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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in GL19 (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
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£960
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£11,786
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 6.0 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 £2,329
3 kW 2952 kWh 1181 kWh 1771 kWh £303 £177 £480 £6,104 12.7 yrs £3,494
4 kW 3936 kWh 1574 kWh 2361 kWh £404 £236 £640 £8,138 12.7 yrs £4,658
5 kW 4920 kWh 1968 kWh 2952 kWh £505 £295 £800 £10,173 12.7 yrs £5,823
6 kW 5904 kWh 2361 kWh 3542 kWh £605 £354 £960 £12,207 12.7 yrs £6,987
7 kW 6888 kWh 2755 kWh 4133 kWh £706 £413 £1,120 £14,242 12.7 yrs £8,152
8 kW 7872 kWh 3149 kWh 4723 kWh £807 £472 £1,280 £16,276 12.7 yrs £9,316

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 £381 £6,169 16.2 yrs £1,460
3 kW 2952 kWh 1771 kWh 1181 kWh £454 £118 £572 £8,204 14.3 yrs £3,240
4 kW 3936 kWh 2361 kWh 1574 kWh £605 £157 £763 £10,238 13.4 yrs £5,020
5 kW 4920 kWh 2952 kWh 1968 kWh £757 £197 £954 £12,273 12.9 yrs £6,800
6 kW 5904 kWh 3542 kWh 2361 kWh £908 £236 £1,144 £14,307 12.5 yrs £8,580
7 kW 6888 kWh 4133 kWh 2755 kWh £1,060 £276 £1,335 £16,342 12.2 yrs £10,360
8 kW 7872 kWh 4723 kWh 3149 kWh £1,211 £315 £1,526 £18,376 12.0 yrs £12,141

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 £676
3 kW 2952 kWh 2066 kWh 886 kWh £530 £89 £618 £9,604 15.5 yrs £2,764
4 kW 3936 kWh 2755 kWh 1181 kWh £706 £118 £824 £11,638 14.1 yrs £4,851
5 kW 4920 kWh 3444 kWh 1476 kWh £883 £148 £1,031 £13,673 13.3 yrs £6,939
6 kW 5904 kWh 4133 kWh 1771 kWh £1,060 £177 £1,237 £15,707 12.7 yrs £9,027
7 kW 6888 kWh 4821 kWh 2066 kWh £1,236 £207 £1,443 £17,742 12.3 yrs £11,115
8 kW 7872 kWh 5510 kWh 2361 kWh £1,413 £236 £1,649 £19,776 12.0 yrs £13,203

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 £421 £9,319 22.1 yrs £-890
3 kW 2952 kWh 2155 kWh 797 kWh £553 £80 £632 £11,354 18.0 yrs £1,291
4 kW 3936 kWh 2873 kWh 1063 kWh £737 £106 £843 £13,388 15.9 yrs £3,471
5 kW 4920 kWh 3591 kWh 1328 kWh £921 £133 £1,054 £15,423 14.6 yrs £5,651
6 kW 5904 kWh 4310 kWh 1594 kWh £1,105 £159 £1,264 £17,457 13.8 yrs £7,831
7 kW 6888 kWh 5028 kWh 1860 kWh £1,289 £186 £1,475 £19,492 13.2 yrs £10,011
8 kW 7872 kWh 5746 kWh 2125 kWh £1,473 £213 £1,686 £21,526 12.8 yrs £12,191

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 £378 £49 £428 £11,069 25.9 yrs £-2,517
3 kW 2952 kWh 2214 kWh 738 kWh £568 £74 £641 £13,104 20.4 yrs £-275
4 kW 3936 kWh 2952 kWh 984 kWh £757 £98 £855 £15,138 17.7 yrs £1,967
5 kW 4920 kWh 3690 kWh 1230 kWh £946 £123 £1,069 £17,173 16.1 yrs £4,209
6 kW 5904 kWh 4428 kWh 1476 kWh £1,135 £148 £1,283 £19,207 15.0 yrs £6,450
7 kW 6888 kWh 5166 kWh 1722 kWh £1,324 £172 £1,497 £21,242 14.2 yrs £8,692
8 kW 7872 kWh 5904 kWh 1968 kWh £1,514 £197 £1,710 £23,276 13.6 yrs £10,934

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: £1,084, 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 1515 kWh 453 kWh £389 £45 £434 £13,519 31.2 yrs £-4,843
3 kW 2952 kWh 2273 kWh 679 kWh £583 £68 £651 £15,554 23.9 yrs £-2,540
4 kW 3936 kWh 3031 kWh 905 kWh £777 £91 £868 £17,588 20.3 yrs £-237
5 kW 4920 kWh 3788 kWh 1132 kWh £971 £113 £1,084 £19,623 18.1 yrs £2,066
6 kW 5904 kWh 4546 kWh 1358 kWh £1,166 £136 £1,301 £21,657 16.6 yrs £4,370
7 kW 6888 kWh 5303 kWh 1584 kWh £1,360 £158 £1,518 £23,692 15.6 yrs £6,673
8 kW 7872 kWh 6061 kWh 1810 kWh £1,554 £181 £1,735 £25,726 14.8 yrs £8,976

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 GL19

Figures below are tailored to GL19 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #46 of 2182
7.1 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~15 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1380 of 2997
11.1 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£1,098 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #901 of 2997
17.6% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£193 fixed • ~£1,098 /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
6.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 77% • Flats: 3% • Bungalows: 20% Based on 2,303 properties

Coverage

Forest of Dean (47%)|Tewkesbury (33%)|Malvern Hills (12%)|Gloucester (8%)

Areas Covered

Hartpury & Redmarley, Highnam with Haw Bridge, Severn Vale North, Longhope & Huntley, Longdon, Barnwood, Newent & Taynton, Quedgeley Fieldcourt + 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 Midlands

GL18 (Forest of Dean)
≈8.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~984 kWh/kWp · +0% vs GL19
GL1 (Gloucester)
≈10.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~969 kWh/kWp · -2% vs GL19
GL20 (Tewkesbury)
≈11.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~977 kWh/kWp · -1% vs GL19
GL2 (Gloucester)
≈12.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~969 kWh/kWp · -2% vs GL19
GL4 (Gloucester)
≈13.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~950 kWh/kWp · -3% vs GL19
GL3 (Tewkesbury)
≈13.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~969 kWh/kWp · -2% vs GL19

Similar sunshine across the UK

CV33 (Stratford-on-Avon)
~984 kWh/kWp · -0% vs GL19
OX49 (South Oxfordshire)
~984 kWh/kWp · -0% vs GL19
HP21 (Buckinghamshire)
~984 kWh/kWp · -0% vs GL19