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Solar panel cost in Bristol, City of (BS98)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for BS98 (Bristol, City of) 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
9.9 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£9,767
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£985
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£14,863
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 Southern Western, the current unit rate is 26.39p/kWh with a 57.89p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 992 kWh/kW — 22 below the regional median (1013).

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 992 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.4p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.4p/kWh
Standing charge
57.9p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
992 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: £821, Upfront: £8,139, Break-even: 9.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1984 kWh 793 kWh 1190 kWh £209 £119 £328 £3,256 9.9 yrs £3,312
3 kW 2975 kWh 1190 kWh 1785 kWh £314 £179 £493 £4,883 9.9 yrs £4,968
4 kW 3967 kWh 1587 kWh 2380 kWh £419 £238 £657 £6,511 9.9 yrs £6,625
5 kW 4959 kWh 1984 kWh 2975 kWh £523 £298 £821 £8,139 9.9 yrs £8,281
6 kW 5951 kWh 2380 kWh 3570 kWh £628 £357 £985 £9,767 9.9 yrs £9,937
7 kW 6942 kWh 2777 kWh 4165 kWh £733 £417 £1,149 £11,394 9.9 yrs £11,593
8 kW 7934 kWh 3174 kWh 4760 kWh £838 £476 £1,314 £13,022 9.9 yrs £13,249

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: £984, Upfront: £10,239, Break-even: 10.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1984 kWh 1190 kWh 793 kWh £314 £79 £393 £5,356 13.6 yrs £2,513
3 kW 2975 kWh 1785 kWh 1190 kWh £471 £119 £590 £6,983 11.8 yrs £4,819
4 kW 3967 kWh 2380 kWh 1587 kWh £628 £159 £787 £8,611 10.9 yrs £7,125
5 kW 4959 kWh 2975 kWh 1984 kWh £785 £198 £984 £10,239 10.4 yrs £9,432
6 kW 5951 kWh 3570 kWh 2380 kWh £942 £238 £1,180 £11,867 10.1 yrs £11,738
7 kW 6942 kWh 4165 kWh 2777 kWh £1,099 £278 £1,377 £13,494 9.8 yrs £14,044
8 kW 7934 kWh 4760 kWh 3174 kWh £1,256 £317 £1,574 £15,122 9.6 yrs £16,351

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: £1,065, Upfront: £11,639, Break-even: 10.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1984 kWh 1388 kWh 595 kWh £366 £60 £426 £6,756 15.9 yrs £1,763
3 kW 2975 kWh 2083 kWh 893 kWh £550 £89 £639 £8,383 13.1 yrs £4,394
4 kW 3967 kWh 2777 kWh 1190 kWh £733 £119 £852 £10,011 11.8 yrs £7,026
5 kW 4959 kWh 3471 kWh 1488 kWh £916 £149 £1,065 £11,639 10.9 yrs £9,657
6 kW 5951 kWh 4165 kWh 1785 kWh £1,099 £179 £1,278 £13,267 10.4 yrs £12,289
7 kW 6942 kWh 4860 kWh 2083 kWh £1,282 £208 £1,491 £14,894 10.0 yrs £14,920
8 kW 7934 kWh 5554 kWh 2380 kWh £1,466 £238 £1,704 £16,522 9.7 yrs £17,552

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: £1,089, Upfront: £13,389, 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 1984 kWh 1448 kWh 536 kWh £382 £54 £436 £8,506 19.5 yrs £208
3 kW 2975 kWh 2172 kWh 803 kWh £573 £80 £654 £10,133 15.5 yrs £2,937
4 kW 3967 kWh 2896 kWh 1071 kWh £764 £107 £871 £11,761 13.5 yrs £5,666
5 kW 4959 kWh 3620 kWh 1339 kWh £955 £134 £1,089 £13,389 12.3 yrs £8,395
6 kW 5951 kWh 4344 kWh 1607 kWh £1,146 £161 £1,307 £15,017 11.5 yrs £11,124
7 kW 6942 kWh 5068 kWh 1874 kWh £1,337 £187 £1,525 £16,644 10.9 yrs £13,853
8 kW 7934 kWh 5792 kWh 2142 kWh £1,528 £214 £1,743 £18,272 10.5 yrs £16,582

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: £1,105, Upfront: £15,139, Break-even: 13.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1984 kWh 1488 kWh 496 kWh £393 £50 £442 £10,256 23.2 yrs £-1,412
3 kW 2975 kWh 2231 kWh 744 kWh £589 £74 £663 £11,883 17.9 yrs £1,382
4 kW 3967 kWh 2975 kWh 992 kWh £785 £99 £884 £13,511 15.3 yrs £4,176
5 kW 4959 kWh 3719 kWh 1240 kWh £981 £124 £1,105 £15,139 13.7 yrs £6,970
6 kW 5951 kWh 4463 kWh 1488 kWh £1,178 £149 £1,327 £16,767 12.6 yrs £9,764
7 kW 6942 kWh 5207 kWh 1736 kWh £1,374 £174 £1,548 £18,394 11.9 yrs £12,558
8 kW 7934 kWh 5951 kWh 1984 kWh £1,570 £198 £1,769 £20,022 11.3 yrs £15,352

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: £1,122, Upfront: £17,589, Break-even: 15.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1984 kWh 1527 kWh 456 kWh £403 £46 £449 £12,706 28.3 yrs £-3,732
3 kW 2975 kWh 2291 kWh 684 kWh £605 £68 £673 £14,333 21.3 yrs £-873
4 kW 3967 kWh 3055 kWh 912 kWh £806 £91 £897 £15,961 17.8 yrs £1,986
5 kW 4959 kWh 3818 kWh 1141 kWh £1,008 £114 £1,122 £17,589 15.7 yrs £4,845
6 kW 5951 kWh 4582 kWh 1369 kWh £1,209 £137 £1,346 £19,217 14.3 yrs £7,704
7 kW 6942 kWh 5346 kWh 1597 kWh £1,411 £160 £1,570 £20,844 13.3 yrs £10,563
8 kW 7934 kWh 6109 kWh 1825 kWh £1,612 £182 £1,795 £22,472 12.5 yrs £13,422

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 Bristol, City of

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 BS98

Figures below are tailored to BS98 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #780 of 2996
9.9 years (UK avg 10.8 years)
~£985 /yr • £9,767 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #776 of 2996
21.4% (UK avg 26.6%) drag on savings
£211 fixed • ~£985 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −20.3% West −20.5%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Seasonal solar output in BS98

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 38 Jan 53 Feb 85 Mar 113 Apr 122 May 119 Jun 121 Jul 107 Aug 92 Sep 66 Oct 44 Nov 33 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 49.9% 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 41 kWh per month; the average month produces around 83 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 165 kWh in winter, or 331 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.39p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
57.89p/day
Local Sunshine
992kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~992 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

No EPC data available for this outcode

Coverage

Bristol, City of (100%)

Areas Covered

Ashley, Lawrence Hill

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 Southern Western

BS2 (Bristol, City of)
≈0.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~992 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BS98
BS1 (Bristol, City of)
≈0.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~994 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BS98
BS99 (Bristol, City of)
≈1.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~992 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BS98
BS6 (Bristol, City of)
≈1.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~992 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BS98
BS8 (Bristol, City of)
≈1.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~996 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BS98
BS5 (Bristol, City of)
≈2.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~992 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BS98

Similar sunshine across the UK

HA0 (Brent)
~992 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BS98
E20 (Newham)
~992 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BS98
RG12 (Bracknell Forest)
~992 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BS98