,390
5 kW 5458 kWh 4094 kWh 1365 kWh £1,084 £136 £1,221 £17,173 14.1 yrs £7,238
6 kW 6550 kWh 4913 kWh 1638 kWh £1,301 £164 £1,465 £19,207 13.1 yrs £10,085
7 kW 7642 kWh 5731 kWh 1910 kWh £1,518 £191 £1,709 £21,242 12.4 yrs £12,933
8 kW 8734 kWh 6550 kWh 2183 kWh £1,734 £218 £1,953 £23,276 11.9 yrs £15,780

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: £1,239, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 15.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2183 kWh 1681 kWh 502 kWh £445 £50 £495 £13,519 27.3 yrs £-3,611
3 kW 3275 kWh 2522 kWh 753 kWh £668 £75 £743 £15,554 20.9 yrs £-692
4 kW 4367 kWh 3362 kWh 1004 kWh £890 £100 £991 £17,588 17.8 yrs £2,228
5 kW 5458 kWh 4203 kWh 1255 kWh £1,113 £126 £1,239 £19,623 15.8 yrs £5,147
6 kW 6550 kWh 5044 kWh 1507 kWh £1,336 £151 £1,486 £21,657 14.6 yrs £8,067
7 kW 7642 kWh 5884 kWh 1758 kWh £1,558 £176 £1,734 £23,692 13.7 yrs £10,986
8 kW 8734 kWh 6725 kWh 2009 kWh £1,781 £201 £1,982 £25,726 13.0 yrs £13,906

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 BH8

Figures below are tailored to BH8 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1947 of 2182
4.2 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~9 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #115 of 2997
9.8 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£1,249 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #18 of 2997
13.0% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£163 fixed • ~£1,249 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.48p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
44.62p/day
Local Sunshine
1092kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1092 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
3.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

⚠️ This area is predominantly flats. Many residents require freeholder approval for solar installations. System size shown reflects houses and bungalows only.

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 37% • Flats: 54% • Bungalows: 6% Based on 8,222 properties

Coverage

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (100%)

Areas Covered

Muscliff & Strouden Park, Queen's Park, East Cliff & Springbourne, Bournemouth Central, Winton East, Moordown, Talbot & Branksome Woods, Littledown & Iford

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

BH1 (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole)
≈1.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,087 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BH8
BH3 (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole)
≈1.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,087 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BH8
BH9 (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole)
≈1.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,087 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BH8
BH7 (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole)
≈1.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,090 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BH8
BH5 (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole)
≈1.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,090 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BH8
BH2 (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole)
≈2.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,087 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BH8

Similar sunshine across the UK

TR25 (Isles of Scilly)
~1,092 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BH8
CT8 (Thanet)
~1,092 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BH8
CT7 (Thanet)
~1,091 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BH8