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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in CF14 (Cardiff)

See if solar pays off for you in Cardiff — 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
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£844
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£10,917
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 South Wales, the current unit rate is 26.83p/kWh with a 51.69p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 1008 kWh/kW — 40 above the regional median (968).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 5.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 1008 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.8p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.8p/kWh
Standing charge
51.7p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1008 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: £844, 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 2017 kWh 807 kWh 1210 kWh £216 £121 £337 £4,069 12.1 yrs £2,680
3 kW 3025 kWh 1210 kWh 1815 kWh £325 £182 £506 £6,104 12.1 yrs £4,019
4 kW 4033 kWh 1613 kWh 2420 kWh £433 £242 £675 £8,138 12.1 yrs £5,359
5 kW 5042 kWh 2017 kWh 3025 kWh £541 £303 £844 £10,173 12.1 yrs £6,699
6 kW 6050 kWh 2420 kWh 3630 kWh £649 £363 £1,012 £12,207 12.1 yrs £8,039
7 kW 7058 kWh 2823 kWh 4235 kWh £758 £424 £1,181 £14,242 12.1 yrs £9,379
8 kW 8067 kWh 3227 kWh 4840 kWh £866 £484 £1,350 £16,276 12.1 yrs £10,719

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: £1,013, Upfront: £12,273, 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 2017 kWh 1210 kWh 807 kWh £325 £81 £405 £6,169 15.2 yrs £1,937
3 kW 3025 kWh 1815 kWh 1210 kWh £487 £121 £608 £8,204 13.5 yrs £3,956
4 kW 4033 kWh 2420 kWh 1613 kWh £649 £161 £811 £10,238 12.6 yrs £5,975
5 kW 5042 kWh 3025 kWh 2017 kWh £812 £202 £1,013 £12,273 12.1 yrs £7,993
6 kW 6050 kWh 3630 kWh 2420 kWh £974 £242 £1,216 £14,307 11.8 yrs £10,012
7 kW 7058 kWh 4235 kWh 2823 kWh £1,136 £282 £1,419 £16,342 11.5 yrs £12,031
8 kW 8067 kWh 4840 kWh 3227 kWh £1,299 £323 £1,621 £18,376 11.3 yrs £14,049

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: £1,098, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 12.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2017 kWh 1412 kWh 605 kWh £379 £61 £439 £7,569 17.2 yrs £1,216
3 kW 3025 kWh 2118 kWh 908 kWh £568 £91 £659 £9,604 14.6 yrs £3,574
4 kW 4033 kWh 2823 kWh 1210 kWh £758 £121 £879 £11,638 13.2 yrs £5,932
5 kW 5042 kWh 3529 kWh 1513 kWh £947 £151 £1,098 £13,673 12.5 yrs £8,290
6 kW 6050 kWh 4235 kWh 1815 kWh £1,136 £182 £1,318 £15,707 11.9 yrs £10,648
7 kW 7058 kWh 4941 kWh 2118 kWh £1,326 £212 £1,537 £17,742 11.5 yrs £13,006
8 kW 8067 kWh 5647 kWh 2420 kWh £1,515 £242 £1,757 £19,776 11.3 yrs £15,365

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: £1,124, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 13.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2017 kWh 1472 kWh 545 kWh £395 £54 £449 £9,319 20.7 yrs £-330
3 kW 3025 kWh 2208 kWh 817 kWh £592 £82 £674 £11,354 16.8 yrs £2,130
4 kW 4033 kWh 2944 kWh 1089 kWh £790 £109 £899 £13,388 14.9 yrs £4,590
5 kW 5042 kWh 3680 kWh 1361 kWh £987 £136 £1,124 £15,423 13.7 yrs £7,049
6 kW 6050 kWh 4417 kWh 1634 kWh £1,185 £163 £1,348 £17,457 12.9 yrs £9,509
7 kW 7058 kWh 5153 kWh 1906 kWh £1,382 £191 £1,573 £19,492 12.4 yrs £11,969
8 kW 8067 kWh 5889 kWh 2178 kWh £1,580 £218 £1,798 £21,526 12.0 yrs £14,429

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: £1,141, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 15.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2017 kWh 1513 kWh 504 kWh £406 £50 £456 £11,069 24.3 yrs £-1,944
3 kW 3025 kWh 2269 kWh 756 kWh £609 £76 £684 £13,104 19.1 yrs £583
4 kW 4033 kWh 3025 kWh 1008 kWh £812 £101 £912 £15,138 16.6 yrs £3,111
5 kW 5042 kWh 3781 kWh 1260 kWh £1,015 £126 £1,141 £17,173 15.1 yrs £5,639
6 kW 6050 kWh 4538 kWh 1513 kWh £1,217 £151 £1,369 £19,207 14.0 yrs £8,167
7 kW 7058 kWh 5294 kWh 1765 kWh £1,420 £176 £1,597 £21,242 13.3 yrs £10,694
8 kW 8067 kWh 6050 kWh 2017 kWh £1,623 £202 £1,825 £23,276 12.8 yrs £13,222

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: £1,158, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 17.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2017 kWh 1553 kWh 464 kWh £417 £46 £463 £13,519 29.2 yrs £-4,259
3 kW 3025 kWh 2329 kWh 696 kWh £625 £70 £695 £15,554 22.4 yrs £-1,663
4 kW 4033 kWh 3106 kWh 928 kWh £833 £93 £926 £17,588 19.0 yrs £933
5 kW 5042 kWh 3882 kWh 1160 kWh £1,042 £116 £1,158 £19,623 17.0 yrs £3,528
6 kW 6050 kWh 4659 kWh 1392 kWh £1,250 £139 £1,389 £21,657 15.6 yrs £6,124
7 kW 7058 kWh 5435 kWh 1623 kWh £1,458 £162 £1,621 £23,692 14.6 yrs £8,720
8 kW 8067 kWh 6211 kWh 1855 kWh £1,667 £186 £1,852 £25,726 13.9 yrs £11,315

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 CF14

Figures below are tailored to CF14 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #807 of 2182
5.2 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~11 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #490 of 2997
10.5 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£971 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1264 of 2997
19.4% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£189 fixed • ~£971 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.83p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
51.69p/day
Local Sunshine
1008kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1008 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
5.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 64% • Flats: 28% • Bungalows: 7% Based on 18,646 properties

Coverage

Cardiff (100%)

Areas Covered

Llanishen, Whitchurch and Tongwynlais, Rhiwbina, Heath, Lisvane and Thornhill, Llandaff North, Gabalfa, Cyncoed + 3 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 South Wales

CF4 (Cardiff)
≈1.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,013 kWh/kWp · +1% vs CF14
CF23 (Cardiff)
≈3.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,004 kWh/kWp · -0% vs CF14
CF2 (Cardiff)
≈3.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,009 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CF14
CF24 (Cardiff)
≈4.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,009 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CF14
CF15 (Cardiff)
≈4.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~985 kWh/kWp · -2% vs CF14
CF95 (Cardiff)
≈4.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,009 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CF14

Similar sunshine across the UK

RH11 (Crawley)
~1,008 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CF14
PE15 (Fenland)
~1,008 kWh/kWp · -0% vs CF14
SG9 (East Hertfordshire)
~1,009 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CF14