Solar explained to clever people by people who are not trying to be clever

Solar Panels in DA16 (Bexley)

See if solar pays off for you in Bexley — 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
12.3 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£826
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£10,470
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

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 1016 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.6p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.6p/kWh
Standing charge
46.1p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1016 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: £826, Upfront: £10,173, 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 2032 kWh 813 kWh 1219 kWh £208 £122 £330 £4,069 12.3 yrs £2,537
3 kW 3048 kWh 1219 kWh 1829 kWh £313 £183 £495 £6,104 12.3 yrs £3,805
4 kW 4065 kWh 1626 kWh 2439 kWh £417 £244 £661 £8,138 12.3 yrs £5,073
5 kW 5081 kWh 2032 kWh 3048 kWh £521 £305 £826 £10,173 12.3 yrs £6,342
6 kW 6097 kWh 2439 kWh 3658 kWh £625 £366 £991 £12,207 12.3 yrs £7,610
7 kW 7113 kWh 2845 kWh 4268 kWh £729 £427 £1,156 £14,242 12.3 yrs £8,878
8 kW 8129 kWh 3252 kWh 4877 kWh £833 £488 £1,321 £16,276 12.3 yrs £10,147

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: £985, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 12.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2032 kWh 1219 kWh 813 kWh £313 £81 £394 £6,169 15.7 yrs £1,707
3 kW 3048 kWh 1829 kWh 1219 kWh £469 £122 £591 £8,204 13.9 yrs £3,611
4 kW 4065 kWh 2439 kWh 1626 kWh £625 £163 £788 £10,238 13.0 yrs £5,515
5 kW 5081 kWh 3048 kWh 2032 kWh £781 £203 £985 £12,273 12.5 yrs £7,418
6 kW 6097 kWh 3658 kWh 2439 kWh £938 £244 £1,181 £14,307 12.1 yrs £9,322
7 kW 7113 kWh 4268 kWh 2845 kWh £1,094 £285 £1,378 £16,342 11.9 yrs £11,225
8 kW 8129 kWh 4877 kWh 3252 kWh £1,250 £325 £1,575 £18,376 11.7 yrs £13,129

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: £1,064, Upfront: £13,673, 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 2032 kWh 1423 kWh 610 kWh £365 £61 £426 £7,569 17.8 yrs £943
3 kW 3048 kWh 2134 kWh 915 kWh £547 £91 £638 £9,604 15.0 yrs £3,164
4 kW 4065 kWh 2845 kWh 1219 kWh £729 £122 £851 £11,638 13.7 yrs £5,385
5 kW 5081 kWh 3556 kWh 1524 kWh £912 £152 £1,064 £13,673 12.9 yrs £7,606
6 kW 6097 kWh 4268 kWh 1829 kWh £1,094 £183 £1,277 £15,707 12.3 yrs £9,828
7 kW 7113 kWh 4979 kWh 2134 kWh £1,276 £213 £1,490 £17,742 11.9 yrs £12,049
8 kW 8129 kWh 5690 kWh 2439 kWh £1,458 £244 £1,702 £19,776 11.6 yrs £14,270

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: £1,088, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 14.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2032 kWh 1484 kWh 549 kWh £380 £55 £435 £9,319 21.4 yrs £-617
3 kW 3048 kWh 2225 kWh 823 kWh £570 £82 £653 £11,354 17.4 yrs £1,700
4 kW 4065 kWh 2967 kWh 1097 kWh £760 £110 £870 £13,388 15.4 yrs £4,016
5 kW 5081 kWh 3709 kWh 1372 kWh £951 £137 £1,088 £15,423 14.2 yrs £6,333
6 kW 6097 kWh 4451 kWh 1646 kWh £1,141 £165 £1,305 £17,457 13.4 yrs £8,649
7 kW 7113 kWh 5192 kWh 1921 kWh £1,331 £192 £1,523 £19,492 12.8 yrs £10,966
8 kW 8129 kWh 5934 kWh 2195 kWh £1,521 £219 £1,740 £21,526 12.4 yrs £13,283

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: £1,104, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 15.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2032 kWh 1524 kWh 508 kWh £391 £51 £441 £11,069 25.1 yrs £-2,240
3 kW 3048 kWh 2286 kWh 762 kWh £586 £76 £662 £13,104 19.8 yrs £140
4 kW 4065 kWh 3048 kWh 1016 kWh £781 £102 £883 £15,138 17.1 yrs £2,520
5 kW 5081 kWh 3811 kWh 1270 kWh £977 £127 £1,104 £17,173 15.6 yrs £4,901
6 kW 6097 kWh 4573 kWh 1524 kWh £1,172 £152 £1,324 £19,207 14.5 yrs £7,281
7 kW 7113 kWh 5335 kWh 1778 kWh £1,367 £178 £1,545 £21,242 13.7 yrs £9,661
8 kW 8129 kWh 6097 kWh 2032 kWh £1,563 £203 £1,766 £23,276 13.2 yrs £12,041

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: £1,120, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 17.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2032 kWh 1565 kWh 467 kWh £401 £47 £448 £13,519 30.2 yrs £-4,563
3 kW 3048 kWh 2347 kWh 701 kWh £602 £70 £672 £15,554 23.2 yrs £-2,119
4 kW 4065 kWh 3130 kWh 935 kWh £802 £93 £896 £17,588 19.6 yrs £325
5 kW 5081 kWh 3912 kWh 1169 kWh £1,003 £117 £1,120 £19,623 17.5 yrs £2,768
6 kW 6097 kWh 4695 kWh 1402 kWh £1,203 £140 £1,343 £21,657 16.1 yrs £5,212
7 kW 7113 kWh 5477 kWh 1636 kWh £1,404 £164 £1,567 £23,692 15.1 yrs £7,655
8 kW 8129 kWh 6259 kWh 1870 kWh £1,604 £187 £1,791 £25,726 14.4 yrs £10,099

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.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.63p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
46.06p/day
Local Sunshine
1016kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1016 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

Houses: 74% • Flats: 20% • Bungalows: 3% Based on 6,616 properties

Coverage

Bexley (100%)

Areas Covered

Falconwood & Welling, East Wickham, Crook Log, West Heath, Blackfen & Lamorbey, Shooters Hill

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.