Independent solar numbers for your postcode using official UK data
Home Regions Guides Get quote
Insights
Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag Roof Direction Penalty Winter Solar Reality Seasonal Solar Output

Solar panel cost in Tameside (M43)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for M43 (Tameside) 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
15.8 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,138
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£514
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£4,715
After paying itself off, you're this much ahead

Ready to Get Started?

Get your free quote from Blue Ape Renewables. They'll connect you with MCS-certified installers in your area and handle all the paperwork.

Get Solar Quote →
4.8★ Trustpilot • Octopus Energy trusted partner • MCS certified • No obligation
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 23.04p/kWh with a 46.92p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 845 kWh/kW — 25 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 845 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 23.0p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
23.0p/kWh
Standing charge
46.9p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
845 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: £643, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 15.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1689 kWh 676 kWh 1014 kWh £156 £101 £257 £4,069 15.8 yrs £1,072
3 kW 2534 kWh 1014 kWh 1520 kWh £234 £152 £386 £6,104 15.8 yrs £1,608
4 kW 3379 kWh 1352 kWh 2027 kWh £311 £203 £514 £8,138 15.8 yrs £2,144
5 kW 4224 kWh 1689 kWh 2534 kWh £389 £253 £643 £10,173 15.8 yrs £2,680
6 kW 5068 kWh 2027 kWh 3041 kWh £467 £304 £771 £12,207 15.8 yrs £3,216
7 kW 5913 kWh 2365 kWh 3548 kWh £545 £355 £900 £14,242 15.8 yrs £3,753
8 kW 6758 kWh 2703 kWh 4055 kWh £623 £405 £1,028 £16,276 15.8 yrs £4,289

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: £753, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 16.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1689 kWh 1014 kWh 676 kWh £234 £68 £301 £6,169 20.5 yrs £-147
3 kW 2534 kWh 1520 kWh 1014 kWh £350 £101 £452 £8,204 18.2 yrs £830
4 kW 3379 kWh 2027 kWh 1352 kWh £467 £135 £602 £10,238 17.0 yrs £1,807
5 kW 4224 kWh 2534 kWh 1689 kWh £584 £169 £753 £12,273 16.3 yrs £2,783
6 kW 5068 kWh 3041 kWh 2027 kWh £701 £203 £903 £14,307 15.8 yrs £3,760
7 kW 5913 kWh 3548 kWh 2365 kWh £817 £237 £1,054 £16,342 15.5 yrs £4,737
8 kW 6758 kWh 4055 kWh 2703 kWh £934 £270 £1,204 £18,376 15.3 yrs £5,713

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: £808, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 16.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1689 kWh 1183 kWh 507 kWh £272 £51 £323 £7,569 23.4 yrs £-1,106
3 kW 2534 kWh 1774 kWh 760 kWh £409 £76 £485 £9,604 19.8 yrs £91
4 kW 3379 kWh 2365 kWh 1014 kWh £545 £101 £646 £11,638 18.0 yrs £1,288
5 kW 4224 kWh 2956 kWh 1267 kWh £681 £127 £808 £13,673 16.9 yrs £2,485
6 kW 5068 kWh 3548 kWh 1520 kWh £817 £152 £969 £15,707 16.2 yrs £3,682
7 kW 5913 kWh 4139 kWh 1774 kWh £954 £177 £1,131 £17,742 15.7 yrs £4,879
8 kW 6758 kWh 4730 kWh 2027 kWh £1,090 £203 £1,293 £19,776 15.3 yrs £6,076

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: £824, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 18.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1689 kWh 1233 kWh 456 kWh £284 £46 £330 £9,319 28.3 yrs £-2,724
3 kW 2534 kWh 1850 kWh 684 kWh £426 £68 £495 £11,354 23.0 yrs £-1,461
4 kW 3379 kWh 2467 kWh 912 kWh £568 £91 £660 £13,388 20.3 yrs £-198
5 kW 4224 kWh 3083 kWh 1140 kWh £710 £114 £824 £15,423 18.7 yrs £1,065
6 kW 5068 kWh 3700 kWh 1368 kWh £852 £137 £989 £17,457 17.6 yrs £2,328
7 kW 5913 kWh 4316 kWh 1596 kWh £995 £160 £1,154 £19,492 16.9 yrs £3,591
8 kW 6758 kWh 4933 kWh 1825 kWh £1,137 £182 £1,319 £21,526 16.3 yrs £4,855

