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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in CH65 (Cheshire West and Chester)

See if solar pays off for you in Cheshire West and Chester — price, savings and payback in under a minute (official UK data).

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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
12.9 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,138
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£632
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£7,672
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 North Wales and Mersey, the current unit rate is 27.72p/kWh with a 69.95p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 925 kWh/kW — 5 below the regional median (930).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 4.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 925 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 27.7p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
27.7p/kWh
Standing charge
70.0p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
925 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: £790, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 12.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1850 kWh 740 kWh 1110 kWh £205 £111 £316 £4,069 12.9 yrs £2,255
3 kW 2776 kWh 1110 kWh 1665 kWh £308 £167 £474 £6,104 12.9 yrs £3,382
4 kW 3701 kWh 1480 kWh 2220 kWh £410 £222 £632 £8,138 12.9 yrs £4,510
5 kW 4626 kWh 1850 kWh 2776 kWh £513 £278 £790 £10,173 12.9 yrs £5,637
6 kW 5551 kWh 2220 kWh 3331 kWh £616 £333 £949 £12,207 12.9 yrs £6,765
7 kW 6476 kWh 2591 kWh 3886 kWh £718 £389 £1,107 £14,242 12.9 yrs £7,892
8 kW 7402 kWh 2961 kWh 4441 kWh £821 £444 £1,265 £16,276 12.9 yrs £9,019

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: £954, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 12.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1850 kWh 1110 kWh 740 kWh £308 £74 £382 £6,169 16.2 yrs £1,466
3 kW 2776 kWh 1665 kWh 1110 kWh £462 £111 £573 £8,204 14.3 yrs £3,250
4 kW 3701 kWh 2220 kWh 1480 kWh £616 £148 £764 £10,238 13.4 yrs £5,033
5 kW 4626 kWh 2776 kWh 1850 kWh £769 £185 £954 £12,273 12.9 yrs £6,816
6 kW 5551 kWh 3331 kWh 2220 kWh £923 £222 £1,145 £14,307 12.5 yrs £8,599
7 kW 6476 kWh 3886 kWh 2591 kWh £1,077 £259 £1,336 £16,342 12.2 yrs £10,382
8 kW 7402 kWh 4441 kWh 2961 kWh £1,231 £296 £1,527 £18,376 12.0 yrs £12,166

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: £1,036, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 13.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1850 kWh 1295 kWh 555 kWh £359 £56 £415 £7,569 18.3 yrs £722
3 kW 2776 kWh 1943 kWh 833 kWh £539 £83 £622 £9,604 15.4 yrs £2,833
4 kW 3701 kWh 2591 kWh 1110 kWh £718 £111 £829 £11,638 14.0 yrs £4,944
5 kW 4626 kWh 3238 kWh 1388 kWh £898 £139 £1,036 £13,673 13.2 yrs £7,055
6 kW 5551 kWh 3886 kWh 1665 kWh £1,077 £167 £1,244 £15,707 12.6 yrs £9,166
7 kW 6476 kWh 4533 kWh 1943 kWh £1,257 £194 £1,451 £17,742 12.2 yrs £11,278
8 kW 7402 kWh 5181 kWh 2220 kWh £1,436 £222 £1,658 £19,776 11.9 yrs £13,389

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: £1,061, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 14.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1850 kWh 1351 kWh 500 kWh £374 £50 £424 £9,319 22.0 yrs £-831
3 kW 2776 kWh 2026 kWh 749 kWh £562 £75 £637 £11,354 17.8 yrs £1,378
4 kW 3701 kWh 2702 kWh 999 kWh £749 £100 £849 £13,388 15.8 yrs £3,588
5 kW 4626 kWh 3377 kWh 1249 kWh £936 £125 £1,061 £15,423 14.5 yrs £5,797
6 kW 5551 kWh 4052 kWh 1499 kWh £1,123 £150 £1,273 £17,457 13.7 yrs £8,007
7 kW 6476 kWh 4728 kWh 1749 kWh £1,311 £175 £1,485 £19,492 13.1 yrs £10,216
8 kW 7402 kWh 5403 kWh 1998 kWh £1,498 £200 £1,698 £21,526 12.7 yrs £12,426

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: £1,077, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 15.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1850 kWh 1388 kWh 463 kWh £385 £46 £431 £11,069 25.7 yrs £-2,450
3 kW 2776 kWh 2082 kWh 694 kWh £577 £69 £646 £13,104 20.3 yrs £-175
4 kW 3701 kWh 2776 kWh 925 kWh £769 £93 £862 £15,138 17.6 yrs £2,100
5 kW 4626 kWh 3469 kWh 1156 kWh £962 £116 £1,077 £17,173 15.9 yrs £4,375
6 kW 5551 kWh 4163 kWh 1388 kWh £1,154 £139 £1,293 £19,207 14.9 yrs £6,650
7 kW 6476 kWh 4857 kWh 1619 kWh £1,346 £162 £1,508 £21,242 14.1 yrs £8,925
8 kW 7402 kWh 5551 kWh 1850 kWh £1,539 £185 £1,724 £23,276 13.5 yrs £11,200

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: £1,094, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 17.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1850 kWh 1425 kWh 426 kWh £395 £43 £438 £13,519 30.9 yrs £-4,769
3 kW 2776 kWh 2137 kWh 638 kWh £592 £64 £656 £15,554 23.7 yrs £-2,428
4 kW 3701 kWh 2850 kWh 851 kWh £790 £85 £875 £17,588 20.1 yrs £-88
5 kW 4626 kWh 3562 kWh 1064 kWh £987 £106 £1,094 £19,623 17.9 yrs £2,253
6 kW 5551 kWh 4274 kWh 1277 kWh £1,185 £128 £1,313 £21,657 16.5 yrs £4,594
7 kW 6476 kWh 4987 kWh 1490 kWh £1,382 £149 £1,531 £23,692 15.5 yrs £6,934
8 kW 7402 kWh 5699 kWh 1702 kWh £1,580 £170 £1,750 £25,726 14.7 yrs £9,275

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 CH65

Figures below are tailored to CH65 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1637 of 2182
4.6 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~10 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1327 of 2997
11.1 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£731 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2850 of 2997
34.9% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£255 fixed • ~£731 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.72p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
69.95p/day
Local Sunshine
925kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~925 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
4.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 68% • Flats: 24% • Bungalows: 6% Based on 9,744 properties

Coverage

Cheshire West and Chester (99%)|Wirral (1%)

Areas Covered

Central & Grange, Westminster, Whitby Park, Wolverham, Whitby Groves, Gowy Rural, Netherpool, Eastham + 2 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 North Wales and Mersey

L65 (Cheshire West and Chester)
≈0.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~925 kWh/kWp · -0% vs CH65
CH34 (Cheshire West and Chester)
≈1.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~925 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CH65
CH66 (Cheshire West and Chester)
≈2.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~932 kWh/kWp · +1% vs CH65
L66 (Cheshire West and Chester)
≈2.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~932 kWh/kWp · +1% vs CH65
L62 (Wirral)
≈8.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~925 kWh/kWp · -0% vs CH65
CH2 (Cheshire West and Chester)
≈8.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~930 kWh/kWp · +1% vs CH65

Similar sunshine across the UK

TS5 (Middlesbrough)
~925 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CH65
ST18 (Stafford)
~925 kWh/kWp · -0% vs CH65
NE21 (Gateshead)
~925 kWh/kWp · -0% vs CH65