Independent solar numbers for your postcode using official UK data
Home Regions Guides Compare quotes Solar assistant
Insights
Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag Roof Direction Penalty Winter Solar Reality Seasonal Solar Output

Solar panel cost in Cardiff (CF30)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for CF30 (Cardiff) in under a minute using official UK data. Start with the calculator, then get a no-obligation quote from an MCS-certified installer. You can also ask the SolarByPostcode assistant to sanity-check your roof, bills and plans.

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
9.8 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,139
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£830
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£12,616
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: The official cost per kW is lower above 4 kW, so a 5–6 kW system can pay back a little faster than a 3–4 kW system on otherwise identical assumptions.
  • 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

Panel costs: Uses March 2026 TIC mean installation costs: £1,827/kW up to 4 kW and £1,628/kW above 4 kW.

Other costs: Battery prices are modelled at £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 26.33p/kWh with a 57.84p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 1004 kWh/kW — 36 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 1004 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.3p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.3p/kWh
Standing charge
57.8p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1004 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: £830, Upfront: £8,139, Break-even: 9.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2009 kWh 803 kWh 1205 kWh £212 £121 £332 £3,256 9.8 yrs £3,386
3 kW 3013 kWh 1205 kWh 1808 kWh £317 £181 £498 £4,883 9.8 yrs £5,079
4 kW 4017 kWh 1607 kWh 2410 kWh £423 £241 £664 £6,511 9.8 yrs £6,772
5 kW 5022 kWh 2009 kWh 3013 kWh £529 £301 £830 £8,139 9.8 yrs £8,465
6 kW 6026 kWh 2410 kWh 3616 kWh £635 £362 £996 £9,767 9.8 yrs £10,158
7 kW 7031 kWh 2812 kWh 4218 kWh £740 £422 £1,162 £11,394 9.8 yrs £11,851
8 kW 8035 kWh 3214 kWh 4821 kWh £846 £482 £1,328 £13,022 9.8 yrs £13,544

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

3 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £994, Upfront: £10,239, Break-even: 10.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2009 kWh 1205 kWh 803 kWh £317 £80 £398 £5,356 13.5 yrs £2,598
3 kW 3013 kWh 1808 kWh 1205 kWh £476 £121 £597 £6,983 11.7 yrs £4,947
4 kW 4017 kWh 2410 kWh 1607 kWh £635 £161 £795 £8,611 10.8 yrs £7,296
5 kW 5022 kWh 3013 kWh 2009 kWh £793 £201 £994 £10,239 10.3 yrs £9,646
6 kW 6026 kWh 3616 kWh 2410 kWh £952 £241 £1,193 £11,867 9.9 yrs £11,995
7 kW 7031 kWh 4218 kWh 2812 kWh £1,111 £281 £1,392 £13,494 9.7 yrs £14,344
8 kW 8035 kWh 4821 kWh 3214 kWh £1,269 £321 £1,591 £15,122 9.5 yrs £16,693

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,076, Upfront: £11,639, Break-even: 10.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2009 kWh 1406 kWh 603 kWh £370 £60 £430 £6,756 15.7 yrs £1,854
3 kW 3013 kWh 2109 kWh 904 kWh £555 £90 £646 £8,383 13.0 yrs £4,531
4 kW 4017 kWh 2812 kWh 1205 kWh £740 £121 £861 £10,011 11.6 yrs £7,209
5 kW 5022 kWh 3515 kWh 1507 kWh £926 £151 £1,076 £11,639 10.8 yrs £9,886
6 kW 6026 kWh 4218 kWh 1808 kWh £1,111 £181 £1,291 £13,267 10.3 yrs £12,563
7 kW 7031 kWh 4921 kWh 2109 kWh £1,296 £211 £1,507 £14,894 9.9 yrs £15,240
8 kW 8035 kWh 5624 kWh 2410 kWh £1,481 £241 £1,722 £16,522 9.6 yrs £17,917

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

7.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,101, Upfront: £13,389, 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 2009 kWh 1466 kWh 542 kWh £386 £54 £440 £8,506 19.3 yrs £301
3 kW 3013 kWh 2200 kWh 814 kWh £579 £81 £660 £10,133 15.3 yrs £3,077
4 kW 4017 kWh 2933 kWh 1085 kWh £772 £108 £881 £11,761 13.4 yrs £5,852
5 kW 5022 kWh 3666 kWh 1356 kWh £965 £136 £1,101 £13,389 12.2 yrs £8,628
6 kW 6026 kWh 4399 kWh 1627 kWh £1,158 £163 £1,321 £15,017 11.4 yrs £11,403
7 kW 7031 kWh 5132 kWh 1898 kWh £1,351 £190 £1,541 £16,644 10.8 yrs £14,179
8 kW 8035 kWh 5865 kWh 2169 kWh £1,544 £217 £1,761 £18,272 10.4 yrs £16,954

