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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in M12 (Manchester)

See if solar pays off for you in Manchester — 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
14.0 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,138
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£580
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£6,368
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 27.11p/kWh with a 51.16p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 861 kWh/kW — 9 below the regional median (870).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 4.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 861 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 27.1p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
27.1p/kWh
Standing charge
51.2p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
861 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: £725, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 14.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1722 kWh 689 kWh 1033 kWh £187 £103 £290 £4,069 14.0 yrs £1,733
3 kW 2584 kWh 1033 kWh 1550 kWh £280 £155 £435 £6,104 14.0 yrs £2,600
4 kW 3445 kWh 1378 kWh 2067 kWh £374 £207 £580 £8,138 14.0 yrs £3,466
5 kW 4306 kWh 1722 kWh 2584 kWh £467 £258 £725 £10,173 14.0 yrs £4,333
6 kW 5167 kWh 2067 kWh 3100 kWh £560 £310 £870 £12,207 14.0 yrs £5,200
7 kW 6028 kWh 2411 kWh 3617 kWh £654 £362 £1,015 £14,242 14.0 yrs £6,066
8 kW 6889 kWh 2756 kWh 4134 kWh £747 £413 £1,160 £16,276 14.0 yrs £6,933

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: £873, 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 1722 kWh 1033 kWh 689 kWh £280 £69 £349 £6,169 17.7 yrs £812
3 kW 2584 kWh 1550 kWh 1033 kWh £420 £103 £524 £8,204 15.7 yrs £2,268
4 kW 3445 kWh 2067 kWh 1378 kWh £560 £138 £698 £10,238 14.7 yrs £3,724
5 kW 4306 kWh 2584 kWh 1722 kWh £700 £172 £873 £12,273 14.1 yrs £5,180
6 kW 5167 kWh 3100 kWh 2067 kWh £840 £207 £1,047 £14,307 13.7 yrs £6,636
7 kW 6028 kWh 3617 kWh 2411 kWh £981 £241 £1,222 £16,342 13.4 yrs £8,092
8 kW 6889 kWh 4134 kWh 2756 kWh £1,121 £276 £1,396 £18,376 13.2 yrs £9,548

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: £946, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 14.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1722 kWh 1206 kWh 517 kWh £327 £52 £379 £7,569 20.0 yrs £1
3 kW 2584 kWh 1808 kWh 775 kWh £490 £78 £568 £9,604 16.9 yrs £1,752
4 kW 3445 kWh 2411 kWh 1033 kWh £654 £103 £757 £11,638 15.4 yrs £3,503
5 kW 4306 kWh 3014 kWh 1292 kWh £817 £129 £946 £13,673 14.4 yrs £5,253
6 kW 5167 kWh 3617 kWh 1550 kWh £981 £155 £1,136 £15,707 13.8 yrs £7,004
7 kW 6028 kWh 4220 kWh 1808 kWh £1,144 £181 £1,325 £17,742 13.4 yrs £8,755
8 kW 6889 kWh 4823 kWh 2067 kWh £1,307 £207 £1,514 £19,776 13.1 yrs £10,505

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: £968, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1722 kWh 1257 kWh 465 kWh £341 £47 £387 £9,319 24.1 yrs £-1,572
3 kW 2584 kWh 1886 kWh 698 kWh £511 £70 £581 £11,354 19.5 yrs £267
4 kW 3445 kWh 2515 kWh 930 kWh £682 £93 £775 £13,388 17.3 yrs £2,106
5 kW 4306 kWh 3143 kWh 1163 kWh £852 £116 £968 £15,423 15.9 yrs £3,945
6 kW 5167 kWh 3772 kWh 1395 kWh £1,023 £140 £1,162 £17,457 15.0 yrs £5,785
7 kW 6028 kWh 4401 kWh 1628 kWh £1,193 £163 £1,356 £19,492 14.4 yrs £7,624
8 kW 6889 kWh 5029 kWh 1860 kWh £1,363 £186 £1,549 £21,526 13.9 yrs £9,463

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: £983, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1722 kWh 1292 kWh 431 kWh £350 £43 £393 £11,069 28.1 yrs £-3,204
3 kW 2584 kWh 1938 kWh 646 kWh £525 £65 £590 £13,104 22.2 yrs £-1,306
4 kW 3445 kWh 2584 kWh 861 kWh £700 £86 £787 £15,138 19.2 yrs £592
5 kW 4306 kWh 3229 kWh 1076 kWh £875 £108 £983 £17,173 17.5 yrs £2,490
6 kW 5167 kWh 3875 kWh 1292 kWh £1,051 £129 £1,180 £19,207 16.3 yrs £4,388
7 kW 6028 kWh 4521 kWh 1507 kWh £1,226 £151 £1,376 £21,242 15.4 yrs £6,286
8 kW 6889 kWh 5167 kWh 1722 kWh £1,401 £172 £1,573 £23,276 14.8 yrs £8,184

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: £998, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1722 kWh 1326 kWh 396 kWh £360 £40 £399 £13,519 33.9 yrs £-5,536
3 kW 2584 kWh 1989 kWh 594 kWh £539 £59 £599 £15,554 26.0 yrs £-3,579
4 kW 3445 kWh 2652 kWh 792 kWh £719 £79 £798 £17,588 22.0 yrs £-1,622
5 kW 4306 kWh 3316 kWh 990 kWh £899 £99 £998 £19,623 19.7 yrs £335
6 kW 5167 kWh 3979 kWh 1188 kWh £1,079 £119 £1,197 £21,657 18.1 yrs £2,292
7 kW 6028 kWh 4642 kWh 1386 kWh £1,258 £139 £1,397 £23,692 17.0 yrs £4,249
8 kW 6889 kWh 5305 kWh 1585 kWh £1,438 £158 £1,597 £25,726 16.1 yrs £6,206

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 M12

Figures below are tailored to M12 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #2071 of 2182
4.0 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~8 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #2502 of 2997
12.2 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£669 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2532 of 2997
27.9% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£187 fixed • ~£669 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.11p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
51.16p/day
Local Sunshine
861kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~861 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
4.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 73% • Flats: 24% • Bungalows: 2% Based on 5,168 properties

Coverage

Manchester (100%)

Areas Covered

Ardwick, Longsight, Gorton & Abbey Hey, Levenshulme, Ancoats & Beswick, Piccadilly, Rusholme, Clayton & Openshaw

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 North West

M13 (Manchester)
≈0.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~861 kWh/kWp · +0% vs M12
M11 (Manchester)
≈1.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~856 kWh/kWp · -1% vs M12
M18 (Manchester)
≈2.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~856 kWh/kWp · -1% vs M12
M1 (Manchester)
≈2.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~861 kWh/kWp · -0% vs M12
M14 (Manchester)
≈2.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~870 kWh/kWp · +1% vs M12
M52 (Manchester)
≈2.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~871 kWh/kWp · +1% vs M12

Similar sunshine across the UK

FK16 (Stirling)
~861 kWh/kWp · +0% vs M12
PA88 (Na h-Eileanan Siar)
~861 kWh/kWp · -0% vs M12
HS7 (Na h-Eileanan Siar)
~861 kWh/kWp · -0% vs M12