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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in DN3 (Doncaster)

See if solar pays off for you in Doncaster — 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
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£766
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,985
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 Yorkshire, the current unit rate is 25.33p/kWh with a 58.65p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 950 kWh/kW — 21 above the regional median (929).

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 950 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.3p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.3p/kWh
Standing charge
58.6p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
950 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: £766, 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 1900 kWh 760 kWh 1140 kWh £193 £114 £307 £4,069 13.3 yrs £2,061
3 kW 2850 kWh 1140 kWh 1710 kWh £289 £171 £460 £6,104 13.3 yrs £3,092
4 kW 3800 kWh 1520 kWh 2280 kWh £385 £228 £613 £8,138 13.3 yrs £4,123
5 kW 4750 kWh 1900 kWh 2850 kWh £481 £285 £766 £10,173 13.3 yrs £5,153
6 kW 5700 kWh 2280 kWh 3420 kWh £578 £342 £920 £12,207 13.3 yrs £6,184
7 kW 6650 kWh 2660 kWh 3990 kWh £674 £399 £1,073 £14,242 13.3 yrs £7,214
8 kW 7600 kWh 3040 kWh 4560 kWh £770 £456 £1,226 £16,276 13.3 yrs £8,245

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: £912, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 13.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1900 kWh 1140 kWh 760 kWh £289 £76 £365 £6,169 16.9 yrs £1,126
3 kW 2850 kWh 1710 kWh 1140 kWh £433 £114 £547 £8,204 15.0 yrs £2,740
4 kW 3800 kWh 2280 kWh 1520 kWh £578 £152 £730 £10,238 14.0 yrs £4,353
5 kW 4750 kWh 2850 kWh 1900 kWh £722 £190 £912 £12,273 13.5 yrs £5,966
6 kW 5700 kWh 3420 kWh 2280 kWh £866 £228 £1,094 £14,307 13.1 yrs £7,579
7 kW 6650 kWh 3990 kWh 2660 kWh £1,011 £266 £1,277 £16,342 12.8 yrs £9,192
8 kW 7600 kWh 4560 kWh 3040 kWh £1,155 £304 £1,459 £18,376 12.6 yrs £10,805

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: £985, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 13.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1900 kWh 1330 kWh 570 kWh £337 £57 £394 £7,569 19.2 yrs £309
3 kW 2850 kWh 1995 kWh 855 kWh £505 £86 £591 £9,604 16.3 yrs £2,213
4 kW 3800 kWh 2660 kWh 1140 kWh £674 £114 £788 £11,638 14.8 yrs £4,118
5 kW 4750 kWh 3325 kWh 1425 kWh £842 £143 £985 £13,673 13.9 yrs £6,022
6 kW 5700 kWh 3990 kWh 1710 kWh £1,011 £171 £1,182 £15,707 13.3 yrs £7,927
7 kW 6650 kWh 4655 kWh 1995 kWh £1,179 £200 £1,379 £17,742 12.9 yrs £9,831
8 kW 7600 kWh 5320 kWh 2280 kWh £1,348 £228 £1,576 £19,776 12.6 yrs £11,736

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: £1,007, 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 1900 kWh 1387 kWh 513 kWh £351 £51 £403 £9,319 23.1 yrs £-1,266
3 kW 2850 kWh 2081 kWh 770 kWh £527 £77 £604 £11,354 18.8 yrs £726
4 kW 3800 kWh 2774 kWh 1026 kWh £703 £103 £805 £13,388 16.6 yrs £2,717
5 kW 4750 kWh 3468 kWh 1283 kWh £878 £128 £1,007 £15,423 15.3 yrs £4,709
6 kW 5700 kWh 4161 kWh 1539 kWh £1,054 £154 £1,208 £17,457 14.5 yrs £6,701
7 kW 6650 kWh 4855 kWh 1796 kWh £1,230 £180 £1,409 £19,492 13.8 yrs £8,693
8 kW 7600 kWh 5548 kWh 2052 kWh £1,405 £205 £1,611 £21,526 13.4 yrs £10,685

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: £1,021, 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 1900 kWh 1425 kWh 475 kWh £361 £48 £408 £11,069 27.1 yrs £-2,900
3 kW 2850 kWh 2138 kWh 713 kWh £541 £71 £613 £13,104 21.4 yrs £-850
4 kW 3800 kWh 2850 kWh 950 kWh £722 £95 £817 £15,138 18.5 yrs £1,200
5 kW 4750 kWh 3563 kWh 1188 kWh £902 £119 £1,021 £17,173 16.8 yrs £3,251
6 kW 5700 kWh 4275 kWh 1425 kWh £1,083 £143 £1,225 £19,207 15.7 yrs £5,301
7 kW 6650 kWh 4988 kWh 1663 kWh £1,263 £166 £1,430 £21,242 14.9 yrs £7,351
8 kW 7600 kWh 5700 kWh 1900 kWh £1,444 £190 £1,634 £23,276 14.2 yrs £9,401

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: £1,036, 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 1900 kWh 1463 kWh 437 kWh £371 £44 £414 £13,519 32.6 yrs £-5,233
3 kW 2850 kWh 2195 kWh 656 kWh £556 £66 £621 £15,554 25.0 yrs £-3,125
4 kW 3800 kWh 2926 kWh 874 kWh £741 £87 £829 £17,588 21.2 yrs £-1,017
5 kW 4750 kWh 3658 kWh 1093 kWh £926 £109 £1,036 £19,623 18.9 yrs £1,092
6 kW 5700 kWh 4389 kWh 1311 kWh £1,112 £131 £1,243 £21,657 17.4 yrs £3,200
7 kW 6650 kWh 5121 kWh 1530 kWh £1,297 £153 £1,450 £23,692 16.3 yrs £5,308
8 kW 7600 kWh 5852 kWh 1748 kWh £1,482 £175 £1,657 £25,726 15.5 yrs £7,417

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 DN3

Figures below are tailored to DN3 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #708 of 2182
5.3 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~11 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1854 of 2997
11.6 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£876 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2153 of 2997
24.4% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£214 fixed • ~£876 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.33p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
58.65p/day
Local Sunshine
950kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~950 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: 65% • Flats: 10% • Bungalows: 24% Based on 7,639 properties

Coverage

Doncaster (100%)

Areas Covered

Armthorpe, Edenthorpe & Kirk Sandall, Stainforth & Barnby Dun, Finningley, Hexthorpe & Balby North, Hatfield

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 Yorkshire

DN2 (Doncaster)
≈2.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~947 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DN3
DN1 (Doncaster)
≈4.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~947 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DN3
DN7 (Doncaster)
≈5.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~947 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DN3
DN55 (Doncaster)
≈5.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~947 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DN3
DN4 (Doncaster)
≈5.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~947 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DN3
DN5 (Doncaster)
≈6.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~947 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DN3

Similar sunshine across the UK

L45 (Wirral)
~950 kWh/kWp · +0% vs DN3
GL4 (Gloucester)
~950 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DN3
CH45 (Wirral)
~950 kWh/kWp · +0% vs DN3