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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in BN10 (Lewes)

See if solar pays off for you in Lewes — 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
10.8 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£1,129
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£16,028
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 South East, the current unit rate is 26.92p/kWh with a 47.60p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 1123 kWh/kW — 94 above the regional median (1029).

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 1123 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.9p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.9p/kWh
Standing charge
47.6p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1123 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: £941, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 10.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2245 kWh 898 kWh 1347 kWh £242 £135 £376 £4,069 10.8 yrs £3,460
3 kW 3368 kWh 1347 kWh 2021 kWh £363 £202 £565 £6,104 10.8 yrs £5,191
4 kW 4490 kWh 1796 kWh 2694 kWh £484 £269 £753 £8,138 10.8 yrs £6,921
5 kW 5613 kWh 2245 kWh 3368 kWh £604 £337 £941 £10,173 10.8 yrs £8,651
6 kW 6735 kWh 2694 kWh 4041 kWh £725 £404 £1,129 £12,207 10.8 yrs £10,381
7 kW 7858 kWh 3143 kWh 4715 kWh £846 £471 £1,318 £14,242 10.8 yrs £12,111
8 kW 8981 kWh 3592 kWh 5388 kWh £967 £539 £1,506 £16,276 10.8 yrs £13,841

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: £1,131, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 10.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2245 kWh 1347 kWh 898 kWh £363 £90 £452 £6,169 13.6 yrs £2,880
3 kW 3368 kWh 2021 kWh 1347 kWh £544 £135 £679 £8,204 12.1 yrs £5,370
4 kW 4490 kWh 2694 kWh 1796 kWh £725 £180 £905 £10,238 11.3 yrs £7,860
5 kW 5613 kWh 3368 kWh 2245 kWh £907 £225 £1,131 £12,273 10.8 yrs £10,350
6 kW 6735 kWh 4041 kWh 2694 kWh £1,088 £269 £1,357 £14,307 10.5 yrs £12,840
7 kW 7858 kWh 4715 kWh 3143 kWh £1,269 £314 £1,584 £16,342 10.3 yrs £15,330
8 kW 8981 kWh 5388 kWh 3592 kWh £1,451 £359 £1,810 £18,376 10.2 yrs £17,819

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: £1,226, Upfront: £13,673, 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 2245 kWh 1572 kWh 674 kWh £423 £67 £490 £7,569 15.4 yrs £2,240
3 kW 3368 kWh 2357 kWh 1010 kWh £635 £101 £736 £9,604 13.1 yrs £5,109
4 kW 4490 kWh 3143 kWh 1347 kWh £846 £135 £981 £11,638 11.9 yrs £7,979
5 kW 5613 kWh 3929 kWh 1684 kWh £1,058 £168 £1,226 £13,673 11.2 yrs £10,849
6 kW 6735 kWh 4715 kWh 2021 kWh £1,269 £202 £1,471 £15,707 10.7 yrs £13,719
7 kW 7858 kWh 5501 kWh 2357 kWh £1,481 £236 £1,717 £17,742 10.3 yrs £16,589
8 kW 8981 kWh 6286 kWh 2694 kWh £1,692 £269 £1,962 £19,776 10.1 yrs £19,459

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: £1,255, Upfront: £15,423, 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 2245 kWh 1639 kWh 606 kWh £441 £61 £502 £9,319 18.6 yrs £718
3 kW 3368 kWh 2458 kWh 909 kWh £662 £91 £753 £11,354 15.1 yrs £3,701
4 kW 4490 kWh 3278 kWh 1212 kWh £882 £121 £1,004 £13,388 13.3 yrs £6,685
5 kW 5613 kWh 4097 kWh 1515 kWh £1,103 £152 £1,255 £15,423 12.3 yrs £9,669
6 kW 6735 kWh 4917 kWh 1819 kWh £1,324 £182 £1,505 £17,457 11.6 yrs £12,653
7 kW 7858 kWh 5736 kWh 2122 kWh £1,544 £212 £1,756 £19,492 11.1 yrs £15,636
8 kW 8981 kWh 6556 kWh 2425 kWh £1,765 £242 £2,007 £21,526 10.7 yrs £18,620

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: £1,274, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 13.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2245 kWh 1684 kWh 561 kWh £453 £56 £509 £11,069 21.7 yrs £-880
3 kW 3368 kWh 2526 kWh 842 kWh £680 £84 £764 £13,104 17.1 yrs £2,179
4 kW 4490 kWh 3368 kWh 1123 kWh £907 £112 £1,019 £15,138 14.9 yrs £5,239
5 kW 5613 kWh 4210 kWh 1403 kWh £1,133 £140 £1,274 £17,173 13.5 yrs £8,299
6 kW 6735 kWh 5052 kWh 1684 kWh £1,360 £168 £1,528 £19,207 12.6 yrs £11,359
7 kW 7858 kWh 5894 kWh 1965 kWh £1,587 £196 £1,783 £21,242 11.9 yrs £14,418
8 kW 8981 kWh 6735 kWh 2245 kWh £1,813 £225 £2,038 £23,276 11.4 yrs £17,478

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: £1,293, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 15.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2245 kWh 1729 kWh 516 kWh £465 £52 £517 £13,519 26.1 yrs £-3,179
3 kW 3368 kWh 2593 kWh 775 kWh £698 £77 £776 £15,554 20.1 yrs £-43
4 kW 4490 kWh 3458 kWh 1033 kWh £931 £103 £1,034 £17,588 17.0 yrs £3,093
5 kW 5613 kWh 4322 kWh 1291 kWh £1,163 £129 £1,293 £19,623 15.2 yrs £6,229
6 kW 6735 kWh 5186 kWh 1549 kWh £1,396 £155 £1,551 £21,657 14.0 yrs £9,364
7 kW 7858 kWh 6051 kWh 1807 kWh £1,629 £181 £1,810 £23,692 13.1 yrs £12,500
8 kW 8981 kWh 6915 kWh 2066 kWh £1,862 £207 £2,068 £25,726 12.4 yrs £15,636

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 BN10

Figures below are tailored to BN10 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #465 of 2182
5.6 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~12 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #13 of 2997
9.4 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£1,300 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #42 of 2997
13.4% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£174 fixed • ~£1,300 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.92p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
47.60p/day
Local Sunshine
1123kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1123 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: 41% • Flats: 28% • Bungalows: 30% Based on 5,539 properties

Coverage

Lewes (100%)

Areas Covered

Peacehaven West, Peacehaven East, Peacehaven North, East Saltdean & Telscombe Cliffs, Kingston

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 South East

BN9 (Lewes)
≈2.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,138 kWh/kWp · +1% vs BN10
BN51 (Brighton and Hove)
≈4.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,137 kWh/kWp · +1% vs BN10
BN25 (Lewes)
≈7.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,131 kWh/kWp · +1% vs BN10
BN7 (Lewes)
≈9.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,126 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BN10
BN2 (Brighton and Hove)
≈9.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,120 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BN10
BN50 (Brighton and Hove)
≈10.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,118 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BN10

Similar sunshine across the UK

PO20 (Chichester)
~1,122 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BN10
TQ7 (South Hams)
~1,123 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BN10
PO38 (Isle of Wight)
~1,125 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BN10