Independent solar numbers for your postcode using official UK data
Home Regions Guides Compare quotes Solar assistant
Insights
Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag Roof Direction Penalty Winter Solar Reality Seasonal Solar Output

Solar panel cost in Ards and North Down (BT18)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for BT18 (Ards and North Down) 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
29.5 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£9,767
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£331
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£-1,501
After paying itself off, you're this much ahead

Ready to Get Started?

Get your free quote from Blue Ape Renewables. They'll connect you with MCS-certified installers in your area and handle all the paperwork.

Get Solar Quote →
4.8★ Trustpilot • Octopus Energy trusted partner • MCS certified • No obligation
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 Northern Ireland, the current unit rate is 0.00p/kWh with a 0.00p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 918 kWh/kW — 72 below the regional median (991).

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 918 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 0.0p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
0.0p/kWh
Standing charge
0.0p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
918 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: £276, Upfront: £8,139, Break-even: 29.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1837 kWh 735 kWh 1102 kWh £0 £110 £110 £3,256 29.5 yrs £-1,051
3 kW 2755 kWh 1102 kWh 1653 kWh £0 £165 £165 £4,883 29.5 yrs £-1,577
4 kW 3673 kWh 1469 kWh 2204 kWh £0 £220 £220 £6,511 29.5 yrs £-2,103
5 kW 4592 kWh 1837 kWh 2755 kWh £0 £276 £276 £8,139 29.5 yrs £-2,629
6 kW 5510 kWh 2204 kWh 3306 kWh £0 £331 £331 £9,767 29.5 yrs £-3,154
7 kW 6429 kWh 2571 kWh 3857 kWh £0 £386 £386 £11,394 29.5 yrs £-3,680
8 kW 7347 kWh 2939 kWh 4408 kWh £0 £441 £441 £13,022 29.5 yrs £-4,206

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: £184, Upfront: £10,239, Break-even: 55.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1837 kWh 1102 kWh 735 kWh £0 £73 £73 £5,356 72.9 yrs £-3,886
3 kW 2755 kWh 1653 kWh 1102 kWh £0 £110 £110 £6,983 63.4 yrs £-4,779
4 kW 3673 kWh 2204 kWh 1469 kWh £0 £147 £147 £8,611 58.6 yrs £-5,672
5 kW 4592 kWh 2755 kWh 1837 kWh £0 £184 £184 £10,239 55.7 yrs £-6,565
6 kW 5510 kWh 3306 kWh 2204 kWh £0 £220 £220 £11,867 53.8 yrs £-7,458
7 kW 6429 kWh 3857 kWh 2571 kWh £0 £257 £257 £13,494 52.5 yrs £-8,351
8 kW 7347 kWh 4408 kWh 2939 kWh £0 £294 £294 £15,122 51.5 yrs £-9,245

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: £138, Upfront: £11,639, Break-even: 84.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1837 kWh 1286 kWh 551 kWh £0 £55 £55 £6,756 122.6 yrs £-5,653
3 kW 2755 kWh 1929 kWh 827 kWh £0 £83 £83 £8,383 101.4 yrs £-6,730
4 kW 3673 kWh 2571 kWh 1102 kWh £0 £110 £110 £10,011 90.8 yrs £-7,807
5 kW 4592 kWh 3214 kWh 1378 kWh £0 £138 £138 £11,639 84.5 yrs £-8,884
6 kW 5510 kWh 3857 kWh 1653 kWh £0 £165 £165 £13,267 80.3 yrs £-9,960
7 kW 6429 kWh 4500 kWh 1929 kWh £0 £193 £193 £14,894 77.2 yrs £-11,037
8 kW 7347 kWh 5143 kWh 2204 kWh £0 £220 £220 £16,522 75.0 yrs £-12,114

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: £124, Upfront: £13,389, Break-even: 108.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1837 kWh 1341 kWh 496 kWh £0 £50 £50 £8,506 171.5 yrs £-7,514
3 kW 2755 kWh 2011 kWh 744 kWh £0 £74 £74 £10,133 136.2 yrs £-8,646
4 kW 3673 kWh 2682 kWh 992 kWh £0 £99 £99 £11,761 118.6 yrs £-9,777
5 kW 4592 kWh 3352 kWh 1240 kWh £0 £124 £124 £13,389 108.0 yrs £-10,909
6 kW 5510 kWh 4022 kWh 1488 kWh £0 £149 £149 £15,017 100.9 yrs £-12,041
7 kW 6429 kWh 4693 kWh 1736 kWh £0 £174 £174 £16,644 95.9 yrs £-13,173
8 kW 7347 kWh 5363 kWh 1984 kWh £0 £198 £198 £18,272 92.1 yrs £-14,305

