Solar explained to clever people by people who are not trying to be clever
Home Regions
Insights
Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in BT23 (Ards and North Down)

See if solar pays off for you in Ards and North Down — 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
37.6 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£325
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£-4,085
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: 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 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 902 kWh/kW — 88 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 902 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)
902 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: £271, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 37.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1805 kWh 722 kWh 1083 kWh £0 £108 £108 £4,069 37.6 yrs £-1,903
3 kW 2707 kWh 1083 kWh 1624 kWh £0 £162 £162 £6,104 37.6 yrs £-2,855
4 kW 3610 kWh 1444 kWh 2166 kWh £0 £217 £217 £8,138 37.6 yrs £-3,806
5 kW 4512 kWh 1805 kWh 2707 kWh £0 £271 £271 £10,173 37.6 yrs £-4,758
6 kW 5415 kWh 2166 kWh 3249 kWh £0 £325 £325 £12,207 37.6 yrs £-5,709
7 kW 6317 kWh 2527 kWh 3790 kWh £0 £379 £379 £14,242 37.6 yrs £-6,661
8 kW 7220 kWh 2888 kWh 4332 kWh £0 £433 £433 £16,276 37.6 yrs £-7,613

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: £180, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 68.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1805 kWh 1083 kWh 722 kWh £0 £72 £72 £6,169 85.4 yrs £-4,725
3 kW 2707 kWh 1624 kWh 1083 kWh £0 £108 £108 £8,204 75.8 yrs £-6,038
4 kW 3610 kWh 2166 kWh 1444 kWh £0 £144 £144 £10,238 70.9 yrs £-7,350
5 kW 4512 kWh 2707 kWh 1805 kWh £0 £180 £180 £12,273 68.0 yrs £-8,663
6 kW 5415 kWh 3249 kWh 2166 kWh £0 £217 £217 £14,307 66.1 yrs £-9,975
7 kW 6317 kWh 3790 kWh 2527 kWh £0 £253 £253 £16,342 64.7 yrs £-11,288
8 kW 7220 kWh 4332 kWh 2888 kWh £0 £289 £289 £18,376 63.6 yrs £-12,600

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: £135, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 101.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1805 kWh 1263 kWh 541 kWh £0 £54 £54 £7,569 139.8 yrs £-6,486
3 kW 2707 kWh 1895 kWh 812 kWh £0 £81 £81 £9,604 118.2 yrs £-7,979
4 kW 3610 kWh 2527 kWh 1083 kWh £0 £108 £108 £11,638 107.5 yrs £-9,472
5 kW 4512 kWh 3159 kWh 1354 kWh £0 £135 £135 £13,673 101.0 yrs £-10,965
6 kW 5415 kWh 3790 kWh 1624 kWh £0 £162 £162 £15,707 96.7 yrs £-12,458
7 kW 6317 kWh 4422 kWh 1895 kWh £0 £190 £190 £17,742 93.6 yrs £-13,951
8 kW 7220 kWh 5054 kWh 2166 kWh £0 £217 £217 £19,776 91.3 yrs £-15,444

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: £122, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 126.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1805 kWh 1318 kWh 487 kWh £0 £49 £49 £9,319 191.2 yrs £-8,344
3 kW 2707 kWh 1976 kWh 731 kWh £0 £73 £73 £11,354 155.3 yrs £-9,892
4 kW 3610 kWh 2635 kWh 975 kWh £0 £97 £97 £13,388 137.4 yrs £-11,439
5 kW 4512 kWh 3294 kWh 1218 kWh £0 £122 £122 £15,423 126.6 yrs £-12,986
6 kW 5415 kWh 3953 kWh 1462 kWh £0 £146 £146 £17,457 119.4 yrs £-14,533
7 kW 6317 kWh 4612 kWh 1706 kWh £0 £171 £171 £19,492 114.3 yrs £-16,080
8 kW 7220 kWh 5270 kWh 1949 kWh £0 £195 £195 £21,526 110.4 yrs £-17,627

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: £113, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 152.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1805 kWh 1354 kWh 451 kWh £0 £45 £45 £11,069 245.3 yrs £-10,167
3 kW 2707 kWh 2031 kWh 677 kWh £0 £68 £68 £13,104 193.6 yrs £-11,750
4 kW 3610 kWh 2707 kWh 902 kWh £0 £90 £90 £15,138 167.7 yrs £-13,333
5 kW 4512 kWh 3384 kWh 1128 kWh £0 £113 £113 £17,173 152.2 yrs £-14,916
6 kW 5415 kWh 4061 kWh 1354 kWh £0 £135 £135 £19,207 141.9 yrs £-16,500
7 kW 6317 kWh 4738 kWh 1579 kWh £0 £158 £158 £21,242 134.5 yrs £-18,083
8 kW 7220 kWh 5415 kWh 1805 kWh £0 £180 £180 £23,276 129.0 yrs £-19,666

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: £104, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 189.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1805 kWh 1390 kWh 415 kWh £0 £42 £42 £13,519 325.7 yrs £-12,689
3 kW 2707 kWh 2085 kWh 623 kWh £0 £62 £62 £15,554 249.8 yrs £-14,308
4 kW 3610 kWh 2780 kWh 830 kWh £0 £83 £83 £17,588 211.8 yrs £-15,928
5 kW 4512 kWh 3474 kWh 1038 kWh £0 £104 £104 £19,623 189.1 yrs £-17,547
6 kW 5415 kWh 4169 kWh 1245 kWh £0 £125 £125 £21,657 173.9 yrs £-19,166
7 kW 6317 kWh 4864 kWh 1453 kWh £0 £145 £145 £23,692 163.1 yrs £-20,786
8 kW 7220 kWh 5559 kWh 1661 kWh £0 £166 £166 £25,726 154.9 yrs £-22,405

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.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
0.00p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
0.00p/day
Local Sunshine
902kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~902 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 (96%)|Lisburn and Castlereagh (3%)|Newry, Mourne and Down (1%)

Areas Covered

Conway Square, Gregstown, Glen, Movilla, Scrabo, Cronstown, Killinchy, Ballygowan + 4 more

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 Northern Ireland

BT16 (Lisburn and Castlereagh)
≈6.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~924 kWh/kWp · +2% vs BT23
BT19 (Ards and North Down)
≈7.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~956 kWh/kWp · +6% vs BT23
BT20 (Ards and North Down)
≈7.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~918 kWh/kWp · +2% vs BT23
BT18 (Ards and North Down)
≈10.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~918 kWh/kWp · +2% vs BT23
BT21 (Ards and North Down)
≈11.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~922 kWh/kWp · +2% vs BT23
BT4 (Belfast)
≈11.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~892 kWh/kWp · -1% vs BT23

Similar sunshine across the UK

HX1 (Calderdale)
~902 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BT23
LD1 (Powys)
~902 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BT23
TS15 (Stockton-on-Tees)
~902 kWh/kWp · -0% vs BT23