Solar panel cost in Folkestone and Hythe (CT21)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for CT21 (Folkestone and Hythe) 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

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System Size

Roof Direction

Battery Storage

Export Value

Your Numbers

Break-even
9.0 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£9,767
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£1,090
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£17,475
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: 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

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 1090 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.7p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.7p/kWh
Standing charge
54.5p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1090 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: £908, Upfront: £8,139, Break-even: 9.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2179 kWh 872 kWh 1307 kWh £232 £131 £363 £3,256 9.0 yrs £4,009
3 kW 3269 kWh 1307 kWh 1961 kWh £349 £196 £545 £4,883 9.0 yrs £6,013
4 kW 4358 kWh 1743 kWh 2615 kWh £465 £261 £726 £6,511 9.0 yrs £8,018
5 kW 5448 kWh 2179 kWh 3269 kWh £581 £327 £908 £8,139 9.0 yrs £10,022
6 kW 6537 kWh 2615 kWh 3922 kWh £697 £392 £1,090 £9,767 9.0 yrs £12,026
7 kW 7627 kWh 3051 kWh 4576 kWh £814 £458 £1,271 £11,394 9.0 yrs £14,031
8 kW 8716 kWh 3487 kWh 5230 kWh £930 £523 £1,453 £13,022 9.0 yrs £16,035

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: £1,090, Upfront: £10,239, Break-even: 9.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2179 kWh 1307 kWh 872 kWh £349 £87 £436 £5,356 12.3 yrs £3,362
3 kW 3269 kWh 1961 kWh 1307 kWh £523 £131 £654 £6,983 10.7 yrs £6,093
4 kW 4358 kWh 2615 kWh 1743 kWh £697 £174 £872 £8,611 9.9 yrs £8,824
5 kW 5448 kWh 3269 kWh 2179 kWh £872 £218 £1,090 £10,239 9.4 yrs £11,555
6 kW 6537 kWh 3922 kWh 2615 kWh £1,046 £261 £1,308 £11,867 9.1 yrs £14,285
7 kW 7627 kWh 4576 kWh 3051 kWh £1,220 £305 £1,526 £13,494 8.8 yrs £17,016
8 kW 8716 kWh 5230 kWh 3487 kWh £1,395 £349 £1,743 £15,122 8.7 yrs £19,747

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: £1,180, Upfront: £11,639, Break-even: 9.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2179 kWh 1525 kWh 654 kWh £407 £65 £472 £6,756 14.3 yrs £2,688
3 kW 3269 kWh 2288 kWh 981 kWh £610 £98 £708 £8,383 11.8 yrs £5,783
4 kW 4358 kWh 3051 kWh 1307 kWh £814 £131 £944 £10,011 10.6 yrs £8,877
5 kW 5448 kWh 3813 kWh 1634 kWh £1,017 £163 £1,180 £11,639 9.9 yrs £11,971
6 kW 6537 kWh 4576 kWh 1961 kWh £1,220 £196 £1,417 £13,267 9.4 yrs £15,065
7 kW 7627 kWh 5339 kWh 2288 kWh £1,424 £229 £1,653 £14,894 9.0 yrs £18,159
8 kW 8716 kWh 6102 kWh 2615 kWh £1,627 £261 £1,889 £16,522 8.7 yrs £21,253

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: £1,208, Upfront: £13,389, Break-even: 11.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2179 kWh 1591 kWh 588 kWh £424 £59 £483 £8,506 17.6 yrs £1,156
3 kW 3269 kWh 2386 kWh 883 kWh £636 £88 £725 £10,133 14.0 yrs £4,359
4 kW 4358 kWh 3182 kWh 1177 kWh £849 £118 £966 £11,761 12.2 yrs £7,563
5 kW 5448 kWh 3977 kWh 1471 kWh £1,061 £147 £1,208 £13,389 11.1 yrs £10,766
6 kW 6537 kWh 4772 kWh 1765 kWh £1,273 £177 £1,449 £15,017 10.4 yrs £13,969
7 kW 7627 kWh 5568 kWh 2059 kWh £1,485 £206 £1,691 £16,644 9.8 yrs £17,172
8 kW 8716 kWh 6363 kWh 2353 kWh £1,697 £235 £1,932 £18,272 9.5 yrs £20,375

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: £1,226, Upfront: £15,139, Break-even: 12.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2179 kWh 1634 kWh 545 kWh £436 £54 £490 £10,256 20.9 yrs £-448
3 kW 3269 kWh 2452 kWh 817 kWh £654 £82 £736 £11,883 16.2 yrs £2,827
4 kW 4358 kWh 3269 kWh 1090 kWh £872 £109 £981 £13,511 13.8 yrs £6,103
5 kW 5448 kWh 4086 kWh 1362 kWh £1,090 £136 £1,226 £15,139 12.3 yrs £9,379
6 kW 6537 kWh 4903 kWh 1634 kWh £1,308 £163 £1,471 £16,767 11.4 yrs £12,655
7 kW 7627 kWh 5720 kWh 1907 kWh £1,526 £191 £1,716 £18,394 10.7 yrs £15,931
8 kW 8716 kWh 6537 kWh 2179 kWh £1,744 £218 £1,961 £20,022 10.2 yrs £19,206

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: £1,244, Upfront: £17,589, Break-even: 14.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2179 kWh 1678 kWh 501 kWh £448 £50 £498 £12,706 25.5 yrs £-2,753
3 kW 3269 kWh 2517 kWh 752 kWh £671 £75 £746 £14,333 19.2 yrs £595
4 kW 4358 kWh 3356 kWh 1002 kWh £895 £100 £995 £15,961 16.0 yrs £3,944
5 kW 5448 kWh 4195 kWh 1253 kWh £1,119 £125 £1,244 £17,589 14.1 yrs £7,292
6 kW 6537 kWh 5034 kWh 1504 kWh £1,343 £150 £1,493 £19,217 12.9 yrs £10,641
7 kW 7627 kWh 5873 kWh 1754 kWh £1,566 £175 £1,742 £20,844 12.0 yrs £13,989
8 kW 8716 kWh 6712 kWh 2005 kWh £1,790 £200 £1,990 £22,472 11.3 yrs £17,338

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 Folkestone and Hythe

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.

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Seasonal solar output in CT21

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 38 Jan 55 Feb 92 Mar 125 Apr 132 May 137 Jun 137 Jul 121 Aug 102 Sep 70 Oct 44 Nov 36 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 47.0% of an average month (Dec–Feb)

Best / worst month: Jun / Dec

These figures show output per kilowatt (kW) of panels installed. In winter, a 1 kW system here produces about 43 kWh per month; the average month produces around 91 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 171 kWh in winter, or 363 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.67p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
54.45p/day
Local Sunshine
1090kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1090 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: 59% • Flats: 27% • Bungalows: 13% Based on 5,619 properties

Coverage

Folkestone and Hythe (100%)

Areas Covered

Hythe, Hythe Rural, North Downs West, Romney Marsh, Sandgate & West Folkestone, Folkestone Harbour, East Folkestone, North Downs East

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.