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: £115, Upfront: £15,139, Break-even: 131.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1837 kWh 1378 kWh 459 kWh £0 £46 £46 £10,256 223.3 yrs £-9,337
3 kW 2755 kWh 2066 kWh 689 kWh £0 £69 £69 £11,883 172.5 yrs £-10,506
4 kW 3673 kWh 2755 kWh 918 kWh £0 £92 £92 £13,511 147.1 yrs £-11,674
5 kW 4592 kWh 3444 kWh 1148 kWh £0 £115 £115 £15,139 131.9 yrs £-12,843
6 kW 5510 kWh 4133 kWh 1378 kWh £0 £138 £138 £16,767 121.7 yrs £-14,011
7 kW 6429 kWh 4821 kWh 1607 kWh £0 £161 £161 £18,394 114.5 yrs £-15,180
8 kW 7347 kWh 5510 kWh 1837 kWh £0 £184 £184 £20,022 109.0 yrs £-16,349

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: £106, Upfront: £17,589, Break-even: 166.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1837 kWh 1414 kWh 422 kWh £0 £42 £42 £12,706 300.8 yrs £-11,861
3 kW 2755 kWh 2121 kWh 634 kWh £0 £63 £63 £14,333 226.2 yrs £-13,066
4 kW 3673 kWh 2829 kWh 845 kWh £0 £84 £84 £15,961 188.9 yrs £-14,271
5 kW 4592 kWh 3536 kWh 1056 kWh £0 £106 £106 £17,589 166.5 yrs £-15,477
6 kW 5510 kWh 4243 kWh 1267 kWh £0 £127 £127 £19,217 151.6 yrs £-16,682
7 kW 6429 kWh 4950 kWh 1479 kWh £0 £148 £148 £20,844 141.0 yrs £-17,887
8 kW 7347 kWh 5657 kWh 1690 kWh £0 £169 £169 £22,472 133.0 yrs £-19,092

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 Ards and North Down

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.

Compare solar quotes before you sign

Check what MCS certification means

Understand DNO, G98 and G99 export limits

New quote check

Want a quote sanity check for BT18?

Share the first part of your postcode and a few basics. We’ll help you check whether system size, battery, export and paperwork assumptions look sensible before you commit to installer conversations.

This is a practical sanity-check request, not an instant quote promise. The Blue Ape quote route above remains available if you already want installer introductions.

Request a quote sanity check →

Insights for BT18

Figures below are tailored to BT18 — click through for full league tables.

Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −21.1% West −21.4%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Seasonal solar output in BT18

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 30 Jan 48 Feb 81 Mar 110 Apr 122 May 117 Jun 110 Jul 99 Aug 80 Sep 57 Oct 37 Nov 26 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 45.4% 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 35 kWh per month; the average month produces around 77 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 139 kWh in winter, or 306 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
0.00p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
0.00p/day
Local Sunshine
918kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~918 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

Ards and North Down (93%)|Belfast (7%)

Areas Covered

Loughview, Cultra, Holywood, Garnerville, Belmont, Stormont, Dundonald

Data Sources & Assumptions

Solar yield: PVGIS (EU Joint Research Centre), January 2025 data

Electricity rates: Ofgem price cap,

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 Northern Ireland

BT4 (Belfast)
≈5.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~892 kWh/kWp · -3% vs BT18
BT3 (Belfast)
≈5.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~885 kWh/kWp · -4% vs BT18
BT16 (Lisburn and Castlereagh)
≈5.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~924 kWh/kWp · +1% vs BT18
BT5 (Belfast)
≈6.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~892 kWh/kWp · -3% vs BT18
BT37 (Antrim and Newtownabbey)
≈6.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~871 kWh/kWp · -5% vs BT18
BT15 (Belfast)
≈6.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~886 kWh/kWp · -4% vs BT18

Similar sunshine across the UK

ST9 (Staffordshire Moorlands)
~918 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BT18
HD5 (Kirklees)
~918 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BT18
LL19 (Denbighshire)
~918 kWh/kWp · +0% vs BT18