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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in DT5 (Dorset)

See if solar pays off for you in Dorset — 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
11.1 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£920
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£12,834
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 Southern, the current unit rate is 26.48p/kWh with a 44.62p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 1109 kWh/kW — 108 above the regional median (1001).

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 1109 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.5p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.5p/kWh
Standing charge
44.6p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1109 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: £920, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 11.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2219 kWh 887 kWh 1331 kWh £235 £133 £368 £4,069 11.1 yrs £3,293
3 kW 3328 kWh 1331 kWh 1997 kWh £352 £200 £552 £6,104 11.1 yrs £4,940
4 kW 4437 kWh 1775 kWh 2662 kWh £470 £266 £736 £8,138 11.1 yrs £6,586
5 kW 5546 kWh 2219 kWh 3328 kWh £587 £333 £920 £10,173 11.1 yrs £8,233
6 kW 6656 kWh 2662 kWh 3993 kWh £705 £399 £1,104 £12,207 11.1 yrs £9,879
7 kW 7765 kWh 3106 kWh 4659 kWh £822 £466 £1,288 £14,242 11.1 yrs £11,526
8 kW 8874 kWh 3550 kWh 5325 kWh £940 £532 £1,472 £16,276 11.1 yrs £13,172

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: £1,103, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 11.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2219 kWh 1331 kWh 887 kWh £352 £89 £441 £6,169 14.0 yrs £2,656
3 kW 3328 kWh 1997 kWh 1331 kWh £529 £133 £662 £8,204 12.4 yrs £5,033
4 kW 4437 kWh 2662 kWh 1775 kWh £705 £177 £882 £10,238 11.6 yrs £7,411
5 kW 5546 kWh 3328 kWh 2219 kWh £881 £222 £1,103 £12,273 11.1 yrs £9,789
6 kW 6656 kWh 3993 kWh 2662 kWh £1,057 £266 £1,324 £14,307 10.8 yrs £12,167
7 kW 7765 kWh 4659 kWh 3106 kWh £1,234 £311 £1,544 £16,342 10.6 yrs £14,545
8 kW 8874 kWh 5325 kWh 3550 kWh £1,410 £355 £1,765 £18,376 10.4 yrs £16,922

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: £1,194, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 11.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2219 kWh 1553 kWh 666 kWh £411 £67 £478 £7,569 15.8 yrs £1,987
3 kW 3328 kWh 2330 kWh 998 kWh £617 £100 £717 £9,604 13.4 yrs £4,730
4 kW 4437 kWh 3106 kWh 1331 kWh £822 £133 £956 £11,638 12.2 yrs £7,474
5 kW 5546 kWh 3883 kWh 1664 kWh £1,028 £166 £1,194 £13,673 11.4 yrs £10,217
6 kW 6656 kWh 4659 kWh 1997 kWh £1,234 £200 £1,433 £15,707 11.0 yrs £12,961
7 kW 7765 kWh 5436 kWh 2330 kWh £1,439 £233 £1,672 £17,742 10.6 yrs £15,704
8 kW 8874 kWh 6212 kWh 2662 kWh £1,645 £266 £1,911 £19,776 10.3 yrs £18,447

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: £1,222, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 12.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2219 kWh 1620 kWh 599 kWh £429 £60 £489 £9,319 19.1 yrs £456
3 kW 3328 kWh 2429 kWh 899 kWh £643 £90 £733 £11,354 15.5 yrs £3,309
4 kW 4437 kWh 3239 kWh 1198 kWh £858 £120 £978 £13,388 13.7 yrs £6,162
5 kW 5546 kWh 4049 kWh 1498 kWh £1,072 £150 £1,222 £15,423 12.6 yrs £9,016
6 kW 6656 kWh 4859 kWh 1797 kWh £1,287 £180 £1,466 £17,457 11.9 yrs £11,869
7 kW 7765 kWh 5668 kWh 2097 kWh £1,501 £210 £1,711 £19,492 11.4 yrs £14,722
8 kW 8874 kWh 6478 kWh 2396 kWh £1,715 £240 £1,955 £21,526 11.0 yrs £17,575

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: £1,240, Upfront: £17,173, 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 2219 kWh 1664 kWh 555 kWh £441 £55 £496 £11,069 22.3 yrs £-1,148
3 kW 3328 kWh 2496 kWh 832 kWh £661 £83 £744 £13,104 17.6 yrs £1,779
4 kW 4437 kWh 3328 kWh 1109 kWh £881 £111 £992 £15,138 15.3 yrs £4,705
5 kW 5546 kWh 4160 kWh 1387 kWh £1,102 £139 £1,240 £17,173 13.8 yrs £7,631
6 kW 6656 kWh 4992 kWh 1664 kWh £1,322 £166 £1,488 £19,207 12.9 yrs £10,557
7 kW 7765 kWh 5824 kWh 1941 kWh £1,542 £194 £1,736 £21,242 12.2 yrs £13,484
8 kW 8874 kWh 6656 kWh 2219 kWh £1,762 £222 £1,984 £23,276 11.7 yrs £16,410

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: £1,258, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 15.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2219 kWh 1708 kWh 510 kWh £452 £51 £503 £13,519 26.9 yrs £-3,451
3 kW 3328 kWh 2562 kWh 765 kWh £679 £77 £755 £15,554 20.6 yrs £-452
4 kW 4437 kWh 3417 kWh 1021 kWh £905 £102 £1,007 £17,588 17.5 yrs £2,547
5 kW 5546 kWh 4271 kWh 1276 kWh £1,131 £128 £1,258 £19,623 15.6 yrs £5,547
6 kW 6656 kWh 5125 kWh 1531 kWh £1,357 £153 £1,510 £21,657 14.3 yrs £8,546
7 kW 7765 kWh 5979 kWh 1786 kWh £1,583 £179 £1,762 £23,692 13.4 yrs £11,546
8 kW 8874 kWh 6833 kWh 2041 kWh £1,809 £204 £2,014 £25,726 12.8 yrs £14,545

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 DT5

Figures below are tailored to DT5 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1467 of 2182
4.7 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~10 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #61 of 2997
9.6 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£1,057 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #457 of 2997
15.4% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£163 fixed • ~£1,057 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.48p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
44.62p/day
Local Sunshine
1109kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1109 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: 63% • Flats: 27% • Bungalows: 7% Based on 3,508 properties

Coverage

Dorset (100%)

Areas Covered

Portland

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 Southern

DT4 (Dorset)
≈6.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,110 kWh/kWp · +0% vs DT5
DT3 (Dorset)
≈10.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,110 kWh/kWp · +0% vs DT5
DT1 (Dorset)
≈18.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,090 kWh/kWp · -2% vs DT5
DT2 (Dorset)
≈21.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,066 kWh/kWp · -4% vs DT5
BH20 (Dorset)
≈27.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,103 kWh/kWp · -1% vs DT5
BH19 (Dorset)
≈34.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,096 kWh/kWp · -1% vs DT5

Similar sunshine across the UK

BN43 (Adur)
~1,109 kWh/kWp · -0% vs DT5
CT15 (Dover)
~1,110 kWh/kWp · +0% vs DT5
BN42 (Adur)
~1,110 kWh/kWp · +0% vs DT5