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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in LS21 (Leeds)

See if solar pays off for you in Leeds — 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
13.9 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£729
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,059
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 Yorkshire, the current unit rate is 25.33p/kWh with a 58.65p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 904 kWh/kW — 25 below the regional median (929).

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 904 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.3p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.3p/kWh
Standing charge
58.6p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
904 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: £729, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 13.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1808 kWh 723 kWh 1085 kWh £183 £108 £292 £4,069 13.9 yrs £1,765
3 kW 2712 kWh 1085 kWh 1627 kWh £275 £163 £438 £6,104 13.9 yrs £2,648
4 kW 3617 kWh 1447 kWh 2170 kWh £366 £217 £583 £8,138 13.9 yrs £3,530
5 kW 4521 kWh 1808 kWh 2712 kWh £458 £271 £729 £10,173 13.9 yrs £4,413
6 kW 5425 kWh 2170 kWh 3255 kWh £550 £325 £875 £12,207 13.9 yrs £5,295
7 kW 6329 kWh 2532 kWh 3797 kWh £641 £380 £1,021 £14,242 13.9 yrs £6,178
8 kW 7233 kWh 2893 kWh 4340 kWh £733 £434 £1,167 £16,276 13.9 yrs £7,061

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: £868, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 14.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1808 kWh 1085 kWh 723 kWh £275 £72 £347 £6,169 17.8 yrs £774
3 kW 2712 kWh 1627 kWh 1085 kWh £412 £108 £521 £8,204 15.8 yrs £2,211
4 kW 3617 kWh 2170 kWh 1447 kWh £550 £145 £694 £10,238 14.7 yrs £3,648
5 kW 4521 kWh 2712 kWh 1808 kWh £687 £181 £868 £12,273 14.1 yrs £5,085
6 kW 5425 kWh 3255 kWh 2170 kWh £824 £217 £1,041 £14,307 13.7 yrs £6,522
7 kW 6329 kWh 3797 kWh 2532 kWh £962 £253 £1,215 £16,342 13.4 yrs £7,959
8 kW 7233 kWh 4340 kWh 2893 kWh £1,099 £289 £1,389 £18,376 13.2 yrs £9,396

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: £937, Upfront: £13,673, 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 1808 kWh 1266 kWh 542 kWh £321 £54 £375 £7,569 20.2 yrs £-72
3 kW 2712 kWh 1899 kWh 814 kWh £481 £81 £562 £9,604 17.1 yrs £1,643
4 kW 3617 kWh 2532 kWh 1085 kWh £641 £108 £750 £11,638 15.5 yrs £3,357
5 kW 4521 kWh 3164 kWh 1356 kWh £802 £136 £937 £13,673 14.6 yrs £5,071
6 kW 5425 kWh 3797 kWh 1627 kWh £962 £163 £1,125 £15,707 14.0 yrs £6,785
7 kW 6329 kWh 4430 kWh 1899 kWh £1,122 £190 £1,312 £17,742 13.5 yrs £8,499
8 kW 7233 kWh 5063 kWh 2170 kWh £1,282 £217 £1,499 £19,776 13.2 yrs £10,214

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: £958, Upfront: £15,423, 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 1808 kWh 1320 kWh 488 kWh £334 £49 £383 £9,319 24.3 yrs £-1,655
3 kW 2712 kWh 1980 kWh 732 kWh £502 £73 £575 £11,354 19.8 yrs £142
4 kW 3617 kWh 2640 kWh 976 kWh £669 £98 £766 £13,388 17.5 yrs £1,939
5 kW 4521 kWh 3300 kWh 1221 kWh £836 £122 £958 £15,423 16.1 yrs £3,737
6 kW 5425 kWh 3960 kWh 1465 kWh £1,003 £146 £1,150 £17,457 15.2 yrs £5,534
7 kW 6329 kWh 4620 kWh 1709 kWh £1,170 £171 £1,341 £19,492 14.5 yrs £7,331
8 kW 7233 kWh 5280 kWh 1953 kWh £1,337 £195 £1,533 £21,526 14.0 yrs £9,129

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: £972, Upfront: £17,173, 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 1808 kWh 1356 kWh 452 kWh £344 £45 £389 £11,069 28.5 yrs £-3,294
3 kW 2712 kWh 2034 kWh 678 kWh £515 £68 £583 £13,104 22.5 yrs £-1,442
4 kW 3617 kWh 2712 kWh 904 kWh £687 £90 £777 £15,138 19.5 yrs £411
5 kW 4521 kWh 3390 kWh 1130 kWh £859 £113 £972 £17,173 17.7 yrs £2,264
6 kW 5425 kWh 4069 kWh 1356 kWh £1,031 £136 £1,166 £19,207 16.5 yrs £4,117
7 kW 6329 kWh 4747 kWh 1582 kWh £1,202 £158 £1,361 £21,242 15.6 yrs £5,970
8 kW 7233 kWh 5425 kWh 1808 kWh £1,374 £181 £1,555 £23,276 15.0 yrs £7,822

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: £986, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1808 kWh 1392 kWh 416 kWh £353 £42 £394 £13,519 34.3 yrs £-5,634
3 kW 2712 kWh 2089 kWh 624 kWh £529 £62 £591 £15,554 26.3 yrs £-3,725
4 kW 3617 kWh 2785 kWh 832 kWh £705 £83 £789 £17,588 22.3 yrs £-1,817
5 kW 4521 kWh 3481 kWh 1040 kWh £882 £104 £986 £19,623 19.9 yrs £91
6 kW 5425 kWh 4177 kWh 1248 kWh £1,058 £125 £1,183 £21,657 18.3 yrs £1,999
7 kW 6329 kWh 4873 kWh 1456 kWh £1,234 £146 £1,380 £23,692 17.2 yrs £3,908
8 kW 7233 kWh 5569 kWh 1664 kWh £1,411 £166 £1,577 £25,726 16.3 yrs £5,816

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 LS21

Figures below are tailored to LS21 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1118 of 2182
5.0 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~11 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #2499 of 2997
12.2 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£833 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2358 of 2997
25.7% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£214 fixed • ~£833 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.33p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
58.65p/day
Local Sunshine
904kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~904 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: 74% • Flats: 18% • Bungalows: 7% Based on 4,532 properties

Coverage

Leeds (84%)|North Yorkshire (16%)

Areas Covered

Otley & Yeadon, Washburn & Birstwith, Adel & Wharfedale, Guiseley & Rawdon, Wharfedale, Alwoodley

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 Yorkshire

LS20 (Leeds)
≈3.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~910 kWh/kWp · +1% vs LS21
LS19 (Leeds)
≈4.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~910 kWh/kWp · +1% vs LS21
LS18 (Leeds)
≈8.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~915 kWh/kWp · +1% vs LS21
BD17 (Bradford)
≈8.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~906 kWh/kWp · +0% vs LS21
BD10 (Bradford)
≈8.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~911 kWh/kWp · +1% vs LS21
LS16 (Leeds)
≈8.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~915 kWh/kWp · +1% vs LS21

Similar sunshine across the UK

SR9 (Sunderland)
~904 kWh/kWp · +0% vs LS21
TS24 (Hartlepool)
~904 kWh/kWp · +0% vs LS21
WA16 (Cheshire East)
~904 kWh/kWp · +0% vs LS21