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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in GL18 (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
12.7 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£800
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£9,826
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 984 kWh/kW — 42 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 984 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)
984 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: £800, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 12.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1968 kWh 787 kWh 1181 kWh £202 £118 £320 £4,069 12.7 yrs £2,330
3 kW 2952 kWh 1181 kWh 1771 kWh £303 £177 £480 £6,104 12.7 yrs £3,496
4 kW 3937 kWh 1575 kWh 2362 kWh £404 £236 £640 £8,138 12.7 yrs £4,661
5 kW 4921 kWh 1968 kWh 2952 kWh £505 £295 £800 £10,173 12.7 yrs £5,826
6 kW 5905 kWh 2362 kWh 3543 kWh £606 £354 £960 £12,207 12.7 yrs £6,991
7 kW 6889 kWh 2756 kWh 4133 kWh £707 £413 £1,120 £14,242 12.7 yrs £8,156
8 kW 7873 kWh 3149 kWh 4724 kWh £807 £472 £1,280 £16,276 12.7 yrs £9,322

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: £954, Upfront: £12,273, 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 1968 kWh 1181 kWh 787 kWh £303 £79 £382 £6,169 16.2 yrs £1,462
3 kW 2952 kWh 1771 kWh 1181 kWh £454 £118 £572 £8,204 14.3 yrs £3,243
4 kW 3937 kWh 2362 kWh 1575 kWh £606 £157 £763 £10,238 13.4 yrs £5,024
5 kW 4921 kWh 2952 kWh 1968 kWh £757 £197 £954 £12,273 12.9 yrs £6,804
6 kW 5905 kWh 3543 kWh 2362 kWh £908 £236 £1,145 £14,307 12.5 yrs £8,585
7 kW 6889 kWh 4133 kWh 2756 kWh £1,060 £276 £1,335 £16,342 12.2 yrs £10,366
8 kW 7873 kWh 4724 kWh 3149 kWh £1,211 £315 £1,526 £18,376 12.0 yrs £12,147

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: £1,031, Upfront: £13,673, 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 1968 kWh 1378 kWh 590 kWh £353 £59 £412 £7,569 18.4 yrs £677
3 kW 2952 kWh 2067 kWh 886 kWh £530 £89 £618 £9,604 15.5 yrs £2,766
4 kW 3937 kWh 2756 kWh 1181 kWh £707 £118 £825 £11,638 14.1 yrs £4,855
5 kW 4921 kWh 3445 kWh 1476 kWh £883 £148 £1,031 £13,673 13.3 yrs £6,944
6 kW 5905 kWh 4133 kWh 1771 kWh £1,060 £177 £1,237 £15,707 12.7 yrs £9,032
7 kW 6889 kWh 4822 kWh 2067 kWh £1,236 £207 £1,443 £17,742 12.3 yrs £11,121
8 kW 7873 kWh 5511 kWh 2362 kWh £1,413 £236 £1,649 £19,776 12.0 yrs £13,210

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: £1,054, Upfront: £15,423, 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 1968 kWh 1437 kWh 531 kWh £368 £53 £422 £9,319 22.1 yrs £-888
3 kW 2952 kWh 2155 kWh 797 kWh £553 £80 £632 £11,354 18.0 yrs £1,293
4 kW 3937 kWh 2874 kWh 1063 kWh £737 £106 £843 £13,388 15.9 yrs £3,474
5 kW 4921 kWh 3592 kWh 1329 kWh £921 £133 £1,054 £15,423 14.6 yrs £5,655
6 kW 5905 kWh 4311 kWh 1594 kWh £1,105 £159 £1,265 £17,457 13.8 yrs £7,836
7 kW 6889 kWh 5029 kWh 1860 kWh £1,289 £186 £1,475 £19,492 13.2 yrs £10,018
8 kW 7873 kWh 5747 kWh 2126 kWh £1,474 £213 £1,686 £21,526 12.8 yrs £12,199

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: £1,069, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 16.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1968 kWh 1476 kWh 492 kWh £379 £49 £428 £11,069 25.9 yrs £-2,515
3 kW 2952 kWh 2214 kWh 738 kWh £568 £74 £642 £13,104 20.4 yrs £-272
4 kW 3937 kWh 2952 kWh 984 kWh £757 £98 £855 £15,138 17.7 yrs £1,971
5 kW 4921 kWh 3691 kWh 1230 kWh £946 £123 £1,069 £17,173 16.1 yrs £4,213
6 kW 5905 kWh 4429 kWh 1476 kWh £1,136 £148 £1,283 £19,207 15.0 yrs £6,456
7 kW 6889 kWh 5167 kWh 1722 kWh £1,325 £172 £1,497 £21,242 14.2 yrs £8,699
8 kW 7873 kWh 5905 kWh 1968 kWh £1,514 £197 £1,711 £23,276 13.6 yrs £10,941

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: £1,085, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 18.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1968 kWh 1516 kWh 453 kWh £389 £45 £434 £13,519 31.2 yrs £-4,842
3 kW 2952 kWh 2273 kWh 679 kWh £583 £68 £651 £15,554 23.9 yrs £-2,537
4 kW 3937 kWh 3031 kWh 905 kWh £777 £91 £868 £17,588 20.3 yrs £-233
5 kW 4921 kWh 3789 kWh 1132 kWh £972 £113 £1,085 £19,623 18.1 yrs £2,071
6 kW 5905 kWh 4547 kWh 1358 kWh £1,166 £136 £1,302 £21,657 16.6 yrs £4,375
7 kW 6889 kWh 5305 kWh 1584 kWh £1,360 £158 £1,519 £23,692 15.6 yrs £6,680
8 kW 7873 kWh 6062 kWh 1811 kWh £1,554 £181 £1,735 £25,726 14.8 yrs £8,984

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 GL18

Figures below are tailored to GL18 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #721 of 2182
5.3 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~11 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1379 of 2997
11.1 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£915 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1638 of 2997
21.1% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£193 fixed • ~£915 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.64p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
53.00p/day
Local Sunshine
984kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~984 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: 14% • Bungalows: 13% Based on 2,560 properties

Coverage

Forest of Dean (98%)|Herefordshire, County of (2%)

Areas Covered

Newent & Taynton, Dymock, Hartpury & Redmarley, Penyard

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

GL19 (Forest of Dean)
≈8.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~984 kWh/kWp · -0% vs GL18
GL17 (Forest of Dean)
≈10.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~976 kWh/kWp · -1% vs GL18
HR8 (Herefordshire, County of)
≈12.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~978 kWh/kWp · -1% vs GL18
HR9 (Herefordshire, County of)
≈12.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~965 kWh/kWp · -2% vs GL18
GL1 (Gloucester)
≈13.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~969 kWh/kWp · -2% vs GL18
GL14 (Forest of Dean)
≈13.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~977 kWh/kWp · -1% vs GL18

Similar sunshine across the UK

HP9 (Buckinghamshire)
~984 kWh/kWp · +0% vs GL18
LE13 (Melton)
~984 kWh/kWp · +0% vs GL18
HA8 (Barnet)
~984 kWh/kWp · +0% vs GL18