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

Solar Panels in BT57 (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
39.2 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£312
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£-4,415
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

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 866 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)
866 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: £260, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 39.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1732 kWh 693 kWh 1039 kWh £0 £104 £104 £4,069 39.2 yrs £-1,991
3 kW 2597 kWh 1039 kWh 1558 kWh £0 £156 £156 £6,104 39.2 yrs £-2,987
4 kW 3463 kWh 1385 kWh 2078 kWh £0 £208 £208 £8,138 39.2 yrs £-3,982
5 kW 4329 kWh 1732 kWh 2597 kWh £0 £260 £260 £10,173 39.2 yrs £-4,978
6 kW 5195 kWh 2078 kWh 3117 kWh £0 £312 £312 £12,207 39.2 yrs £-5,973
7 kW 6061 kWh 2424 kWh 3636 kWh £0 £364 £364 £14,242 39.2 yrs £-6,969
8 kW 6926 kWh 2771 kWh 4156 kWh £0 £416 £416 £16,276 39.2 yrs £-7,964

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: £173, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 70.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1732 kWh 1039 kWh 693 kWh £0 £69 £69 £6,169 89.1 yrs £-4,784
3 kW 2597 kWh 1558 kWh 1039 kWh £0 £104 £104 £8,204 79.0 yrs £-6,126
4 kW 3463 kWh 2078 kWh 1385 kWh £0 £139 £139 £10,238 73.9 yrs £-7,467
5 kW 4329 kWh 2597 kWh 1732 kWh £0 £173 £173 £12,273 70.9 yrs £-8,809
6 kW 5195 kWh 3117 kWh 2078 kWh £0 £208 £208 £14,307 68.9 yrs £-10,151
7 kW 6061 kWh 3636 kWh 2424 kWh £0 £242 £242 £16,342 67.4 yrs £-11,493
8 kW 6926 kWh 4156 kWh 2771 kWh £0 £277 £277 £18,376 66.3 yrs £-12,835

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: £130, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 105.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1732 kWh 1212 kWh 519 kWh £0 £52 £52 £7,569 145.7 yrs £-6,530
3 kW 2597 kWh 1818 kWh 779 kWh £0 £78 £78 £9,604 123.2 yrs £-8,045
4 kW 3463 kWh 2424 kWh 1039 kWh £0 £104 £104 £11,638 112.0 yrs £-9,560
5 kW 4329 kWh 3030 kWh 1299 kWh £0 £130 £130 £13,673 105.3 yrs £-11,075
6 kW 5195 kWh 3636 kWh 1558 kWh £0 £156 £156 £15,707 100.8 yrs £-12,590
7 kW 6061 kWh 4242 kWh 1818 kWh £0 £182 £182 £17,742 97.6 yrs £-14,105
8 kW 6926 kWh 4848 kWh 2078 kWh £0 £208 £208 £19,776 95.2 yrs £-15,620

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: £117, Upfront: £15,423, 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 1732 kWh 1264 kWh 468 kWh £0 £47 £47 £9,319 199.3 yrs £-8,384
3 kW 2597 kWh 1896 kWh 701 kWh £0 £70 £70 £11,354 161.9 yrs £-9,951
4 kW 3463 kWh 2528 kWh 935 kWh £0 £94 £94 £13,388 143.2 yrs £-11,518
5 kW 4329 kWh 3160 kWh 1169 kWh £0 £117 £117 £15,423 131.9 yrs £-13,085
6 kW 5195 kWh 3792 kWh 1403 kWh £0 £140 £140 £17,457 124.5 yrs £-14,652
7 kW 6061 kWh 4424 kWh 1636 kWh £0 £164 £164 £19,492 119.1 yrs £-16,219
8 kW 6926 kWh 5056 kWh 1870 kWh £0 £187 £187 £21,526 115.1 yrs £-17,786

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: £108, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 158.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1732 kWh 1299 kWh 433 kWh £0 £43 £43 £11,069 255.7 yrs £-10,203
3 kW 2597 kWh 1948 kWh 649 kWh £0 £65 £65 £13,104 201.8 yrs £-11,805
4 kW 3463 kWh 2597 kWh 866 kWh £0 £87 £87 £15,138 174.8 yrs £-13,406
5 kW 4329 kWh 3247 kWh 1082 kWh £0 £108 £108 £17,173 158.7 yrs £-15,008
6 kW 5195 kWh 3896 kWh 1299 kWh £0 £130 £130 £19,207 147.9 yrs £-16,610
7 kW 6061 kWh 4545 kWh 1515 kWh £0 £152 £152 £21,242 140.2 yrs £-18,211
8 kW 6926 kWh 5195 kWh 1732 kWh £0 £173 £173 £23,276 134.4 yrs £-19,813

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: £100, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 197.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1732 kWh 1333 kWh 398 kWh £0 £40 £40 £13,519 339.4 yrs £-12,722
3 kW 2597 kWh 2000 kWh 597 kWh £0 £60 £60 £15,554 260.4 yrs £-14,359
4 kW 3463 kWh 2667 kWh 797 kWh £0 £80 £80 £17,588 220.8 yrs £-15,995
5 kW 4329 kWh 3333 kWh 996 kWh £0 £100 £100 £19,623 197.1 yrs £-17,631
6 kW 5195 kWh 4000 kWh 1195 kWh £0 £119 £119 £21,657 181.3 yrs £-19,267
7 kW 6061 kWh 4667 kWh 1394 kWh £0 £139 £139 £23,692 170.0 yrs £-20,904
8 kW 6926 kWh 5333 kWh 1593 kWh £0 £159 £159 £25,726 161.5 yrs £-22,540

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
866kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~866 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

Giant's Causeway, Portrush and Dunluce, Dundooan, Kinbane

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.