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

Solar Panels in IG11 (Barking and Dagenham)

See if solar pays off for you in Barking and Dagenham — 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
12.4 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£6,104
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£492
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£6,206
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

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 3.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 1010 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
46.1p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1010 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: £821, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 12.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2020 kWh 808 kWh 1212 kWh £207 £121 £328 £4,069 12.4 yrs £2,496
3 kW 3030 kWh 1212 kWh 1818 kWh £311 £182 £492 £6,104 12.4 yrs £3,744
4 kW 4039 kWh 1616 kWh 2424 kWh £414 £242 £656 £8,138 12.4 yrs £4,992
5 kW 5049 kWh 2020 kWh 3030 kWh £518 £303 £821 £10,173 12.4 yrs £6,240
6 kW 6059 kWh 2424 kWh 3635 kWh £621 £364 £985 £12,207 12.4 yrs £7,488
7 kW 7069 kWh 2828 kWh 4241 kWh £725 £424 £1,149 £14,242 12.4 yrs £8,736
8 kW 8079 kWh 3232 kWh 4847 kWh £828 £485 £1,313 £16,276 12.4 yrs £9,984

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: £978, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 12.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2020 kWh 1212 kWh 808 kWh £311 £81 £391 £6,169 15.8 yrs £1,659
3 kW 3030 kWh 1818 kWh 1212 kWh £466 £121 £587 £8,204 14.0 yrs £3,538
4 kW 4039 kWh 2424 kWh 1616 kWh £621 £162 £783 £10,238 13.1 yrs £5,417
5 kW 5049 kWh 3030 kWh 2020 kWh £776 £202 £978 £12,273 12.5 yrs £7,297
6 kW 6059 kWh 3635 kWh 2424 kWh £932 £242 £1,174 £14,307 12.2 yrs £9,176
7 kW 7069 kWh 4241 kWh 2828 kWh £1,087 £283 £1,370 £16,342 11.9 yrs £11,055
8 kW 8079 kWh 4847 kWh 3232 kWh £1,242 £323 £1,566 £18,376 11.7 yrs £12,934

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: £1,057, Upfront: £13,673, 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 2020 kWh 1414 kWh 606 kWh £362 £61 £423 £7,569 17.9 yrs £890
3 kW 3030 kWh 2121 kWh 909 kWh £544 £91 £634 £9,604 15.1 yrs £3,085
4 kW 4039 kWh 2828 kWh 1212 kWh £725 £121 £846 £11,638 13.8 yrs £5,280
5 kW 5049 kWh 3535 kWh 1515 kWh £906 £151 £1,057 £13,673 12.9 yrs £7,475
6 kW 6059 kWh 4241 kWh 1818 kWh £1,087 £182 £1,269 £15,707 12.4 yrs £9,670
7 kW 7069 kWh 4948 kWh 2121 kWh £1,268 £212 £1,480 £17,742 12.0 yrs £11,865
8 kW 8079 kWh 5655 kWh 2424 kWh £1,449 £242 £1,692 £19,776 11.7 yrs £14,060

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: £1,081, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 14.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2020 kWh 1474 kWh 545 kWh £378 £55 £432 £9,319 21.6 yrs £-671
3 kW 3030 kWh 2212 kWh 818 kWh £567 £82 £649 £11,354 17.5 yrs £1,619
4 kW 4039 kWh 2949 kWh 1091 kWh £756 £109 £865 £13,388 15.5 yrs £3,909
5 kW 5049 kWh 3686 kWh 1363 kWh £945 £136 £1,081 £15,423 14.3 yrs £6,198
6 kW 6059 kWh 4423 kWh 1636 kWh £1,134 £164 £1,297 £17,457 13.5 yrs £8,488
7 kW 7069 kWh 5160 kWh 1909 kWh £1,323 £191 £1,513 £19,492 12.9 yrs £10,778
8 kW 8079 kWh 5898 kWh 2181 kWh £1,512 £218 £1,730 £21,526 12.4 yrs £13,068

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: £1,097, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 15.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2020 kWh 1515 kWh 505 kWh £388 £50 £439 £11,069 25.2 yrs £-2,294
3 kW 3030 kWh 2272 kWh 757 kWh £582 £76 £658 £13,104 19.9 yrs £58
4 kW 4039 kWh 3030 kWh 1010 kWh £776 £101 £877 £15,138 17.3 yrs £2,411
5 kW 5049 kWh 3787 kWh 1262 kWh £971 £126 £1,097 £17,173 15.7 yrs £4,764
6 kW 6059 kWh 4544 kWh 1515 kWh £1,165 £151 £1,316 £19,207 14.6 yrs £7,117
7 kW 7069 kWh 5302 kWh 1767 kWh £1,359 £177 £1,536 £21,242 13.8 yrs £9,470
8 kW 8079 kWh 6059 kWh 2020 kWh £1,553 £202 £1,755 £23,276 13.3 yrs £11,823

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: £1,113, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 17.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2020 kWh 1555 kWh 465 kWh £399 £46 £445 £13,519 30.4 yrs £-4,618
3 kW 3030 kWh 2333 kWh 697 kWh £598 £70 £668 £15,554 23.3 yrs £-2,202
4 kW 4039 kWh 3110 kWh 929 kWh £797 £93 £890 £17,588 19.8 yrs £214
5 kW 5049 kWh 3888 kWh 1161 kWh £996 £116 £1,113 £19,623 17.6 yrs £2,630
6 kW 6059 kWh 4666 kWh 1394 kWh £1,196 £139 £1,335 £21,657 16.2 yrs £5,046
7 kW 7069 kWh 5443 kWh 1626 kWh £1,395 £163 £1,558 £23,692 15.2 yrs £7,462
8 kW 8079 kWh 6221 kWh 1858 kWh £1,594 £186 £1,780 £25,726 14.5 yrs £9,878

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
25.63p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
46.06p/day
Local Sunshine
1010kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1010 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
3.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

⚠️ This area is predominantly flats. Many residents require freeholder approval for solar installations. System size shown reflects houses and bungalows only.

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 31% • Flats: 65% • Bungalows: 0% Based on 20,169 properties

Coverage

Barking and Dagenham (99%)|Redbridge (1%)

Areas Covered

Gascoigne, Northbury, Barking Riverside, Longbridge, Eastbury, Abbey, Thames View, Mayfield + 4 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.