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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in CT4 (Canterbury)

See if solar pays off for you in Canterbury — 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
11.2 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£1,093
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£15,122
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 East, the current unit rate is 26.92p/kWh with a 47.60p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 1087 kWh/kW — 58 above the regional median (1029).

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 1087 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.9p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.9p/kWh
Standing charge
47.6p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1087 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: £911, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 11.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2173 kWh 869 kWh 1304 kWh £234 £130 £364 £4,069 11.2 yrs £3,219
3 kW 3260 kWh 1304 kWh 1956 kWh £351 £196 £547 £6,104 11.2 yrs £4,828
4 kW 4346 kWh 1738 kWh 2608 kWh £468 £261 £729 £8,138 11.2 yrs £6,437
5 kW 5433 kWh 2173 kWh 3260 kWh £585 £326 £911 £10,173 11.2 yrs £8,047
6 kW 6519 kWh 2608 kWh 3912 kWh £702 £391 £1,093 £12,207 11.2 yrs £9,656
7 kW 7606 kWh 3042 kWh 4563 kWh £819 £456 £1,275 £14,242 11.2 yrs £11,265
8 kW 8692 kWh 3477 kWh 5215 kWh £936 £522 £1,458 £16,276 11.2 yrs £12,874

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: £1,095, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 11.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2173 kWh 1304 kWh 869 kWh £351 £87 £438 £6,169 14.1 yrs £2,589
3 kW 3260 kWh 1956 kWh 1304 kWh £526 £130 £657 £8,204 12.5 yrs £4,934
4 kW 4346 kWh 2608 kWh 1738 kWh £702 £174 £876 £10,238 11.7 yrs £7,279
5 kW 5433 kWh 3260 kWh 2173 kWh £877 £217 £1,095 £12,273 11.2 yrs £9,623
6 kW 6519 kWh 3912 kWh 2608 kWh £1,053 £261 £1,314 £14,307 10.9 yrs £11,968
7 kW 7606 kWh 4563 kWh 3042 kWh £1,228 £304 £1,533 £16,342 10.7 yrs £14,313
8 kW 8692 kWh 5215 kWh 3477 kWh £1,404 £348 £1,752 £18,376 10.5 yrs £16,657

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: £1,187, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 11.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2173 kWh 1521 kWh 652 kWh £409 £65 £475 £7,569 15.9 yrs £1,925
3 kW 3260 kWh 2282 kWh 978 kWh £614 £98 £712 £9,604 13.5 yrs £4,637
4 kW 4346 kWh 3042 kWh 1304 kWh £819 £130 £949 £11,638 12.3 yrs £7,349
5 kW 5433 kWh 3803 kWh 1630 kWh £1,024 £163 £1,187 £13,673 11.5 yrs £10,062
6 kW 6519 kWh 4563 kWh 1956 kWh £1,228 £196 £1,424 £15,707 11.0 yrs £12,774
7 kW 7606 kWh 5324 kWh 2282 kWh £1,433 £228 £1,661 £17,742 10.7 yrs £15,487
8 kW 8692 kWh 6085 kWh 2608 kWh £1,638 £261 £1,899 £19,776 10.4 yrs £18,199

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: £1,214, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 12.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2173 kWh 1586 kWh 587 kWh £427 £59 £486 £9,319 19.2 yrs £395
3 kW 3260 kWh 2380 kWh 880 kWh £641 £88 £729 £11,354 15.6 yrs £3,218
4 kW 4346 kWh 3173 kWh 1173 kWh £854 £117 £971 £13,388 13.8 yrs £6,041
5 kW 5433 kWh 3966 kWh 1467 kWh £1,068 £147 £1,214 £15,423 12.7 yrs £8,863
6 kW 6519 kWh 4759 kWh 1760 kWh £1,281 £176 £1,457 £17,457 12.0 yrs £11,686
7 kW 7606 kWh 5552 kWh 2054 kWh £1,495 £205 £1,700 £19,492 11.5 yrs £14,509
8 kW 8692 kWh 6345 kWh 2347 kWh £1,708 £235 £1,943 £21,526 11.1 yrs £17,331

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: £1,233, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 13.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2173 kWh 1630 kWh 543 kWh £439 £54 £493 £11,069 22.4 yrs £-1,208
3 kW 3260 kWh 2445 kWh 815 kWh £658 £81 £740 £13,104 17.7 yrs £1,689
4 kW 4346 kWh 3260 kWh 1087 kWh £877 £109 £986 £15,138 15.4 yrs £4,585
5 kW 5433 kWh 4075 kWh 1358 kWh £1,097 £136 £1,233 £17,173 13.9 yrs £7,481
6 kW 6519 kWh 4889 kWh 1630 kWh £1,316 £163 £1,479 £19,207 13.0 yrs £10,377
7 kW 7606 kWh 5704 kWh 1901 kWh £1,536 £190 £1,726 £21,242 12.3 yrs £13,273
8 kW 8692 kWh 6519 kWh 2173 kWh £1,755 £217 £1,972 £23,276 11.8 yrs £16,170

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: £1,251, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 15.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2173 kWh 1673 kWh 500 kWh £450 £50 £500 £13,519 27.0 yrs £-3,511
3 kW 3260 kWh 2510 kWh 750 kWh £676 £75 £751 £15,554 20.7 yrs £-541
4 kW 4346 kWh 3347 kWh 1000 kWh £901 £100 £1,001 £17,588 17.6 yrs £2,429
5 kW 5433 kWh 4183 kWh 1250 kWh £1,126 £125 £1,251 £19,623 15.7 yrs £5,399
6 kW 6519 kWh 5020 kWh 1499 kWh £1,351 £150 £1,501 £21,657 14.4 yrs £8,368
7 kW 7606 kWh 5856 kWh 1749 kWh £1,577 £175 £1,751 £23,692 13.5 yrs £11,338
8 kW 8692 kWh 6693 kWh 1999 kWh £1,802 £200 £2,002 £25,726 12.9 yrs £14,308

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 CT4

Figures below are tailored to CT4 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #128 of 2182
6.4 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~13 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #93 of 2997
9.7 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£1,259 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #80 of 2997
13.8% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£174 fixed • ~£1,259 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.92p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
47.60p/day
Local Sunshine
1087kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1087 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: 70% • Flats: 8% • Bungalows: 22% Based on 4,044 properties

Coverage

Canterbury (67%)|Folkestone and Hythe (16%)|Ashford (15%)|Dover (3%)

Areas Covered

Chartham & Stone Street, Nailbourne, Downs North, North Downs East, North Downs West, Northgate, Little Stour & Adisham, Dover Downs & River + 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 South East

CT1 (Canterbury)
≈4.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,063 kWh/kWp · -2% vs CT4
CT2 (Canterbury)
≈5.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,087 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CT4
CT3 (Dover)
≈9.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,106 kWh/kWp · +2% vs CT4
CT5 (Canterbury)
≈13.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,047 kWh/kWp · -4% vs CT4
CT6 (Canterbury)
≈14.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,069 kWh/kWp · -2% vs CT4
ME13 (Swale)
≈15.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,044 kWh/kWp · -4% vs CT4

Similar sunshine across the UK

CO15 (Tendring)
~1,086 kWh/kWp · -0% vs CT4
PO7 (Havant)
~1,086 kWh/kWp · -0% vs CT4
BH2 (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole)
~1,087 kWh/kWp · +0% vs CT4