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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in EX2 (Exeter)

See if solar pays off for you in Exeter — 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
11.7 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£868
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£11,526
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 Western, the current unit rate is 26.82p/kWh with a 54.03p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 1038 kWh/kW — 24 above the regional median (1013).

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 1038 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
54.0p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1038 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: £868, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 11.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2075 kWh 830 kWh 1245 kWh £223 £125 £347 £4,069 11.7 yrs £2,875
3 kW 3113 kWh 1245 kWh 1868 kWh £334 £187 £521 £6,104 11.7 yrs £4,312
4 kW 4151 kWh 1660 kWh 2491 kWh £445 £249 £694 £8,138 11.7 yrs £5,749
5 kW 5189 kWh 2075 kWh 3113 kWh £557 £311 £868 £10,173 11.7 yrs £7,186
6 kW 6226 kWh 2491 kWh 3736 kWh £668 £374 £1,042 £12,207 11.7 yrs £8,624
7 kW 7264 kWh 2906 kWh 4358 kWh £779 £436 £1,215 £14,242 11.7 yrs £10,061
8 kW 8302 kWh 3321 kWh 4981 kWh £891 £498 £1,389 £16,276 11.7 yrs £11,498

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: £1,042, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 11.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2075 kWh 1245 kWh 830 kWh £334 £83 £417 £6,169 14.8 yrs £2,171
3 kW 3113 kWh 1868 kWh 1245 kWh £501 £125 £625 £8,204 13.1 yrs £4,306
4 kW 4151 kWh 2491 kWh 1660 kWh £668 £166 £834 £10,238 12.3 yrs £6,442
5 kW 5189 kWh 3113 kWh 2075 kWh £835 £208 £1,042 £12,273 11.8 yrs £8,577
6 kW 6226 kWh 3736 kWh 2491 kWh £1,002 £249 £1,251 £14,307 11.4 yrs £10,713
7 kW 7264 kWh 4358 kWh 2906 kWh £1,169 £291 £1,459 £16,342 11.2 yrs £12,848
8 kW 8302 kWh 4981 kWh 3321 kWh £1,336 £332 £1,668 £18,376 11.0 yrs £14,984

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: £1,130, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 12.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2075 kWh 1453 kWh 623 kWh £390 £62 £452 £7,569 16.7 yrs £1,469
3 kW 3113 kWh 2179 kWh 934 kWh £584 £93 £678 £9,604 14.2 yrs £3,954
4 kW 4151 kWh 2906 kWh 1245 kWh £779 £125 £904 £11,638 12.9 yrs £6,438
5 kW 5189 kWh 3632 kWh 1557 kWh £974 £156 £1,130 £13,673 12.1 yrs £8,923
6 kW 6226 kWh 4358 kWh 1868 kWh £1,169 £187 £1,356 £15,707 11.6 yrs £11,407
7 kW 7264 kWh 5085 kWh 2179 kWh £1,364 £218 £1,582 £17,742 11.2 yrs £13,892
8 kW 8302 kWh 5811 kWh 2491 kWh £1,559 £249 £1,808 £19,776 10.9 yrs £16,376

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: £1,156, Upfront: £15,423, 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 2075 kWh 1515 kWh 560 kWh £406 £56 £462 £9,319 20.2 yrs £-71
3 kW 3113 kWh 2273 kWh 841 kWh £610 £84 £694 £11,354 16.4 yrs £2,518
4 kW 4151 kWh 3030 kWh 1121 kWh £813 £112 £925 £13,388 14.5 yrs £5,107
5 kW 5189 kWh 3788 kWh 1401 kWh £1,016 £140 £1,156 £15,423 13.3 yrs £7,696
6 kW 6226 kWh 4545 kWh 1681 kWh £1,219 £168 £1,387 £17,457 12.6 yrs £10,286
7 kW 7264 kWh 5303 kWh 1961 kWh £1,422 £196 £1,618 £19,492 12.0 yrs £12,875
8 kW 8302 kWh 6060 kWh 2241 kWh £1,625 £224 £1,850 £21,526 11.6 yrs £15,464

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: £1,173, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 14.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2075 kWh 1557 kWh 519 kWh £417 £52 £469 £11,069 23.6 yrs £-1,682
3 kW 3113 kWh 2335 kWh 778 kWh £626 £78 £704 £13,104 18.6 yrs £977
4 kW 4151 kWh 3113 kWh 1038 kWh £835 £104 £939 £15,138 16.1 yrs £3,636
5 kW 5189 kWh 3891 kWh 1297 kWh £1,044 £130 £1,173 £17,173 14.6 yrs £6,295
6 kW 6226 kWh 4670 kWh 1557 kWh £1,252 £156 £1,408 £19,207 13.6 yrs £8,955
7 kW 7264 kWh 5448 kWh 1816 kWh £1,461 £182 £1,643 £21,242 12.9 yrs £11,614
8 kW 8302 kWh 6226 kWh 2075 kWh £1,670 £208 £1,877 £23,276 12.4 yrs £14,273

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: £1,191, Upfront: £19,623, 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 2075 kWh 1598 kWh 477 kWh £429 £48 £476 £13,519 28.4 yrs £-3,992
3 kW 3113 kWh 2397 kWh 716 kWh £643 £72 £715 £15,554 21.8 yrs £-1,263
4 kW 4151 kWh 3196 kWh 955 kWh £857 £95 £953 £17,588 18.5 yrs £1,466
5 kW 5189 kWh 3995 kWh 1193 kWh £1,072 £119 £1,191 £19,623 16.5 yrs £4,195
6 kW 6226 kWh 4794 kWh 1432 kWh £1,286 £143 £1,429 £21,657 15.2 yrs £6,923
7 kW 7264 kWh 5593 kWh 1671 kWh £1,500 £167 £1,667 £23,692 14.2 yrs £9,652
8 kW 8302 kWh 6392 kWh 1909 kWh £1,714 £191 £1,905 £25,726 13.5 yrs £12,381

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 EX2

Figures below are tailored to EX2 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1626 of 2182
4.6 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~10 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #263 of 2997
10.2 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£999 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1350 of 2997
19.7% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£197 fixed • ~£999 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.82p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
54.03p/day
Local Sunshine
1038kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1038 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: 69% • Flats: 26% • Bungalows: 4% Based on 13,522 properties

Coverage

Exeter (93%)|Teignbridge (7%)

Areas Covered

Alphington, Newtown and St Leonard's, Priory, St Loyes, St David's, Topsham, Kenn Valley, St Thomas + 2 more

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 Western

EX1 (Exeter)
≈1.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,020 kWh/kWp · -2% vs EX2
EX4 (Exeter)
≈1.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,015 kWh/kWp · -2% vs EX2
EX3 (Exeter)
≈4.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,031 kWh/kWp · -1% vs EX2
EX6 (Teignbridge)
≈6.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~998 kWh/kWp · -4% vs EX2
EX5 (East Devon)
≈8.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,028 kWh/kWp · -1% vs EX2
EX8 (East Devon)
≈12.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,036 kWh/kWp · -0% vs EX2

Similar sunshine across the UK

SO97 (Eastleigh)
~1,038 kWh/kWp · +0% vs EX2
SS8 (Castle Point)
~1,038 kWh/kWp · +0% vs EX2
SO18 (Southampton)
~1,037 kWh/kWp · -0% vs EX2