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Solar panel cost in Lancaster (LA3)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for LA3 (Lancaster) in under a minute using official UK data. Start with the calculator, then get a no-obligation quote from an MCS-certified installer. You can also ask the SolarByPostcode assistant to sanity-check your roof, bills and plans.

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
£797
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£9,743
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 North West, the current unit rate is 28.45p/kWh with a 52.22p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 917 kWh/kW — 47 above the regional median (870).

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 917 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 28.4p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
28.4p/kWh
Standing charge
52.2p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
917 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: £797, 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 1833 kWh 733 kWh 1100 kWh £209 £110 £319 £4,069 12.8 yrs £2,304
3 kW 2750 kWh 1100 kWh 1650 kWh £313 £165 £478 £6,104 12.8 yrs £3,456
4 kW 3667 kWh 1467 kWh 2200 kWh £417 £220 £637 £8,138 12.8 yrs £4,608
5 kW 4584 kWh 1833 kWh 2750 kWh £522 £275 £797 £10,173 12.8 yrs £5,760
6 kW 5500 kWh 2200 kWh 3300 kWh £626 £330 £956 £12,207 12.8 yrs £6,912
7 kW 6417 kWh 2567 kWh 3850 kWh £730 £385 £1,115 £14,242 12.8 yrs £8,064
8 kW 7334 kWh 2933 kWh 4400 kWh £835 £440 £1,275 £16,276 12.8 yrs £9,216

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: £966, Upfront: £12,273, 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 1833 kWh 1100 kWh 733 kWh £313 £73 £386 £6,169 16.0 yrs £1,557
3 kW 2750 kWh 1650 kWh 1100 kWh £469 £110 £579 £8,204 14.2 yrs £3,386
4 kW 3667 kWh 2200 kWh 1467 kWh £626 £147 £773 £10,238 13.3 yrs £5,214
5 kW 4584 kWh 2750 kWh 1833 kWh £782 £183 £966 £12,273 12.7 yrs £7,043
6 kW 5500 kWh 3300 kWh 2200 kWh £939 £220 £1,159 £14,307 12.3 yrs £8,871
7 kW 6417 kWh 3850 kWh 2567 kWh £1,095 £257 £1,352 £16,342 12.1 yrs £10,700
8 kW 7334 kWh 4400 kWh 2933 kWh £1,252 £293 £1,545 £18,376 11.9 yrs £12,528

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: £1,050, Upfront: £13,673, 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 1833 kWh 1283 kWh 550 kWh £365 £55 £420 £7,569 18.0 yrs £834
3 kW 2750 kWh 1925 kWh 825 kWh £548 £83 £630 £9,604 15.2 yrs £3,000
4 kW 3667 kWh 2567 kWh 1100 kWh £730 £110 £840 £11,638 13.9 yrs £5,167
5 kW 4584 kWh 3208 kWh 1375 kWh £913 £138 £1,050 £13,673 13.0 yrs £7,334
6 kW 5500 kWh 3850 kWh 1650 kWh £1,095 £165 £1,260 £15,707 12.5 yrs £9,501
7 kW 6417 kWh 4492 kWh 1925 kWh £1,278 £193 £1,470 £17,742 12.1 yrs £11,667
8 kW 7334 kWh 5134 kWh 2200 kWh £1,461 £220 £1,681 £19,776 11.8 yrs £13,834

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: £1,076, 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 1833 kWh 1338 kWh 495 kWh £381 £50 £430 £9,319 21.7 yrs £-713
3 kW 2750 kWh 2008 kWh 743 kWh £571 £74 £645 £11,354 17.6 yrs £1,555
4 kW 3667 kWh 2677 kWh 990 kWh £762 £99 £861 £13,388 15.6 yrs £3,823
5 kW 4584 kWh 3346 kWh 1238 kWh £952 £124 £1,076 £15,423 14.3 yrs £6,091
6 kW 5500 kWh 4015 kWh 1485 kWh £1,142 £149 £1,291 £17,457 13.5 yrs £8,360
7 kW 6417 kWh 4684 kWh 1733 kWh £1,333 £173 £1,506 £19,492 12.9 yrs £10,628
8 kW 7334 kWh 5354 kWh 1980 kWh £1,523 £198 £1,721 £21,526 12.5 yrs £12,896