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: £835, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 20.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1689 kWh 1267 kWh 422 kWh £292 £42 £334 £11,069 33.1 yrs £-4,386
3 kW 2534 kWh 1901 kWh 634 kWh £438 £63 £501 £13,104 26.1 yrs £-3,079
4 kW 3379 kWh 2534 kWh 845 kWh £584 £84 £668 £15,138 22.7 yrs £-1,772
5 kW 4224 kWh 3168 kWh 1056 kWh £730 £106 £835 £17,173 20.6 yrs £-464
6 kW 5068 kWh 3801 kWh 1267 kWh £876 £127 £1,002 £19,207 19.2 yrs £843
7 kW 5913 kWh 4435 kWh 1478 kWh £1,022 £148 £1,170 £21,242 18.2 yrs £2,150
8 kW 6758 kWh 5068 kWh 1689 kWh £1,168 £169 £1,337 £23,276 17.4 yrs £3,457

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: £846, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 23.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1689 kWh 1301 kWh 389 kWh £300 £39 £339 £13,519 39.9 yrs £-6,748
3 kW 2534 kWh 1951 kWh 583 kWh £450 £58 £508 £15,554 30.6 yrs £-5,396
4 kW 3379 kWh 2602 kWh 777 kWh £599 £78 £677 £17,588 26.0 yrs £-4,045
5 kW 4224 kWh 3252 kWh 971 kWh £749 £97 £846 £19,623 23.2 yrs £-2,694
6 kW 5068 kWh 3903 kWh 1166 kWh £899 £117 £1,016 £21,657 21.3 yrs £-1,343
7 kW 5913 kWh 4553 kWh 1360 kWh £1,049 £136 £1,185 £23,692 20.0 yrs £8
8 kW 6758 kWh 5203 kWh 1554 kWh £1,199 £155 £1,354 £25,726 19.0 yrs £1,359

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 M43

Figures below are tailored to M43 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1959 of 2182
4.2 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~9 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #2645 of 2997
13.9 years (UK avg 12.6 years)
~£587 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2602 of 2997
32.5% (UK avg 24.6%) drag on savings
£191 fixed • ~£587 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −19.9% West −18.1%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Seasonal solar output in M43

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 25 Jan 42 Feb 74 Mar 100 Apr 108 May 107 Jun 104 Jul 93 Aug 78 Sep 54 Oct 35 Nov 26 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 43.7% of an average month (Dec–Feb)

Best / worst month: May / Jan

These figures show output per kilowatt (kW) of panels installed. In winter, a 1 kW system here produces about 31 kWh per month; the average month produces around 70 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 123 kWh in winter, or 282 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
23.04p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
46.92p/day
Local Sunshine
845kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~845 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: 76% • Flats: 21% • Bungalows: 2% Based on 6,184 properties

Coverage

Tameside (99%)|Manchester (1%)

Areas Covered

Droylsden East, Droylsden West, Audenshaw, Clayton & Openshaw, Ashton Waterloo

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

M35 (Oldham)
≈2.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~848 kWh/kWp · +0% vs M43
M11 (Manchester)
≈2.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~856 kWh/kWp · +1% vs M43
M18 (Manchester)
≈2.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~856 kWh/kWp · +1% vs M43
OL7 (Tameside)
≈2.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~845 kWh/kWp · +0% vs M43
M10 (Manchester)
≈3.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~848 kWh/kWp · +0% vs M43
M40 (Manchester)
≈3.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~848 kWh/kWp · +0% vs M43

Similar sunshine across the UK

FK11 (Clackmannanshire)
~845 kWh/kWp · -0% vs M43
KA29 (North Ayrshire)
~845 kWh/kWp · -0% vs M43
PA7 (Renfrewshire)
~845 kWh/kWp · +0% vs M43