Solar explained to clever people by people who are not trying to be clever
Home Regions
Insights
Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in CF71 (Vale of Glamorgan)

See if solar pays off for you in Vale of Glamorgan — 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
11.7 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£1,047
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£13,974
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

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 1043 kWh/kW — 75 above the regional median (968).

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 1043 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)
1043 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: £873, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 11.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2086 kWh 835 kWh 1252 kWh £224 £125 £349 £4,069 11.7 yrs £2,913
3 kW 3129 kWh 1252 kWh 1878 kWh £336 £188 £524 £6,104 11.7 yrs £4,369
4 kW 4173 kWh 1669 kWh 2504 kWh £448 £250 £698 £8,138 11.7 yrs £5,825
5 kW 5216 kWh 2086 kWh 3129 kWh £560 £313 £873 £10,173 11.7 yrs £7,282
6 kW 6259 kWh 2504 kWh 3755 kWh £672 £376 £1,047 £12,207 11.7 yrs £8,738
7 kW 7302 kWh 2921 kWh 4381 kWh £784 £438 £1,222 £14,242 11.7 yrs £10,194
8 kW 8345 kWh 3338 kWh 5007 kWh £896 £501 £1,396 £16,276 11.7 yrs £11,651

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: £1,048, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 11.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2086 kWh 1252 kWh 835 kWh £336 £83 £419 £6,169 14.7 yrs £2,217
3 kW 3129 kWh 1878 kWh 1252 kWh £504 £125 £629 £8,204 13.0 yrs £4,376
4 kW 4173 kWh 2504 kWh 1669 kWh £672 £167 £839 £10,238 12.2 yrs £6,534
5 kW 5216 kWh 3129 kWh 2086 kWh £840 £209 £1,048 £12,273 11.7 yrs £8,693
6 kW 6259 kWh 3755 kWh 2504 kWh £1,008 £250 £1,258 £14,307 11.4 yrs £10,851
7 kW 7302 kWh 4381 kWh 2921 kWh £1,175 £292 £1,468 £16,342 11.1 yrs £13,010
8 kW 8345 kWh 5007 kWh 3338 kWh £1,343 £334 £1,677 £18,376 11.0 yrs £15,169

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: £1,136, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 12.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2086 kWh 1460 kWh 626 kWh £392 £63 £454 £7,569 16.7 yrs £1,519
3 kW 3129 kWh 2191 kWh 939 kWh £588 £94 £682 £9,604 14.1 yrs £4,029
4 kW 4173 kWh 2921 kWh 1252 kWh £784 £125 £909 £11,638 12.8 yrs £6,539
5 kW 5216 kWh 3651 kWh 1565 kWh £980 £156 £1,136 £13,673 12.0 yrs £9,049
6 kW 6259 kWh 4381 kWh 1878 kWh £1,175 £188 £1,363 £15,707 11.5 yrs £11,558
7 kW 7302 kWh 5111 kWh 2191 kWh £1,371 £219 £1,590 £17,742 11.2 yrs £14,068
8 kW 8345 kWh 5842 kWh 2504 kWh £1,567 £250 £1,818 £19,776 10.9 yrs £16,578

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: £1,162, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 13.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2086 kWh 1523 kWh 563 kWh £409 £56 £465 £9,319 20.0 yrs £-20
3 kW 3129 kWh 2285 kWh 845 kWh £613 £84 £697 £11,354 16.3 yrs £2,595
4 kW 4173 kWh 3046 kWh 1127 kWh £817 £113 £930 £13,388 14.4 yrs £5,210
5 kW 5216 kWh 3808 kWh 1408 kWh £1,022 £141 £1,162 £15,423 13.3 yrs £7,825
6 kW 6259 kWh 4569 kWh 1690 kWh £1,226 £169 £1,395 £17,457 12.5 yrs £10,440
7 kW 7302 kWh 5331 kWh 1972 kWh £1,430 £197 £1,627 £19,492 12.0 yrs £13,055
8 kW 8345 kWh 6092 kWh 2253 kWh £1,634 £225 £1,860 £21,526 11.6 yrs £15,670

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: £1,180, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 14.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2086 kWh 1565 kWh 522 kWh £420 £52 £472 £11,069 23.5 yrs £-1,629
3 kW 3129 kWh 2347 kWh 782 kWh £630 £78 £708 £13,104 18.5 yrs £1,056
4 kW 4173 kWh 3129 kWh 1043 kWh £840 £104 £944 £15,138 16.0 yrs £3,741
5 kW 5216 kWh 3912 kWh 1304 kWh £1,050 £130 £1,180 £17,173 14.6 yrs £6,426
6 kW 6259 kWh 4694 kWh 1565 kWh £1,259 £156 £1,416 £19,207 13.6 yrs £9,112
7 kW 7302 kWh 5477 kWh 1826 kWh £1,469 £183 £1,652 £21,242 12.9 yrs £11,797
8 kW 8345 kWh 6259 kWh 2086 kWh £1,679 £209 £1,888 £23,276 12.3 yrs £14,482

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: £1,198, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 16.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2086 kWh 1606 kWh 480 kWh £431 £48 £479 £13,519 28.2 yrs £-3,939
3 kW 3129 kWh 2410 kWh 720 kWh £647 £72 £719 £15,554 21.6 yrs £-1,184
4 kW 4173 kWh 3213 kWh 960 kWh £862 £96 £958 £17,588 18.4 yrs £1,572
5 kW 5216 kWh 4016 kWh 1200 kWh £1,078 £120 £1,198 £19,623 16.4 yrs £4,327
6 kW 6259 kWh 4819 kWh 1440 kWh £1,293 £144 £1,437 £21,657 15.1 yrs £7,083
7 kW 7302 kWh 5623 kWh 1679 kWh £1,509 £168 £1,677 £23,692 14.1 yrs £9,838
8 kW 8345 kWh 6426 kWh 1919 kWh £1,724 £192 £1,916 £25,726 13.4 yrs £12,594

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 CF71

Figures below are tailored to CF71 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #89 of 2182
6.7 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~14 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #210 of 2997
10.1 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£1,205 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #524 of 2997
15.7% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£189 fixed • ~£1,205 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.83p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
51.69p/day
Local Sunshine
1043kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1043 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: 78% • Flats: 12% • Bungalows: 9% Based on 2,594 properties

Coverage

Vale of Glamorgan (100%)

Areas Covered

Cowbridge, Llandow, Peterston-super-Ely, St Bride's Major, St Nicholas and Llancarfan

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

CF61 (Vale of Glamorgan)
≈5.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,043 kWh/kWp · -0% vs CF71
CF7 (Rhondda Cynon Taf)
≈7.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,043 kWh/kWp · -0% vs CF71
CF35 (Bridgend)
≈8.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,052 kWh/kWp · +1% vs CF71
CF72 (Rhondda Cynon Taf)
≈9.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,011 kWh/kWp · -3% vs CF71
CF31 (Bridgend)
≈9.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,020 kWh/kWp · -2% vs CF71
CF32 (Bridgend)
≈13.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,031 kWh/kWp · -1% vs CF71

Similar sunshine across the UK

DT7 (Dorset)
~1,043 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CF71
PL95 (Plymouth)
~1,043 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CF71
EX13 (East Devon)
~1,043 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CF71