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: £1,093, 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 1833 kWh 1375 kWh 458 kWh £391 £46 £437 £11,069 25.3 yrs £-2,328
3 kW 2750 kWh 2063 kWh 688 kWh £587 £69 £656 £13,104 20.0 yrs £8
4 kW 3667 kWh 2750 kWh 917 kWh £782 £92 £874 £15,138 17.3 yrs £2,344
5 kW 4584 kWh 3438 kWh 1146 kWh £978 £115 £1,093 £17,173 15.7 yrs £4,680
6 kW 5500 kWh 4125 kWh 1375 kWh £1,174 £138 £1,311 £19,207 14.6 yrs £7,015
7 kW 6417 kWh 4813 kWh 1604 kWh £1,369 £160 £1,530 £21,242 13.9 yrs £9,351
8 kW 7334 kWh 5500 kWh 1833 kWh £1,565 £183 £1,748 £23,276 13.3 yrs £11,687

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: £1,110, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 17.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1833 kWh 1412 kWh 422 kWh £402 £42 £444 £13,519 30.5 yrs £-4,643
3 kW 2750 kWh 2118 kWh 633 kWh £602 £63 £666 £15,554 23.4 yrs £-2,239
4 kW 3667 kWh 2823 kWh 843 kWh £803 £84 £888 £17,588 19.8 yrs £164
5 kW 4584 kWh 3529 kWh 1054 kWh £1,004 £105 £1,110 £19,623 17.7 yrs £2,568
6 kW 5500 kWh 4235 kWh 1265 kWh £1,205 £127 £1,331 £21,657 16.3 yrs £4,971
7 kW 6417 kWh 4941 kWh 1476 kWh £1,406 £148 £1,553 £23,692 15.3 yrs £7,375
8 kW 7334 kWh 5647 kWh 1687 kWh £1,607 £169 £1,775 £25,726 14.5 yrs £9,778

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 LA3

Figures below are tailored to LA3 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1233 of 2182
4.9 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~10 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1806 of 2997
12.8 years (UK avg 12.6 years)
~£797 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1626 of 2997
23.9% (UK avg 24.6%) drag on savings
£191 fixed • ~£797 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −20.6% West −21.9%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
28.45p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
52.22p/day
Local Sunshine
917kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~917 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: 57% • Flats: 29% • Bungalows: 12% Based on 6,918 properties

Coverage

Lancaster (100%)

Areas Covered

Heysham South, Heysham North, Heysham Central, Overton, Westgate, West End, Poulton, Torrisholme + 1 more

Data Sources & Assumptions

Solar yield: PVGIS (EU Joint Research Centre), January 2025 data

Electricity rates: Ofgem price cap, Q1 2026

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 North West

LA4 (Lancaster)
≈2.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~917 kWh/kWp · +0% vs LA3
LA1 (Lancaster)
≈5.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~888 kWh/kWp · -3% vs LA3
LA5 (Lancaster)
≈10.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~901 kWh/kWp · -2% vs LA3
LA2 (Lancaster)
≈10.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~887 kWh/kWp · -3% vs LA3
LA11 (Westmorland and Furness)
≈15.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~928 kWh/kWp · +1% vs LA3
FY7 (Wyre)
≈18.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~986 kWh/kWp · +8% vs LA3

Similar sunshine across the UK

S35 (Sheffield)
~916 kWh/kWp · -0% vs LA3
BT24 (Newry, Mourne and Down)
~917 kWh/kWp · +0% vs LA3
KY5 (Fife)
~916 kWh/kWp · -0% vs LA3