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

Solar Panels in FK5 (Falkirk)

See if solar pays off for you in Falkirk — 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
14.6 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£838
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,739
After paying itself off, you're this much ahead

Ready to Get Started?

Get your free quote from Blue Ape Renewables. They'll connect you with MCS-certified installers in your area and handle all the paperwork.

Get Solar Quote →
4.8★ Trustpilot • Octopus Energy trusted partner • MCS certified • No obligation
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 6.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 855 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.8p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.8p/kWh
Standing charge
56.5p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
855 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: £698, Upfront: £10,173, 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 1710 kWh 684 kWh 1026 kWh £177 £103 £279 £4,069 14.6 yrs £1,517
3 kW 2564 kWh 1026 kWh 1539 kWh £265 £154 £419 £6,104 14.6 yrs £2,275
4 kW 3419 kWh 1368 kWh 2052 kWh £353 £205 £559 £8,138 14.6 yrs £3,033
5 kW 4274 kWh 1710 kWh 2564 kWh £442 £256 £698 £10,173 14.6 yrs £3,792
6 kW 5129 kWh 2052 kWh 3077 kWh £530 £308 £838 £12,207 14.6 yrs £4,550
7 kW 5984 kWh 2393 kWh 3590 kWh £618 £359 £977 £14,242 14.6 yrs £5,308
8 kW 6838 kWh 2735 kWh 4103 kWh £707 £410 £1,117 £16,276 14.6 yrs £6,067

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: £834, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 14.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1710 kWh 1026 kWh 684 kWh £265 £68 £333 £6,169 18.5 yrs £500
3 kW 2564 kWh 1539 kWh 1026 kWh £398 £103 £500 £8,204 16.4 yrs £1,800
4 kW 3419 kWh 2052 kWh 1368 kWh £530 £137 £667 £10,238 15.4 yrs £3,100
5 kW 4274 kWh 2564 kWh 1710 kWh £663 £171 £834 £12,273 14.7 yrs £4,400
6 kW 5129 kWh 3077 kWh 2052 kWh £795 £205 £1,000 £14,307 14.3 yrs £5,700
7 kW 5984 kWh 3590 kWh 2393 kWh £928 £239 £1,167 £16,342 14.0 yrs £7,000
8 kW 6838 kWh 4103 kWh 2735 kWh £1,060 £274 £1,334 £18,376 13.8 yrs £8,299

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: £901, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 15.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1710 kWh 1197 kWh 513 kWh £309 £51 £361 £7,569 21.0 yrs £-359
3 kW 2564 kWh 1795 kWh 769 kWh £464 £77 £541 £9,604 17.8 yrs £1,212
4 kW 3419 kWh 2393 kWh 1026 kWh £618 £103 £721 £11,638 16.1 yrs £2,783
5 kW 4274 kWh 2992 kWh 1282 kWh £773 £128 £901 £13,673 15.2 yrs £4,354
6 kW 5129 kWh 3590 kWh 1539 kWh £928 £154 £1,082 £15,707 14.5 yrs £5,924
7 kW 5984 kWh 4189 kWh 1795 kWh £1,082 £180 £1,262 £17,742 14.1 yrs £7,495
8 kW 6838 kWh 4787 kWh 2052 kWh £1,237 £205 £1,442 £19,776 13.7 yrs £9,066

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: £922, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 16.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1710 kWh 1248 kWh 462 kWh £322 £46 £369 £9,319 25.3 yrs £-1,946
3 kW 2564 kWh 1872 kWh 692 kWh £484 £69 £553 £11,354 20.5 yrs £-294
4 kW 3419 kWh 2496 kWh 923 kWh £645 £92 £737 £13,388 18.2 yrs £1,358
5 kW 4274 kWh 3120 kWh 1154 kWh £806 £115 £922 £15,423 16.7 yrs £3,010
6 kW 5129 kWh 3744 kWh 1385 kWh £967 £138 £1,106 £17,457 15.8 yrs £4,662
7 kW 5984 kWh 4368 kWh 1616 kWh £1,129 £162 £1,290 £19,492 15.1 yrs £6,314
8 kW 6838 kWh 4992 kWh 1846 kWh £1,290 £185 £1,475 £21,526 14.6 yrs £7,966

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: £935, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 18.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1710 kWh 1282 kWh 427 kWh £331 £43 £374 £11,069 29.6 yrs £-3,588
3 kW 2564 kWh 1923 kWh 641 kWh £497 £64 £561 £13,104 23.4 yrs £-1,882
4 kW 3419 kWh 2564 kWh 855 kWh £663 £85 £748 £15,138 20.2 yrs £-175
5 kW 4274 kWh 3206 kWh 1069 kWh £828 £107 £935 £17,173 18.4 yrs £1,531
6 kW 5129 kWh 3847 kWh 1282 kWh £994 £128 £1,122 £19,207 17.1 yrs £3,237
7 kW 5984 kWh 4488 kWh 1496 kWh £1,160 £150 £1,309 £21,242 16.2 yrs £4,943
8 kW 6838 kWh 5129 kWh 1710 kWh £1,325 £171 £1,496 £23,276 15.6 yrs £6,649

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: £949, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 20.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1710 kWh 1316 kWh 393 kWh £340 £39 £379 £13,519 35.6 yrs £-5,929
3 kW 2564 kWh 1975 kWh 590 kWh £510 £59 £569 £15,554 27.3 yrs £-4,169
4 kW 3419 kWh 2633 kWh 786 kWh £680 £79 £759 £17,588 23.2 yrs £-2,409
5 kW 4274 kWh 3291 kWh 983 kWh £850 £98 £949 £19,623 20.7 yrs £-649
6 kW 5129 kWh 3949 kWh 1180 kWh £1,020 £118 £1,138 £21,657 19.0 yrs £1,112
7 kW 5984 kWh 4607 kWh 1376 kWh £1,191 £138 £1,328 £23,692 17.8 yrs £2,872
8 kW 6838 kWh 5266 kWh 1573 kWh £1,361 £157 £1,518 £25,726 16.9 yrs £4,632

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
25.84p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
56.55p/day
Local Sunshine
855kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~855 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

No EPC data available for this outcode

Coverage

Falkirk (100%)

Areas Covered

Carse, Kinnaird and Tryst, Bonnybridge and Larbert, Falkirk South, Bannockburn

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.