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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in GL14 (Forest of Dean)

See if solar pays off for you in Forest of Dean — 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
12.8 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£794
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£9,677
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 Midlands, the current unit rate is 25.64p/kWh with a 53.00p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 977 kWh/kW — 35 above the regional median (942).

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 977 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.6p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.6p/kWh
Standing charge
53.0p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
977 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: £794, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 12.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1954 kWh 781 kWh 1172 kWh £200 £117 £318 £4,069 12.8 yrs £2,283
3 kW 2931 kWh 1172 kWh 1758 kWh £301 £176 £476 £6,104 12.8 yrs £3,424
4 kW 3907 kWh 1563 kWh 2344 kWh £401 £234 £635 £8,138 12.8 yrs £4,566
5 kW 4884 kWh 1954 kWh 2931 kWh £501 £293 £794 £10,173 12.8 yrs £5,707
6 kW 5861 kWh 2344 kWh 3517 kWh £601 £352 £953 £12,207 12.8 yrs £6,849
7 kW 6838 kWh 2735 kWh 4103 kWh £701 £410 £1,112 £14,242 12.8 yrs £7,990
8 kW 7815 kWh 3126 kWh 4689 kWh £801 £469 £1,270 £16,276 12.8 yrs £9,132

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: £947, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 13.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1954 kWh 1172 kWh 781 kWh £301 £78 £379 £6,169 16.3 yrs £1,405
3 kW 2931 kWh 1758 kWh 1172 kWh £451 £117 £568 £8,204 14.4 yrs £3,158
4 kW 3907 kWh 2344 kWh 1563 kWh £601 £156 £757 £10,238 13.5 yrs £4,910
5 kW 4884 kWh 2931 kWh 1954 kWh £751 £195 £947 £12,273 13.0 yrs £6,663
6 kW 5861 kWh 3517 kWh 2344 kWh £902 £234 £1,136 £14,307 12.6 yrs £8,415
7 kW 6838 kWh 4103 kWh 2735 kWh £1,052 £274 £1,325 £16,342 12.3 yrs £10,168
8 kW 7815 kWh 4689 kWh 3126 kWh £1,202 £313 £1,515 £18,376 12.1 yrs £11,921

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: £1,023, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 13.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1954 kWh 1368 kWh 586 kWh £351 £59 £409 £7,569 18.5 yrs £616
3 kW 2931 kWh 2051 kWh 879 kWh £526 £88 £614 £9,604 15.6 yrs £2,674
4 kW 3907 kWh 2735 kWh 1172 kWh £701 £117 £819 £11,638 14.2 yrs £4,733
5 kW 4884 kWh 3419 kWh 1465 kWh £877 £147 £1,023 £13,673 13.4 yrs £6,791
6 kW 5861 kWh 4103 kWh 1758 kWh £1,052 £176 £1,228 £15,707 12.8 yrs £8,849
7 kW 6838 kWh 4787 kWh 2051 kWh £1,227 £205 £1,432 £17,742 12.4 yrs £10,907
8 kW 7815 kWh 5470 kWh 2344 kWh £1,403 £234 £1,637 £19,776 12.1 yrs £12,965

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: £1,046, Upfront: £15,423, 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 1954 kWh 1426 kWh 528 kWh £366 £53 £418 £9,319 22.3 yrs £-950
3 kW 2931 kWh 2139 kWh 791 kWh £549 £79 £628 £11,354 18.1 yrs £1,199
4 kW 3907 kWh 2852 kWh 1055 kWh £731 £106 £837 £13,388 16.0 yrs £3,349
5 kW 4884 kWh 3566 kWh 1319 kWh £914 £132 £1,046 £15,423 14.7 yrs £5,499
6 kW 5861 kWh 4279 kWh 1583 kWh £1,097 £158 £1,255 £17,457 13.9 yrs £7,649
7 kW 6838 kWh 4992 kWh 1846 kWh £1,280 £185 £1,465 £19,492 13.3 yrs £9,799
8 kW 7815 kWh 5705 kWh 2110 kWh £1,463 £211 £1,674 £21,526 12.9 yrs £11,948

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: £1,061, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 16.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1954 kWh 1465 kWh 488 kWh £376 £49 £425 £11,069 26.1 yrs £-2,578
3 kW 2931 kWh 2198 kWh 733 kWh £564 £73 £637 £13,104 20.6 yrs £-367
4 kW 3907 kWh 2931 kWh 977 kWh £751 £98 £849 £15,138 17.8 yrs £1,844
5 kW 4884 kWh 3663 kWh 1221 kWh £939 £122 £1,061 £17,173 16.2 yrs £4,055
6 kW 5861 kWh 4396 kWh 1465 kWh £1,127 £147 £1,274 £19,207 15.1 yrs £6,266
7 kW 6838 kWh 5129 kWh 1710 kWh £1,315 £171 £1,486 £21,242 14.3 yrs £8,476
8 kW 7815 kWh 5861 kWh 1954 kWh £1,503 £195 £1,698 £23,276 13.7 yrs £10,687

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: £1,077, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 18.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1954 kWh 1504 kWh 449 kWh £386 £45 £431 £13,519 31.4 yrs £-4,906
3 kW 2931 kWh 2257 kWh 674 kWh £579 £67 £646 £15,554 24.1 yrs £-2,634
4 kW 3907 kWh 3009 kWh 899 kWh £771 £90 £861 £17,588 20.4 yrs £-362
5 kW 4884 kWh 3761 kWh 1123 kWh £964 £112 £1,077 £19,623 18.2 yrs £1,910
6 kW 5861 kWh 4513 kWh 1348 kWh £1,157 £135 £1,292 £21,657 16.8 yrs £4,182
7 kW 6838 kWh 5265 kWh 1573 kWh £1,350 £157 £1,507 £23,692 15.7 yrs £6,454
8 kW 7815 kWh 6017 kWh 1797 kWh £1,543 £180 £1,723 £25,726 14.9 yrs £8,726

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 GL14

Figures below are tailored to GL14 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #924 of 2182
5.1 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~11 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1520 of 2997
11.2 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£909 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1667 of 2997
21.3% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£193 fixed • ~£909 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.64p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
53.00p/day
Local Sunshine
977kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~977 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: 70% • Flats: 12% • Bungalows: 16% Based on 3,998 properties

Coverage

Forest of Dean (100%)

Areas Covered

Cinderford East, Cinderford West, Newnham, Westbury-on-Severn, Ruspidge

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 Midlands

GL17 (Forest of Dean)
≈4.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~976 kWh/kWp · -0% vs GL14
GL16 (Forest of Dean)
≈8.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~947 kWh/kWp · -3% vs GL14
GL15 (Forest of Dean)
≈10.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~980 kWh/kWp · +0% vs GL14
HR9 (Herefordshire, County of)
≈11.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~965 kWh/kWp · -1% vs GL14
GL18 (Forest of Dean)
≈13.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~984 kWh/kWp · +1% vs GL14
GL13 (Stroud)
≈14.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~985 kWh/kWp · +1% vs GL14

Similar sunshine across the UK

SA43 (Ceredigion)
~977 kWh/kWp · -0% vs GL14
FY8 (Fylde)
~977 kWh/kWp · -0% vs GL14
MK1 (Milton Keynes)
~977 kWh/kWp · +0% vs GL14