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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in M23 (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
13.8 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,138
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£591
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£6,625
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 876 kWh/kW — 6 above 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 876 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)
876 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: £738, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 13.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1753 kWh 701 kWh 1052 kWh £190 £105 £295 £4,069 13.8 yrs £1,836
3 kW 2629 kWh 1052 kWh 1578 kWh £285 £158 £443 £6,104 13.8 yrs £2,754
4 kW 3506 kWh 1402 kWh 2104 kWh £380 £210 £591 £8,138 13.8 yrs £3,673
5 kW 4382 kWh 1753 kWh 2629 kWh £475 £263 £738 £10,173 13.8 yrs £4,591
6 kW 5259 kWh 2104 kWh 3155 kWh £570 £316 £886 £12,207 13.8 yrs £5,509
7 kW 6135 kWh 2454 kWh 3681 kWh £665 £368 £1,033 £14,242 13.8 yrs £6,427
8 kW 7012 kWh 2805 kWh 4207 kWh £760 £421 £1,181 £16,276 13.8 yrs £7,345

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: £888, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 13.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1753 kWh 1052 kWh 701 kWh £285 £70 £355 £6,169 17.4 yrs £936
3 kW 2629 kWh 1578 kWh 1052 kWh £428 £105 £533 £8,204 15.4 yrs £2,454
4 kW 3506 kWh 2104 kWh 1402 kWh £570 £140 £711 £10,238 14.4 yrs £3,972
5 kW 4382 kWh 2629 kWh 1753 kWh £713 £175 £888 £12,273 13.8 yrs £5,490
6 kW 5259 kWh 3155 kWh 2104 kWh £855 £210 £1,066 £14,307 13.4 yrs £7,008
7 kW 6135 kWh 3681 kWh 2454 kWh £998 £245 £1,243 £16,342 13.1 yrs £8,526
8 kW 7012 kWh 4207 kWh 2805 kWh £1,141 £280 £1,421 £18,376 12.9 yrs £10,044

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: £963, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 14.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1753 kWh 1227 kWh 526 kWh £333 £53 £385 £7,569 19.6 yrs £136
3 kW 2629 kWh 1841 kWh 789 kWh £499 £79 £578 £9,604 16.6 yrs £1,954
4 kW 3506 kWh 2454 kWh 1052 kWh £665 £105 £770 £11,638 15.1 yrs £3,772
5 kW 4382 kWh 3068 kWh 1315 kWh £832 £131 £963 £13,673 14.2 yrs £5,590
6 kW 5259 kWh 3681 kWh 1578 kWh £998 £158 £1,156 £15,707 13.6 yrs £7,408
7 kW 6135 kWh 4295 kWh 1841 kWh £1,164 £184 £1,348 £17,742 13.2 yrs £9,225
8 kW 7012 kWh 4908 kWh 2104 kWh £1,331 £210 £1,541 £19,776 12.8 yrs £11,043

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: £986, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1753 kWh 1280 kWh 473 kWh £347 £47 £394 £9,319 23.6 yrs £-1,434
3 kW 2629 kWh 1919 kWh 710 kWh £520 £71 £591 £11,354 19.2 yrs £474
4 kW 3506 kWh 2559 kWh 947 kWh £694 £95 £788 £13,388 17.0 yrs £2,382
5 kW 4382 kWh 3199 kWh 1183 kWh £867 £118 £986 £15,423 15.6 yrs £4,290
6 kW 5259 kWh 3839 kWh 1420 kWh £1,041 £142 £1,183 £17,457 14.8 yrs £6,197
7 kW 6135 kWh 4479 kWh 1657 kWh £1,214 £166 £1,380 £19,492 14.1 yrs £8,105
8 kW 7012 kWh 5119 kWh 1893 kWh £1,388 £189 £1,577 £21,526 13.7 yrs £10,013

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: £1,001, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1753 kWh 1315 kWh 438 kWh £356 £44 £400 £11,069 27.7 yrs £-3,064
3 kW 2629 kWh 1972 kWh 657 kWh £535 £66 £600 £13,104 21.8 yrs £-1,096
4 kW 3506 kWh 2629 kWh 876 kWh £713 £88 £800 £15,138 18.9 yrs £872
5 kW 4382 kWh 3287 kWh 1096 kWh £891 £110 £1,001 £17,173 17.2 yrs £2,839
6 kW 5259 kWh 3944 kWh 1315 kWh £1,069 £131 £1,201 £19,207 16.0 yrs £4,807
7 kW 6135 kWh 4601 kWh 1534 kWh £1,247 £153 £1,401 £21,242 15.2 yrs £6,775
8 kW 7012 kWh 5259 kWh 1753 kWh £1,426 £175 £1,601 £23,276 14.5 yrs £8,743

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: £1,016, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1753 kWh 1350 kWh 403 kWh £366 £40 £406 £13,519 33.3 yrs £-5,394
3 kW 2629 kWh 2025 kWh 605 kWh £549 £60 £609 £15,554 25.5 yrs £-3,366
4 kW 3506 kWh 2700 kWh 806 kWh £732 £81 £812 £17,588 21.6 yrs £-1,338
5 kW 4382 kWh 3374 kWh 1008 kWh £915 £101 £1,016 £19,623 19.3 yrs £689
6 kW 5259 kWh 4049 kWh 1210 kWh £1,098 £121 £1,219 £21,657 17.8 yrs £2,717
7 kW 6135 kWh 4724 kWh 1411 kWh £1,281 £141 £1,422 £23,692 16.7 yrs £4,745
8 kW 7012 kWh 5399 kWh 1613 kWh £1,464 £161 £1,625 £25,726 15.8 yrs £6,773

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 M23

Figures below are tailored to M23 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1887 of 2182
4.3 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~9 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #2324 of 2997
12.0 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£681 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2454 of 2997
27.4% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£187 fixed • ~£681 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.11p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
51.16p/day
Local Sunshine
876kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~876 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: 62% • Flats: 33% • Bungalows: 4% Based on 13,676 properties

Coverage

Manchester (99%)|Trafford (1%)

Areas Covered

Baguley, Brooklands, Northenden, Timperley North, Sale Moor

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

M22 (Manchester)
≈2.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~881 kWh/kWp · +1% vs M23
WA15 (Trafford)
≈3.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~890 kWh/kWp · +1% vs M23
M33 (Trafford)
≈3.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~884 kWh/kWp · +1% vs M23
M90 (Manchester)
≈4.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~881 kWh/kWp · +1% vs M23
WA14 (Trafford)
≈4.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~890 kWh/kWp · +1% vs M23
M20 (Manchester)
≈4.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~870 kWh/kWp · -1% vs M23

Similar sunshine across the UK

BT70 (Mid Ulster)
~877 kWh/kWp · +0% vs M23
BT71 (Mid Ulster)
~877 kWh/kWp · +0% vs M23
ST13 (Staffordshire Moorlands)
~877 kWh/kWp · +0% vs M23