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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in CB25 (East Cambridgeshire)

See if solar pays off for you in East Cambridgeshire — 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
12.1 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£1,006
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£12,944
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

In Eastern, the current unit rate is 26.53p/kWh with a 48.25p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 1009 kWh/kW — 0 above the regional median (1009).

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 1009 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.5p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.5p/kWh
Standing charge
48.2p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1009 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: £838, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 12.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2019 kWh 807 kWh 1211 kWh £214 £121 £335 £4,069 12.1 yrs £2,638
3 kW 3028 kWh 1211 kWh 1817 kWh £321 £182 £503 £6,104 12.1 yrs £3,957
4 kW 4037 kWh 1615 kWh 2422 kWh £428 £242 £671 £8,138 12.1 yrs £5,276
5 kW 5047 kWh 2019 kWh 3028 kWh £536 £303 £838 £10,173 12.1 yrs £6,595
6 kW 6056 kWh 2422 kWh 3634 kWh £643 £363 £1,006 £12,207 12.1 yrs £7,914
7 kW 7066 kWh 2826 kWh 4239 kWh £750 £424 £1,174 £14,242 12.1 yrs £9,233
8 kW 8075 kWh 3230 kWh 4845 kWh £857 £484 £1,341 £16,276 12.1 yrs £10,552

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: £1,005, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 12.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2019 kWh 1211 kWh 807 kWh £321 £81 £402 £6,169 15.3 yrs £1,873
3 kW 3028 kWh 1817 kWh 1211 kWh £482 £121 £603 £8,204 13.6 yrs £3,859
4 kW 4037 kWh 2422 kWh 1615 kWh £643 £161 £804 £10,238 12.7 yrs £5,846
5 kW 5047 kWh 3028 kWh 2019 kWh £803 £202 £1,005 £12,273 12.2 yrs £7,832
6 kW 6056 kWh 3634 kWh 2422 kWh £964 £242 £1,206 £14,307 11.9 yrs £9,818
7 kW 7066 kWh 4239 kWh 2826 kWh £1,125 £283 £1,407 £16,342 11.6 yrs £11,805
8 kW 8075 kWh 4845 kWh 3230 kWh £1,285 £323 £1,608 £18,376 11.4 yrs £13,791

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: £1,089, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 12.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2019 kWh 1413 kWh 606 kWh £375 £61 £435 £7,569 17.4 yrs £1,140
3 kW 3028 kWh 2120 kWh 908 kWh £562 £91 £653 £9,604 14.7 yrs £3,460
4 kW 4037 kWh 2826 kWh 1211 kWh £750 £121 £871 £11,638 13.4 yrs £5,780
5 kW 5047 kWh 3533 kWh 1514 kWh £937 £151 £1,089 £13,673 12.6 yrs £8,100
6 kW 6056 kWh 4239 kWh 1817 kWh £1,125 £182 £1,306 £15,707 12.0 yrs £10,420
7 kW 7066 kWh 4946 kWh 2120 kWh £1,312 £212 £1,524 £17,742 11.6 yrs £12,740
8 kW 8075 kWh 5652 kWh 2422 kWh £1,500 £242 £1,742 £19,776 11.4 yrs £15,061

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: £1,114, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 13.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2019 kWh 1474 kWh 545 kWh £391 £55 £445 £9,319 20.9 yrs £-410
3 kW 3028 kWh 2210 kWh 818 kWh £586 £82 £668 £11,354 17.0 yrs £2,011
4 kW 4037 kWh 2947 kWh 1090 kWh £782 £109 £891 £13,388 15.0 yrs £4,431
5 kW 5047 kWh 3684 kWh 1363 kWh £977 £136 £1,114 £15,423 13.8 yrs £6,851
6 kW 6056 kWh 4421 kWh 1635 kWh £1,173 £164 £1,336 £17,457 13.1 yrs £9,271
7 kW 7066 kWh 5158 kWh 1908 kWh £1,368 £191 £1,559 £19,492 12.5 yrs £11,691
8 kW 8075 kWh 5895 kWh 2180 kWh £1,564 £218 £1,782 £21,526 12.1 yrs £14,111

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: £1,130, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 15.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2019 kWh 1514 kWh 505 kWh £402 £50 £452 £11,069 24.5 yrs £-2,026
3 kW 3028 kWh 2271 kWh 757 kWh £603 £76 £678 £13,104 19.3 yrs £461
4 kW 4037 kWh 3028 kWh 1009 kWh £803 £101 £904 £15,138 16.7 yrs £2,948
5 kW 5047 kWh 3785 kWh 1262 kWh £1,004 £126 £1,130 £17,173 15.2 yrs £5,435
6 kW 6056 kWh 4542 kWh 1514 kWh £1,205 £151 £1,356 £19,207 14.2 yrs £7,922
7 kW 7066 kWh 5299 kWh 1766 kWh £1,406 £177 £1,582 £21,242 13.4 yrs £10,408
8 kW 8075 kWh 6056 kWh 2019 kWh £1,607 £202 £1,809 £23,276 12.9 yrs £12,895

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: £1,147, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 17.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2019 kWh 1554 kWh 464 kWh £412 £46 £459 £13,519 29.5 yrs £-4,343
3 kW 3028 kWh 2332 kWh 696 kWh £619 £70 £688 £15,554 22.6 yrs £-1,789
4 kW 4037 kWh 3109 kWh 929 kWh £825 £93 £918 £17,588 19.2 yrs £765
5 kW 5047 kWh 3886 kWh 1161 kWh £1,031 £116 £1,147 £19,623 17.1 yrs £3,318
6 kW 6056 kWh 4663 kWh 1393 kWh £1,237 £139 £1,376 £21,657 15.7 yrs £5,872
7 kW 7066 kWh 5440 kWh 1625 kWh £1,443 £163 £1,606 £23,692 14.8 yrs £8,426
8 kW 8075 kWh 6218 kWh 1857 kWh £1,650 £186 £1,835 £25,726 14.0 yrs £10,979

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.

Insights for CB25

Figures below are tailored to CB25 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #529 of 2182
5.6 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~12 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #611 of 2997
10.6 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£1,156 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #381 of 2997
15.2% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£176 fixed • ~£1,156 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.53p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
48.25p/day
Local Sunshine
1009kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1009 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

Houses: 72% • Flats: 9% • Bungalows: 19% Based on 5,061 properties

Coverage

East Cambridgeshire (56%)|South Cambridgeshire (37%)|Cambridge (7%)

Areas Covered

Milton & Waterbeach, Burwell, Bottisham, Abbey, Fen Ditton & Fulbourn, Stretham, Cottenham

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 Eastern

CB5 (Cambridge)
≈7.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,009 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CB25
CB4 (South Cambridgeshire)
≈9.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,010 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CB25
CB24 (South Cambridgeshire)
≈10.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,012 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CB25
CB1 (Cambridge)
≈10.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,013 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CB25
CB8 (West Suffolk)
≈11.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,011 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CB25
CB2 (Cambridge)
≈12.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,013 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CB25

Similar sunshine across the UK

CF24 (Cardiff)
~1,009 kWh/kWp · -0% vs CB25
CF2 (Cardiff)
~1,009 kWh/kWp · -0% vs CB25
RG16 (West Berkshire)
~1,009 kWh/kWp · -0% vs CB25