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Solar panel cost in County Durham (DL12)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for DL12 (County Durham) in under a minute using official UK data. Start with the calculator, then get a no-obligation quote from an MCS-certified installer. You can also ask the SolarByPostcode assistant to sanity-check your roof, bills and plans.

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
13.8 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£887
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£9,976
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 Northern, the current unit rate is 26.75p/kWh with a 60.93p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 886 kWh/kW — 40 below the regional median (926).

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 886 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.8p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.8p/kWh
Standing charge
60.9p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
886 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: £739, Upfront: £10,173, 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 1771 kWh 708 kWh 1063 kWh £190 £106 £296 £4,069 13.8 yrs £1,847
3 kW 2657 kWh 1063 kWh 1594 kWh £284 £159 £444 £6,104 13.8 yrs £2,770
4 kW 3542 kWh 1417 kWh 2125 kWh £379 £213 £592 £8,138 13.8 yrs £3,693
5 kW 4428 kWh 1771 kWh 2657 kWh £474 £266 £739 £10,173 13.8 yrs £4,616
6 kW 5313 kWh 2125 kWh 3188 kWh £569 £319 £887 £12,207 13.8 yrs £5,540
7 kW 6199 kWh 2480 kWh 3719 kWh £663 £372 £1,035 £14,242 13.8 yrs £6,463
8 kW 7085 kWh 2834 kWh 4251 kWh £758 £425 £1,183 £16,276 13.8 yrs £7,386

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: £888, Upfront: £12,273, 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 1771 kWh 1063 kWh 708 kWh £284 £71 £355 £6,169 17.4 yrs £933
3 kW 2657 kWh 1594 kWh 1063 kWh £426 £106 £533 £8,204 15.4 yrs £2,450
4 kW 3542 kWh 2125 kWh 1417 kWh £569 £142 £710 £10,238 14.4 yrs £3,967
5 kW 4428 kWh 2657 kWh 1771 kWh £711 £177 £888 £12,273 13.8 yrs £5,483
6 kW 5313 kWh 3188 kWh 2125 kWh £853 £213 £1,065 £14,307 13.4 yrs £7,000
7 kW 6199 kWh 3719 kWh 2480 kWh £995 £248 £1,243 £16,342 13.1 yrs £8,516
8 kW 7085 kWh 4251 kWh 2834 kWh £1,137 £283 £1,420 £18,376 12.9 yrs £10,033

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: £962, Upfront: £13,673, 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 1771 kWh 1240 kWh 531 kWh £332 £53 £385 £7,569 19.7 yrs £127
3 kW 2657 kWh 1860 kWh 797 kWh £497 £80 £577 £9,604 16.6 yrs £1,940
4 kW 3542 kWh 2480 kWh 1063 kWh £663 £106 £770 £11,638 15.1 yrs £3,753
5 kW 4428 kWh 3099 kWh 1328 kWh £829 £133 £962 £13,673 14.2 yrs £5,566
6 kW 5313 kWh 3719 kWh 1594 kWh £995 £159 £1,154 £15,707 13.6 yrs £7,380
7 kW 6199 kWh 4339 kWh 1860 kWh £1,161 £186 £1,347 £17,742 13.2 yrs £9,193
8 kW 7085 kWh 4959 kWh 2125 kWh £1,327 £213 £1,539 £19,776 12.8 yrs £11,006

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: £984, Upfront: £15,423, 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 1771 kWh 1293 kWh 478 kWh £346 £48 £394 £9,319 23.7 yrs £-1,445
3 kW 2657 kWh 1939 kWh 717 kWh £519 £72 £591 £11,354 19.2 yrs £457
4 kW 3542 kWh 2586 kWh 956 kWh £692 £96 £787 £13,388 17.0 yrs £2,359
5 kW 4428 kWh 3232 kWh 1196 kWh £865 £120 £984 £15,423 15.7 yrs £4,261
6 kW 5313 kWh 3879 kWh 1435 kWh £1,038 £143 £1,181 £17,457 14.8 yrs £6,164
7 kW 6199 kWh 4525 kWh 1674 kWh £1,211 £167 £1,378 £19,492 14.1 yrs £8,066
8 kW 7085 kWh 5172 kWh 1913 kWh £1,383 £191 £1,575 £21,526 13.7 yrs £9,968

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: £999, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1771 kWh 1328 kWh 443 kWh £355 £44 £400 £11,069 27.7 yrs £-3,077
3 kW 2657 kWh 1993 kWh 664 kWh £533 £66 £599 £13,104 21.9 yrs £-1,115
4 kW 3542 kWh 2657 kWh 886 kWh £711 £89 £799 £15,138 18.9 yrs £846
5 kW 4428 kWh 3321 kWh 1107 kWh £888 £111 £999 £17,173 17.2 yrs £2,808
6 kW 5313 kWh 3985 kWh 1328 kWh £1,066 £133 £1,199 £19,207 16.0 yrs £4,770
7 kW 6199 kWh 4649 kWh 1550 kWh £1,244 £155 £1,399 £21,242 15.2 yrs £6,731
8 kW 7085 kWh 5313 kWh 1771 kWh £1,421 £177 £1,598 £23,276 14.6 yrs £8,693

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: £1,014, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1771 kWh 1364 kWh 407 kWh £365 £41 £406 £13,519 33.3 yrs £-5,408
3 kW 2657 kWh 2046 kWh 611 kWh £547 £61 £608 £15,554 25.6 yrs £-3,387
4 kW 3542 kWh 2728 kWh 815 kWh £730 £81 £811 £17,588 21.7 yrs £-1,366
5 kW 4428 kWh 3409 kWh 1018 kWh £912 £102 £1,014 £19,623 19.4 yrs £655
6 kW 5313 kWh 4091 kWh 1222 kWh £1,094 £122 £1,217 £21,657 17.8 yrs £2,676
7 kW 6199 kWh 4773 kWh 1426 kWh £1,277 £143 £1,419 £23,692 16.7 yrs £4,697
8 kW 7085 kWh 5455 kWh 1629 kWh £1,459 £163 £1,622 £25,726 15.9 yrs £6,718

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 DL12

Figures below are tailored to DL12 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #730 of 2182
5.3 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~11 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #2606 of 2997
13.8 years (UK avg 12.6 years)
~£887 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1944 of 2997
25.1% (UK avg 24.6%) drag on savings
£222 fixed • ~£887 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −20.4% West −20.2%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.75p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
60.93p/day
Local Sunshine
886kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~886 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: 74% • Flats: 13% • Bungalows: 12% Based on 4,162 properties

Coverage

County Durham (100%)

Areas Covered

Upper Teesdale, Barnard Castle, Lower Teesdale, North Richmondshire, Eden and Lyvennet Vale

Data Sources & Assumptions

Solar yield: PVGIS (EU Joint Research Centre), January 2025 data

Electricity rates: Ofgem price cap, Q1 2026

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 Northern

DL11 (North Yorkshire)
≈15.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~765 kWh/kWp · -14% vs DL12
DL14 (County Durham)
≈19.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~916 kWh/kWp · +3% vs DL12
DL4 (County Durham)
≈20.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~915 kWh/kWp · +3% vs DL12
DL13 (County Durham)
≈20.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~850 kWh/kWp · -4% vs DL12
DL10 (North Yorkshire)
≈21.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~922 kWh/kWp · +4% vs DL12
DL15 (County Durham)
≈21.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~918 kWh/kWp · +4% vs DL12

Similar sunshine across the UK

BT3 (Belfast)
~885 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DL12
LL15 (Denbighshire)
~885 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DL12
CA2 (Cumberland)
~885 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DL12