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

10 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,117, Upfront: £15,139, Break-even: 13.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2009 kWh 1507 kWh 502 kWh £397 £50 £447 £10,256 22.9 yrs £-1,318
3 kW 3013 kWh 2260 kWh 753 kWh £595 £75 £670 £11,883 17.7 yrs £1,523
4 kW 4017 kWh 3013 kWh 1004 kWh £793 £100 £894 £13,511 15.1 yrs £4,365
5 kW 5022 kWh 3766 kWh 1255 kWh £992 £126 £1,117 £15,139 13.6 yrs £7,206
6 kW 6026 kWh 4520 kWh 1507 kWh £1,190 £151 £1,341 £16,767 12.5 yrs £10,047
7 kW 7031 kWh 5273 kWh 1758 kWh £1,388 £176 £1,564 £18,394 11.8 yrs £12,888
8 kW 8035 kWh 6026 kWh 2009 kWh £1,587 £201 £1,788 £20,022 11.2 yrs £15,729

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

13.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,134, Upfront: £17,589, Break-even: 15.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2009 kWh 1547 kWh 462 kWh £407 £46 £453 £12,706 28.0 yrs £-3,637
3 kW 3013 kWh 2320 kWh 693 kWh £611 £69 £680 £14,333 21.1 yrs £-730
4 kW 4017 kWh 3093 kWh 924 kWh £814 £92 £907 £15,961 17.6 yrs £2,177
5 kW 5022 kWh 3867 kWh 1155 kWh £1,018 £116 £1,134 £17,589 15.5 yrs £5,084
6 kW 6026 kWh 4640 kWh 1386 kWh £1,222 £139 £1,360 £19,217 14.1 yrs £7,990
7 kW 7031 kWh 5414 kWh 1617 kWh £1,425 £162 £1,587 £20,844 13.1 yrs £10,897
8 kW 8035 kWh 6187 kWh 1848 kWh £1,629 £185 £1,814 £22,472 12.4 yrs £13,804

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, 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.

Before you request quotes in Cardiff

Use the numbers above to sanity-check installer quotes. The main things to compare are system size, battery assumptions, payback claims, MCS certification, DNO paperwork and export assumptions.

Compare solar quotes before you sign

Check what MCS certification means

Understand DNO, G98 and G99 export limits

New quote check

Want a quote sanity check for CF30?

Share the first part of your postcode and a few basics. We’ll help you check whether system size, battery, export and paperwork assumptions look sensible before you commit to installer conversations.

This is a practical sanity-check request, not an instant quote promise. The Blue Ape quote route above remains available if you already want installer introductions.

Request a quote sanity check →

Insights for CF30

Figures below are tailored to CF30 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #595 of 2996
9.8 years (UK avg 10.8 years)
~£830 /yr • £8,139 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1484 of 2996
25.4% (UK avg 26.6%) drag on savings
£211 fixed • ~£830 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −19.5% West −21.3%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Seasonal solar output in CF30

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 36 Jan 52 Feb 86 Mar 115 Apr 127 May 126 Jun 124 Jul 109 Aug 93 Sep 64 Oct 42 Nov 32 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 47.7% of an average month (Dec–Feb)

Best / worst month: May / Dec

These figures show output per kilowatt (kW) of panels installed. In winter, a 1 kW system here produces about 40 kWh per month; the average month produces around 84 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 160 kWh in winter, or 335 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.33p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
57.84p/day
Local Sunshine
1004kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1004 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

No EPC data available for this outcode

Coverage

Cardiff (100%)

Areas Covered

Llanrumney

Data Sources & Assumptions

Solar yield: PVGIS (EU Joint Research Centre), January 2025 data

Electricity rates: Ofgem price cap, Q3 2026

Installation costs: DESNZ/MCS data, March 2026 (TIC)

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

CF3 (Cardiff)
≈0.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,004 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CF30
CF23 (Cardiff)
≈2.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,004 kWh/kWp · -0% vs CF30
CF2 (Cardiff)
≈4.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,009 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CF30
CF24 (Cardiff)
≈4.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,009 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CF30
CF14 (Cardiff)
≈5.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,008 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CF30
CF95 (Cardiff)
≈5.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,009 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CF30

Similar sunshine across the UK

PE19 (Huntingdonshire)
~1,004 kWh/kWp · -0% vs CF30
E6 (Newham)
~1,004 kWh/kWp · -0% vs CF30
E15 (Newham)
~1,004 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CF30