Solar explained to clever people by people who are not trying to be clever

Solar Panels in DN32 (North East Lincolnshire)

See if solar pays off for you in North East Lincolnshire — 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
12.9 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£787
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£9,496
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

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 975 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)
975 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: £787, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 12.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1951 kWh 780 kWh 1170 kWh £198 £117 £315 £4,069 12.9 yrs £2,225
3 kW 2926 kWh 1170 kWh 1756 kWh £296 £176 £472 £6,104 12.9 yrs £3,338
4 kW 3902 kWh 1561 kWh 2341 kWh £395 £234 £629 £8,138 12.9 yrs £4,450
5 kW 4877 kWh 1951 kWh 2926 kWh £494 £293 £787 £10,173 12.9 yrs £5,563
6 kW 5852 kWh 2341 kWh 3511 kWh £593 £351 £944 £12,207 12.9 yrs £6,675
7 kW 6828 kWh 2731 kWh 4097 kWh £692 £410 £1,101 £14,242 12.9 yrs £7,788
8 kW 7803 kWh 3121 kWh 4682 kWh £791 £468 £1,259 £16,276 12.9 yrs £8,900

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: £936, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 13.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1951 kWh 1170 kWh 780 kWh £296 £78 £375 £6,169 16.5 yrs £1,321
3 kW 2926 kWh 1756 kWh 1170 kWh £445 £117 £562 £8,204 14.6 yrs £3,032
4 kW 3902 kWh 2341 kWh 1561 kWh £593 £156 £749 £10,238 13.7 yrs £4,743
5 kW 4877 kWh 2926 kWh 1951 kWh £741 £195 £936 £12,273 13.1 yrs £6,453
6 kW 5852 kWh 3511 kWh 2341 kWh £889 £234 £1,124 £14,307 12.7 yrs £8,164
7 kW 6828 kWh 4097 kWh 2731 kWh £1,038 £273 £1,311 £16,342 12.5 yrs £9,874
8 kW 7803 kWh 4682 kWh 3121 kWh £1,186 £312 £1,498 £18,376 12.3 yrs £11,585

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: £1,011, Upfront: £13,673, 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 1951 kWh 1366 kWh 585 kWh £346 £59 £404 £7,569 18.7 yrs £519
3 kW 2926 kWh 2048 kWh 878 kWh £519 £88 £607 £9,604 15.8 yrs £2,529
4 kW 3902 kWh 2731 kWh 1170 kWh £692 £117 £809 £11,638 14.4 yrs £4,539
5 kW 4877 kWh 3414 kWh 1463 kWh £865 £146 £1,011 £13,673 13.5 yrs £6,548
6 kW 5852 kWh 4097 kWh 1756 kWh £1,038 £176 £1,213 £15,707 12.9 yrs £8,558
7 kW 6828 kWh 4779 kWh 2048 kWh £1,211 £205 £1,415 £17,742 12.5 yrs £10,568
8 kW 7803 kWh 5462 kWh 2341 kWh £1,384 £234 £1,618 £19,776 12.2 yrs £12,578

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: £1,033, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 14.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1951 kWh 1424 kWh 527 kWh £361 £53 £413 £9,319 22.5 yrs £-1,051
3 kW 2926 kWh 2136 kWh 790 kWh £541 £79 £620 £11,354 18.3 yrs £1,048
4 kW 3902 kWh 2848 kWh 1053 kWh £721 £105 £827 £13,388 16.2 yrs £3,148
5 kW 4877 kWh 3560 kWh 1317 kWh £902 £132 £1,033 £15,423 14.9 yrs £5,247
6 kW 5852 kWh 4272 kWh 1580 kWh £1,082 £158 £1,240 £17,457 14.1 yrs £7,346
7 kW 6828 kWh 4984 kWh 1844 kWh £1,263 £184 £1,447 £19,492 13.5 yrs £9,446
8 kW 7803 kWh 5696 kWh 2107 kWh £1,443 £211 £1,654 £21,526 13.0 yrs £11,545

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: £1,048, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 16.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1951 kWh 1463 kWh 488 kWh £371 £49 £419 £11,069 26.4 yrs £-2,682
3 kW 2926 kWh 2195 kWh 732 kWh £556 £73 £629 £13,104 20.8 yrs £-522
4 kW 3902 kWh 2926 kWh 975 kWh £741 £98 £839 £15,138 18.0 yrs £1,637
5 kW 4877 kWh 3658 kWh 1219 kWh £927 £122 £1,048 £17,173 16.4 yrs £3,796
6 kW 5852 kWh 4389 kWh 1463 kWh £1,112 £146 £1,258 £19,207 15.3 yrs £5,955
7 kW 6828 kWh 5121 kWh 1707 kWh £1,297 £171 £1,468 £21,242 14.5 yrs £8,115
8 kW 7803 kWh 5852 kWh 1951 kWh £1,482 £195 £1,677 £23,276 13.9 yrs £10,274

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: £1,063, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 18.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1951 kWh 1502 kWh 449 kWh £380 £45 £425 £13,519 31.8 yrs £-5,012
3 kW 2926 kWh 2253 kWh 673 kWh £571 £67 £638 £15,554 24.4 yrs £-2,793
4 kW 3902 kWh 3004 kWh 897 kWh £761 £90 £851 £17,588 20.7 yrs £-574
5 kW 4877 kWh 3755 kWh 1122 kWh £951 £112 £1,063 £19,623 18.5 yrs £1,645
6 kW 5852 kWh 4506 kWh 1346 kWh £1,141 £135 £1,276 £21,657 17.0 yrs £3,864
7 kW 6828 kWh 5257 kWh 1570 kWh £1,332 £157 £1,489 £23,692 15.9 yrs £6,083
8 kW 7803 kWh 6008 kWh 1795 kWh £1,522 £179 £1,701 £25,726 15.1 yrs £8,302

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.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.33p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
58.65p/day
Local Sunshine
975kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~975 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: 72% • Flats: 26% • Bungalows: 2% Based on 9,450 properties

Coverage

North East Lincolnshire (100%)

Areas Covered

East Marsh, Heneage, Park, West Marsh

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.