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Solar panel cost in Darlington (DL2)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for DL2 (Darlington) 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
13.2 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£923
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£10,877
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 922 kWh/kW — 4 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 922 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)
922 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: £769, Upfront: £10,173, 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 1843 kWh 737 kWh 1106 kWh £197 £111 £308 £4,069 13.2 yrs £2,087
3 kW 2765 kWh 1106 kWh 1659 kWh £296 £166 £462 £6,104 13.2 yrs £3,130
4 kW 3686 kWh 1474 kWh 2212 kWh £394 £221 £616 £8,138 13.2 yrs £4,173
5 kW 4608 kWh 1843 kWh 2765 kWh £493 £276 £769 £10,173 13.2 yrs £5,217
6 kW 5529 kWh 2212 kWh 3317 kWh £592 £332 £923 £12,207 13.2 yrs £6,260
7 kW 6451 kWh 2580 kWh 3870 kWh £690 £387 £1,077 £14,242 13.2 yrs £7,304
8 kW 7372 kWh 2949 kWh 4423 kWh £789 £442 £1,231 £16,276 13.2 yrs £8,347

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: £924, Upfront: £12,273, 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 1843 kWh 1106 kWh 737 kWh £296 £74 £370 £6,169 16.7 yrs £1,222
3 kW 2765 kWh 1659 kWh 1106 kWh £444 £111 £554 £8,204 14.8 yrs £2,882
4 kW 3686 kWh 2212 kWh 1474 kWh £592 £147 £739 £10,238 13.9 yrs £4,543
5 kW 4608 kWh 2765 kWh 1843 kWh £740 £184 £924 £12,273 13.3 yrs £6,204
6 kW 5529 kWh 3317 kWh 2212 kWh £887 £221 £1,109 £14,307 12.9 yrs £7,865
7 kW 6451 kWh 3870 kWh 2580 kWh £1,035 £258 £1,293 £16,342 12.6 yrs £9,525
8 kW 7372 kWh 4423 kWh 2949 kWh £1,183 £295 £1,478 £18,376 12.4 yrs £11,186

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: £1,001, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 13.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1843 kWh 1290 kWh 553 kWh £345 £55 £400 £7,569 18.9 yrs £439
3 kW 2765 kWh 1935 kWh 829 kWh £518 £83 £601 £9,604 16.0 yrs £2,408
4 kW 3686 kWh 2580 kWh 1106 kWh £690 £111 £801 £11,638 14.5 yrs £4,378
5 kW 4608 kWh 3225 kWh 1382 kWh £863 £138 £1,001 £13,673 13.7 yrs £6,347
6 kW 5529 kWh 3870 kWh 1659 kWh £1,035 £166 £1,201 £15,707 13.1 yrs £8,317
7 kW 6451 kWh 4515 kWh 1935 kWh £1,208 £194 £1,401 £17,742 12.7 yrs £10,286
8 kW 7372 kWh 5161 kWh 2212 kWh £1,380 £221 £1,602 £19,776 12.3 yrs £12,256

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: £1,024, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1843 kWh 1345 kWh 498 kWh £360 £50 £410 £9,319 22.7 yrs £-1,126
3 kW 2765 kWh 2018 kWh 746 kWh £540 £75 £614 £11,354 18.5 yrs £936
4 kW 3686 kWh 2691 kWh 995 kWh £720 £100 £819 £13,388 16.3 yrs £2,998
5 kW 4608 kWh 3364 kWh 1244 kWh £900 £124 £1,024 £15,423 15.1 yrs £5,061
6 kW 5529 kWh 4036 kWh 1493 kWh £1,080 £149 £1,229 £17,457 14.2 yrs £7,123
7 kW 6451 kWh 4709 kWh 1742 kWh £1,260 £174 £1,434 £19,492 13.6 yrs £9,185
8 kW 7372 kWh 5382 kWh 1990 kWh £1,440 £199 £1,639 £21,526 13.1 yrs £11,247

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: £1,040, 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 1843 kWh 1382 kWh 461 kWh £370 £46 £416 £11,069 26.6 yrs £-2,752
3 kW 2765 kWh 2073 kWh 691 kWh £555 £69 £624 £13,104 21.0 yrs £-628
4 kW 3686 kWh 2765 kWh 922 kWh £740 £92 £832 £15,138 18.2 yrs £1,495
5 kW 4608 kWh 3456 kWh 1152 kWh £924 £115 £1,040 £17,173 16.5 yrs £3,619
6 kW 5529 kWh 4147 kWh 1382 kWh £1,109 £138 £1,248 £19,207 15.4 yrs £5,743
7 kW 6451 kWh 4838 kWh 1613 kWh £1,294 £161 £1,455 £21,242 14.6 yrs £7,867
8 kW 7372 kWh 5529 kWh 1843 kWh £1,479 £184 £1,663 £23,276 14.0 yrs £9,991

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: £1,055, 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 1843 kWh 1419 kWh 424 kWh £380 £42 £422 £13,519 32.0 yrs £-5,079
3 kW 2765 kWh 2129 kWh 636 kWh £569 £64 £633 £15,554 24.6 yrs £-2,893
4 kW 3686 kWh 2838 kWh 848 kWh £759 £85 £844 £17,588 20.8 yrs £-708
5 kW 4608 kWh 3548 kWh 1060 kWh £949 £106 £1,055 £19,623 18.6 yrs £1,478
6 kW 5529 kWh 4257 kWh 1272 kWh £1,139 £127 £1,266 £21,657 17.1 yrs £3,664
7 kW 6451 kWh 4967 kWh 1484 kWh £1,329 £148 £1,477 £23,692 16.0 yrs £5,849
8 kW 7372 kWh 5677 kWh 1696 kWh £1,518 £170 £1,688 £25,726 15.2 yrs £8,035

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 DL2

Figures below are tailored to DL2 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #259 of 2182
6.0 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~13 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #2196 of 2997
13.2 years (UK avg 12.6 years)
~£923 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1667 of 2997
24.1% (UK avg 24.6%) drag on savings
£222 fixed • ~£923 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −21.8% West −21.0%
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
922kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~922 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: 82% • Flats: 7% • Bungalows: 12% Based on 6,099 properties

Coverage

Darlington (66%)|County Durham (22%)|North Yorkshire (11%)|Stockton-on-Tees (1%)

Areas Covered

Sadberge & Middleton St George, Lower Teesdale, Hurworth, North Richmondshire, Heighington & Coniscliffe, Brinkburn & Faverdale, Park East, Eaglescliffe West + 4 more

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

DL1 (Darlington)
≈0.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~911 kWh/kWp · -1% vs DL2
DL98 (Darlington)
≈0.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~912 kWh/kWp · -1% vs DL2
DL3 (Darlington)
≈1.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~924 kWh/kWp · +0% vs DL2
DL5 (County Durham)
≈10.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~923 kWh/kWp · +0% vs DL2
TS16 (Stockton-on-Tees)
≈12.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~920 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DL2
DL4 (County Durham)
≈13.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~915 kWh/kWp · -1% vs DL2

Similar sunshine across the UK

SA47 (Ceredigion)
~921 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DL2
SA38 (Carmarthenshire)
~922 kWh/kWp · +0% vs DL2
WF17 (Kirklees)
~921 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DL2