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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in DE74 (North West Leicestershire)

See if solar pays off for you in North West Leicestershire — 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
13.0 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£780
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£9,338
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 962 kWh/kW — 6 below the regional median (968).

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 962 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)
962 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: £780, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 13.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1925 kWh 770 kWh 1155 kWh £197 £115 £312 £4,069 13.0 yrs £2,174
3 kW 2887 kWh 1155 kWh 1732 kWh £295 £173 £468 £6,104 13.0 yrs £3,261
4 kW 3849 kWh 1540 kWh 2309 kWh £393 £231 £624 £8,138 13.0 yrs £4,349
5 kW 4811 kWh 1925 kWh 2887 kWh £492 £289 £780 £10,173 13.0 yrs £5,436
6 kW 5774 kWh 2309 kWh 3464 kWh £590 £346 £936 £12,207 13.0 yrs £6,523
7 kW 6736 kWh 2694 kWh 4042 kWh £688 £404 £1,093 £14,242 13.0 yrs £7,610
8 kW 7698 kWh 3079 kWh 4619 kWh £787 £462 £1,249 £16,276 13.0 yrs £8,697

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: £930, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 13.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1925 kWh 1155 kWh 770 kWh £295 £77 £372 £6,169 16.6 yrs £1,271
3 kW 2887 kWh 1732 kWh 1155 kWh £443 £115 £558 £8,204 14.7 yrs £2,957
4 kW 3849 kWh 2309 kWh 1540 kWh £590 £154 £744 £10,238 13.8 yrs £4,643
5 kW 4811 kWh 2887 kWh 1925 kWh £738 £192 £930 £12,273 13.2 yrs £6,328
6 kW 5774 kWh 3464 kWh 2309 kWh £885 £231 £1,116 £14,307 12.8 yrs £8,014
7 kW 6736 kWh 4042 kWh 2694 kWh £1,033 £269 £1,302 £16,342 12.6 yrs £9,700
8 kW 7698 kWh 4619 kWh 3079 kWh £1,180 £308 £1,488 £18,376 12.3 yrs £11,385

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: £1,005, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 13.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1925 kWh 1347 kWh 577 kWh £344 £58 £402 £7,569 18.8 yrs £470
3 kW 2887 kWh 2021 kWh 866 kWh £516 £87 £603 £9,604 15.9 yrs £2,455
4 kW 3849 kWh 2694 kWh 1155 kWh £688 £115 £804 £11,638 14.5 yrs £4,440
5 kW 4811 kWh 3368 kWh 1443 kWh £861 £144 £1,005 £13,673 13.6 yrs £6,425
6 kW 5774 kWh 4042 kWh 1732 kWh £1,033 £173 £1,206 £15,707 13.0 yrs £8,410
7 kW 6736 kWh 4715 kWh 2021 kWh £1,205 £202 £1,407 £17,742 12.6 yrs £10,395
8 kW 7698 kWh 5389 kWh 2309 kWh £1,377 £231 £1,608 £19,776 12.3 yrs £12,379

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: £1,027, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1925 kWh 1405 kWh 520 kWh £359 £52 £411 £9,319 22.7 yrs £-1,101
3 kW 2887 kWh 2107 kWh 779 kWh £538 £78 £616 £11,354 18.4 yrs £974
4 kW 3849 kWh 2810 kWh 1039 kWh £718 £104 £822 £13,388 16.3 yrs £3,049
5 kW 4811 kWh 3512 kWh 1299 kWh £897 £130 £1,027 £15,423 15.0 yrs £5,124
6 kW 5774 kWh 4215 kWh 1559 kWh £1,077 £156 £1,233 £17,457 14.2 yrs £7,198
7 kW 6736 kWh 4917 kWh 1819 kWh £1,256 £182 £1,438 £19,492 13.6 yrs £9,273
8 kW 7698 kWh 5620 kWh 2079 kWh £1,436 £208 £1,644 £21,526 13.1 yrs £11,348

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: £1,042, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 16.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1925 kWh 1443 kWh 481 kWh £369 £48 £417 £11,069 26.6 yrs £-2,731
3 kW 2887 kWh 2165 kWh 722 kWh £553 £72 £625 £13,104 21.0 yrs £-596
4 kW 3849 kWh 2887 kWh 962 kWh £738 £96 £834 £15,138 18.2 yrs £1,538
5 kW 4811 kWh 3609 kWh 1203 kWh £922 £120 £1,042 £17,173 16.5 yrs £3,673
6 kW 5774 kWh 4330 kWh 1443 kWh £1,106 £144 £1,251 £19,207 15.4 yrs £5,807
7 kW 6736 kWh 5052 kWh 1684 kWh £1,291 £168 £1,459 £21,242 14.6 yrs £7,942
8 kW 7698 kWh 5774 kWh 1925 kWh £1,475 £192 £1,668 £23,276 14.0 yrs £10,077

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: £1,057, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 18.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1925 kWh 1482 kWh 443 kWh £379 £44 £423 £13,519 32.0 yrs £-5,061
3 kW 2887 kWh 2223 kWh 664 kWh £568 £66 £634 £15,554 24.5 yrs £-2,867
4 kW 3849 kWh 2964 kWh 885 kWh £757 £89 £846 £17,588 20.8 yrs £-672
5 kW 4811 kWh 3705 kWh 1107 kWh £947 £111 £1,057 £19,623 18.6 yrs £1,522
6 kW 5774 kWh 4446 kWh 1328 kWh £1,136 £133 £1,269 £21,657 17.1 yrs £3,717
7 kW 6736 kWh 5187 kWh 1549 kWh £1,325 £155 £1,480 £23,692 16.0 yrs £5,911
8 kW 7698 kWh 5928 kWh 1771 kWh £1,515 £177 £1,692 £25,726 15.2 yrs £8,105

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 DE74

Figures below are tailored to DE74 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #800 of 2182
5.3 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~11 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1671 of 2997
11.4 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£893 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1411 of 2997
20.1% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£179 fixed • ~£893 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.55p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
49.09p/day
Local Sunshine
962kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~962 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: 80% • Flats: 10% • Bungalows: 9% Based on 3,991 properties

Coverage

North West Leicestershire (89%)|Derby (10%)|Rushcliffe (1%)

Areas Covered

Daleacre Hill, Castle Donington Park, Castle Donington Castle, Castle Donington Central, Kegworth, Arboretum, Long Whatton & Diseworth, Worthington & Breedon + 1 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

DE72 (Erewash)
≈6.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~962 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DE74
DE73 (Derby)
≈7.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~957 kWh/kWp · -1% vs DE74
NG10 (Erewash)
≈7.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~958 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DE74
DE24 (Derby)
≈9.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~960 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DE74
DE2 (Derby)
≈10.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~960 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DE74
LE11 (Charnwood)
≈11.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~963 kWh/kWp · +0% vs DE74

Similar sunshine across the UK

EX21 (Torridge)
~962 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DE74
B93 (Solihull)
~962 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DE74
WR11 (Wychavon)
~963 kWh/kWp · +0% vs DE74