Solar explained to clever people by people who are not trying to be clever

Solar Panels in BT55 (Causeway Coast and Glens)

See if solar pays off for you in Causeway Coast and Glens — 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
39.7 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£308
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£-4,518
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

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 854 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)
854 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: £256, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 39.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1709 kWh 683 kWh 1025 kWh £0 £103 £103 £4,069 39.7 yrs £-2,019
3 kW 2563 kWh 1025 kWh 1538 kWh £0 £154 £154 £6,104 39.7 yrs £-3,028
4 kW 3417 kWh 1367 kWh 2050 kWh £0 £205 £205 £8,138 39.7 yrs £-4,037
5 kW 4272 kWh 1709 kWh 2563 kWh £0 £256 £256 £10,173 39.7 yrs £-5,047
6 kW 5126 kWh 2050 kWh 3076 kWh £0 £308 £308 £12,207 39.7 yrs £-6,056
7 kW 5980 kWh 2392 kWh 3588 kWh £0 £359 £359 £14,242 39.7 yrs £-7,065
8 kW 6835 kWh 2734 kWh 4101 kWh £0 £410 £410 £16,276 39.7 yrs £-8,075

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: £171, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 71.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1709 kWh 1025 kWh 683 kWh £0 £68 £68 £6,169 90.3 yrs £-4,802
3 kW 2563 kWh 1538 kWh 1025 kWh £0 £103 £103 £8,204 80.0 yrs £-6,153
4 kW 3417 kWh 2050 kWh 1367 kWh £0 £137 £137 £10,238 74.9 yrs £-7,504
5 kW 4272 kWh 2563 kWh 1709 kWh £0 £171 £171 £12,273 71.8 yrs £-8,855
6 kW 5126 kWh 3076 kWh 2050 kWh £0 £205 £205 £14,307 69.8 yrs £-10,206
7 kW 5980 kWh 3588 kWh 2392 kWh £0 £239 £239 £16,342 68.3 yrs £-11,557
8 kW 6835 kWh 4101 kWh 2734 kWh £0 £273 £273 £18,376 67.2 yrs £-12,908

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: £128, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 106.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1709 kWh 1196 kWh 513 kWh £0 £51 £51 £7,569 147.7 yrs £-6,544
3 kW 2563 kWh 1794 kWh 769 kWh £0 £77 £77 £9,604 124.9 yrs £-8,066
4 kW 3417 kWh 2392 kWh 1025 kWh £0 £103 £103 £11,638 113.5 yrs £-9,588
5 kW 4272 kWh 2990 kWh 1281 kWh £0 £128 £128 £13,673 106.7 yrs £-11,110
6 kW 5126 kWh 3588 kWh 1538 kWh £0 £154 £154 £15,707 102.1 yrs £-12,631
7 kW 5980 kWh 4186 kWh 1794 kWh £0 £179 £179 £17,742 98.9 yrs £-14,153
8 kW 6835 kWh 4784 kWh 2050 kWh £0 £205 £205 £19,776 96.5 yrs £-15,675

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: £115, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 133.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1709 kWh 1247 kWh 461 kWh £0 £46 £46 £9,319 202.0 yrs £-8,396
3 kW 2563 kWh 1871 kWh 692 kWh £0 £69 £69 £11,354 164.1 yrs £-9,970
4 kW 3417 kWh 2495 kWh 923 kWh £0 £92 £92 £13,388 145.1 yrs £-11,543
5 kW 4272 kWh 3118 kWh 1153 kWh £0 £115 £115 £15,423 133.7 yrs £-13,116
6 kW 5126 kWh 3742 kWh 1384 kWh £0 £138 £138 £17,457 126.1 yrs £-14,689
7 kW 5980 kWh 4366 kWh 1615 kWh £0 £161 £161 £19,492 120.7 yrs £-16,262
8 kW 6835 kWh 4989 kWh 1845 kWh £0 £185 £185 £21,526 116.7 yrs £-17,835

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: £107, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 160.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1709 kWh 1281 kWh 427 kWh £0 £43 £43 £11,069 259.1 yrs £-10,215
3 kW 2563 kWh 1922 kWh 641 kWh £0 £64 £64 £13,104 204.5 yrs £-11,822
4 kW 3417 kWh 2563 kWh 854 kWh £0 £85 £85 £15,138 177.2 yrs £-13,429
5 kW 4272 kWh 3204 kWh 1068 kWh £0 £107 £107 £17,173 160.8 yrs £-15,037
6 kW 5126 kWh 3844 kWh 1281 kWh £0 £128 £128 £19,207 149.9 yrs £-16,644
7 kW 5980 kWh 4485 kWh 1495 kWh £0 £150 £150 £21,242 142.1 yrs £-18,251
8 kW 6835 kWh 5126 kWh 1709 kWh £0 £171 £171 £23,276 136.2 yrs £-19,859

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: £98, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 199.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1709 kWh 1316 kWh 393 kWh £0 £39 £39 £13,519 344.0 yrs £-12,733
3 kW 2563 kWh 1974 kWh 589 kWh £0 £59 £59 £15,554 263.8 yrs £-14,375
4 kW 3417 kWh 2631 kWh 786 kWh £0 £79 £79 £17,588 223.8 yrs £-16,016
5 kW 4272 kWh 3289 kWh 982 kWh £0 £98 £98 £19,623 199.7 yrs £-17,658
6 kW 5126 kWh 3947 kWh 1179 kWh £0 £118 £118 £21,657 183.7 yrs £-19,299
7 kW 5980 kWh 4605 kWh 1375 kWh £0 £138 £138 £23,692 172.2 yrs £-20,941
8 kW 6835 kWh 5263 kWh 1572 kWh £0 £157 £157 £25,726 163.7 yrs £-22,582

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
854kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~854 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

Causeway Coast and Glens (100%)

Areas Covered

Portstewart, Atlantic, Dundooan

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.