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

Solar Panels in DA8 (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
£828
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£10,520
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 1019 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)
1019 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: £828, 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 2037 kWh 815 kWh 1222 kWh £209 £122 £331 £4,069 12.3 yrs £2,553
3 kW 3056 kWh 1222 kWh 1833 kWh £313 £183 £497 £6,104 12.3 yrs £3,829
4 kW 4074 kWh 1630 kWh 2445 kWh £418 £244 £662 £8,138 12.3 yrs £5,105
5 kW 5093 kWh 2037 kWh 3056 kWh £522 £306 £828 £10,173 12.3 yrs £6,382
6 kW 6112 kWh 2445 kWh 3667 kWh £627 £367 £993 £12,207 12.3 yrs £7,658
7 kW 7130 kWh 2852 kWh 4278 kWh £731 £428 £1,159 £14,242 12.3 yrs £8,934
8 kW 8149 kWh 3260 kWh 4889 kWh £835 £489 £1,324 £16,276 12.3 yrs £10,211

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: £987, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 12.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2037 kWh 1222 kWh 815 kWh £313 £81 £395 £6,169 15.6 yrs £1,726
3 kW 3056 kWh 1833 kWh 1222 kWh £470 £122 £592 £8,204 13.9 yrs £3,640
4 kW 4074 kWh 2445 kWh 1630 kWh £627 £163 £790 £10,238 13.0 yrs £5,553
5 kW 5093 kWh 3056 kWh 2037 kWh £783 £204 £987 £12,273 12.4 yrs £7,466
6 kW 6112 kWh 3667 kWh 2445 kWh £940 £244 £1,184 £14,307 12.1 yrs £9,379
7 kW 7130 kWh 4278 kWh 2852 kWh £1,096 £285 £1,382 £16,342 11.8 yrs £11,292
8 kW 8149 kWh 4889 kWh 3260 kWh £1,253 £326 £1,579 £18,376 11.6 yrs £13,205

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: £1,067, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 12.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2037 kWh 1426 kWh 611 kWh £365 £61 £427 £7,569 17.7 yrs £963
3 kW 3056 kWh 2139 kWh 917 kWh £548 £92 £640 £9,604 15.0 yrs £3,195
4 kW 4074 kWh 2852 kWh 1222 kWh £731 £122 £853 £11,638 13.6 yrs £5,426
5 kW 5093 kWh 3565 kWh 1528 kWh £914 £153 £1,067 £13,673 12.8 yrs £7,658
6 kW 6112 kWh 4278 kWh 1833 kWh £1,096 £183 £1,280 £15,707 12.3 yrs £9,890
7 kW 7130 kWh 4991 kWh 2139 kWh £1,279 £214 £1,493 £17,742 11.9 yrs £12,121
8 kW 8149 kWh 5704 kWh 2445 kWh £1,462 £244 £1,706 £19,776 11.6 yrs £14,353

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: £1,090, Upfront: £15,423, 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 2037 kWh 1487 kWh 550 kWh £381 £55 £436 £9,319 21.4 yrs £-596
3 kW 3056 kWh 2231 kWh 825 kWh £572 £83 £654 £11,354 17.4 yrs £1,731
4 kW 4074 kWh 2974 kWh 1100 kWh £762 £110 £872 £13,388 15.3 yrs £4,058
5 kW 5093 kWh 3718 kWh 1375 kWh £953 £138 £1,090 £15,423 14.1 yrs £6,386
6 kW 6112 kWh 4461 kWh 1650 kWh £1,143 £165 £1,308 £17,457 13.3 yrs £8,713
7 kW 7130 kWh 5205 kWh 1925 kWh £1,334 £193 £1,527 £19,492 12.8 yrs £11,040
8 kW 8149 kWh 5949 kWh 2200 kWh £1,525 £220 £1,745 £21,526 12.3 yrs £13,367

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: £1,106, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 15.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2037 kWh 1528 kWh 509 kWh £392 £51 £443 £11,069 25.0 yrs £-2,218
3 kW 3056 kWh 2292 kWh 764 kWh £587 £76 £664 £13,104 19.7 yrs £172
4 kW 4074 kWh 3056 kWh 1019 kWh £783 £102 £885 £15,138 17.1 yrs £2,563
5 kW 5093 kWh 3820 kWh 1273 kWh £979 £127 £1,106 £17,173 15.5 yrs £4,954
6 kW 6112 kWh 4584 kWh 1528 kWh £1,175 £153 £1,328 £19,207 14.5 yrs £7,345
7 kW 7130 kWh 5348 kWh 1783 kWh £1,371 £178 £1,549 £21,242 13.7 yrs £9,736
8 kW 8149 kWh 6112 kWh 2037 kWh £1,566 £204 £1,770 £23,276 13.1 yrs £12,126

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: £1,122, 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 2037 kWh 1569 kWh 469 kWh £402 £47 £449 £13,519 30.1 yrs £-4,541
3 kW 3056 kWh 2353 kWh 703 kWh £603 £70 £673 £15,554 23.1 yrs £-2,087
4 kW 4074 kWh 3137 kWh 937 kWh £804 £94 £898 £17,588 19.6 yrs £368
5 kW 5093 kWh 3922 kWh 1171 kWh £1,005 £117 £1,122 £19,623 17.5 yrs £2,822
6 kW 6112 kWh 4706 kWh 1406 kWh £1,206 £141 £1,347 £21,657 16.1 yrs £5,277
7 kW 7130 kWh 5490 kWh 1640 kWh £1,407 £164 £1,571 £23,692 15.1 yrs £7,731
8 kW 8149 kWh 6275 kWh 1874 kWh £1,608 £187 £1,796 £25,726 14.3 yrs £10,186

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
1019kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1019 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: 48% • Flats: 46% • Bungalows: 4% Based on 14,162 properties

Coverage

Bexley (100%)

Areas Covered

Slade Green & Northend, Erith, Northumberland Heath, Barnehurst, Belvedere, Bexleyheath

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.