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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in DE1 (Derby)

See if solar pays off for you in Derby — 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
13.3 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£6,104
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£460
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£5,406
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 East Midlands, the current unit rate is 25.55p/kWh with a 49.09p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 946 kWh/kW — 22 below the regional median (968).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 3.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 946 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
49.1p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
946 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: £767, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 13.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1892 kWh 757 kWh 1135 kWh £193 £114 £307 £4,069 13.3 yrs £2,069
3 kW 2838 kWh 1135 kWh 1703 kWh £290 £170 £460 £6,104 13.3 yrs £3,104
4 kW 3785 kWh 1514 kWh 2271 kWh £387 £227 £614 £8,138 13.3 yrs £4,139
5 kW 4731 kWh 1892 kWh 2838 kWh £483 £284 £767 £10,173 13.3 yrs £5,174
6 kW 5677 kWh 2271 kWh 3406 kWh £580 £341 £921 £12,207 13.3 yrs £6,208
7 kW 6623 kWh 2649 kWh 3974 kWh £677 £397 £1,074 £14,242 13.3 yrs £7,243
8 kW 7569 kWh 3028 kWh 4541 kWh £774 £454 £1,228 £16,276 13.3 yrs £8,278

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: £914, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 13.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1892 kWh 1135 kWh 757 kWh £290 £76 £366 £6,169 16.9 yrs £1,146
3 kW 2838 kWh 1703 kWh 1135 kWh £435 £114 £549 £8,204 15.0 yrs £2,770
4 kW 3785 kWh 2271 kWh 1514 kWh £580 £151 £732 £10,238 14.0 yrs £4,393
5 kW 4731 kWh 2838 kWh 1892 kWh £725 £189 £914 £12,273 13.4 yrs £6,016
6 kW 5677 kWh 3406 kWh 2271 kWh £870 £227 £1,097 £14,307 13.0 yrs £7,639
7 kW 6623 kWh 3974 kWh 2649 kWh £1,015 £265 £1,280 £16,342 12.8 yrs £9,263
8 kW 7569 kWh 4541 kWh 3028 kWh £1,160 £303 £1,463 £18,376 12.6 yrs £10,886

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: £988, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 13.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1892 kWh 1325 kWh 568 kWh £338 £57 £395 £7,569 19.2 yrs £335
3 kW 2838 kWh 1987 kWh 852 kWh £508 £85 £593 £9,604 16.2 yrs £2,252
4 kW 3785 kWh 2649 kWh 1135 kWh £677 £114 £790 £11,638 14.7 yrs £4,170
5 kW 4731 kWh 3311 kWh 1419 kWh £846 £142 £988 £13,673 13.8 yrs £6,087
6 kW 5677 kWh 3974 kWh 1703 kWh £1,015 £170 £1,186 £15,707 13.2 yrs £8,005
7 kW 6623 kWh 4636 kWh 1987 kWh £1,185 £199 £1,383 £17,742 12.8 yrs £9,922
8 kW 7569 kWh 5298 kWh 2271 kWh £1,354 £227 £1,581 £19,776 12.5 yrs £11,840

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: £1,010, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1892 kWh 1381 kWh 511 kWh £353 £51 £404 £9,319 23.1 yrs £-1,239
3 kW 2838 kWh 2072 kWh 766 kWh £529 £77 £606 £11,354 18.7 yrs £767
4 kW 3785 kWh 2763 kWh 1022 kWh £706 £102 £808 £13,388 16.6 yrs £2,773
5 kW 4731 kWh 3453 kWh 1277 kWh £882 £128 £1,010 £15,423 15.3 yrs £4,779
6 kW 5677 kWh 4144 kWh 1533 kWh £1,059 £153 £1,212 £17,457 14.4 yrs £6,784
7 kW 6623 kWh 4835 kWh 1788 kWh £1,235 £179 £1,414 £19,492 13.8 yrs £8,790
8 kW 7569 kWh 5525 kWh 2044 kWh £1,412 £204 £1,616 £21,526 13.3 yrs £10,796

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: £1,025, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 16.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1892 kWh 1419 kWh 473 kWh £363 £47 £410 £11,069 27.0 yrs £-2,871
3 kW 2838 kWh 2129 kWh 710 kWh £544 £71 £615 £13,104 21.3 yrs £-806
4 kW 3785 kWh 2838 kWh 946 kWh £725 £95 £820 £15,138 18.5 yrs £1,258
5 kW 4731 kWh 3548 kWh 1183 kWh £907 £118 £1,025 £17,173 16.8 yrs £3,323
6 kW 5677 kWh 4258 kWh 1419 kWh £1,088 £142 £1,230 £19,207 15.6 yrs £5,388
7 kW 6623 kWh 4967 kWh 1656 kWh £1,269 £166 £1,435 £21,242 14.8 yrs £7,452
8 kW 7569 kWh 5677 kWh 1892 kWh £1,450 £189 £1,640 £23,276 14.2 yrs £9,517

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: £1,039, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 18.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1892 kWh 1457 kWh 435 kWh £372 £44 £416 £13,519 32.5 yrs £-5,203
3 kW 2838 kWh 2186 kWh 653 kWh £558 £65 £624 £15,554 24.9 yrs £-3,080
4 kW 3785 kWh 2914 kWh 870 kWh £745 £87 £832 £17,588 21.1 yrs £-956
5 kW 4731 kWh 3643 kWh 1088 kWh £931 £109 £1,039 £19,623 18.9 yrs £1,167
6 kW 5677 kWh 4371 kWh 1306 kWh £1,117 £131 £1,247 £21,657 17.4 yrs £3,291
7 kW 6623 kWh 5100 kWh 1523 kWh £1,303 £152 £1,455 £23,692 16.3 yrs £5,414
8 kW 7569 kWh 5828 kWh 1741 kWh £1,489 £174 £1,663 £25,726 15.5 yrs £7,538

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 DE1

Figures below are tailored to DE1 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #2181 of 2182
3.3 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~7 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1842 of 2997
11.6 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£702 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2297 of 2997
25.5% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£179 fixed • ~£702 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.55p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
49.09p/day
Local Sunshine
946kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~946 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
3.0kW
For eligible homes in this area

⚠️ This area is predominantly flats. Many residents require freeholder approval for solar installations. System size shown reflects houses and bungalows only.

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 28% • Flats: 69% • Bungalows: 0% Based on 9,527 properties

Coverage

Derby (100%)

Areas Covered

Arboretum, Darley, Abbey, Mackworth & New Zealand, Alvaston North, Chaddesden West, Etwall, Spondon + 4 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 East Midlands

DE99 (Derby)
≈0.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~946 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DE1
DE2 (Derby)
≈1.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~960 kWh/kWp · +1% vs DE1
DE3 (Derby)
≈2.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~948 kWh/kWp · +0% vs DE1
DE22 (Derby)
≈2.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~946 kWh/kWp · +0% vs DE1
DE21 (Derby)
≈2.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~952 kWh/kWp · +1% vs DE1
DE23 (Derby)
≈2.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~953 kWh/kWp · +1% vs DE1

Similar sunshine across the UK

YO95 (East Riding of Yorkshire)
~946 kWh/kWp · +0% vs DE1
YO19 (York)
~946 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DE1
WV16 (Shropshire)
~946 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DE1