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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in ME11 (Swale)

See if solar pays off for you in Swale — 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
11.5 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,138
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£708
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£9,558
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 South East, the current unit rate is 26.92p/kWh with a 47.60p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 1055 kWh/kW — 26 above the regional median (1029).

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 1055 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.9p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.9p/kWh
Standing charge
47.6p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1055 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: £885, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 11.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2111 kWh 844 kWh 1266 kWh £227 £127 £354 £4,069 11.5 yrs £3,009
3 kW 3166 kWh 1266 kWh 1900 kWh £341 £190 £531 £6,104 11.5 yrs £4,514
4 kW 4221 kWh 1689 kWh 2533 kWh £455 £253 £708 £8,138 11.5 yrs £6,018
5 kW 5277 kWh 2111 kWh 3166 kWh £568 £317 £885 £10,173 11.5 yrs £7,523
6 kW 6332 kWh 2533 kWh 3799 kWh £682 £380 £1,062 £12,207 11.5 yrs £9,028
7 kW 7387 kWh 2955 kWh 4432 kWh £795 £443 £1,239 £14,242 11.5 yrs £10,532
8 kW 8443 kWh 3377 kWh 5066 kWh £909 £507 £1,416 £16,276 11.5 yrs £12,037

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: £1,063, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 11.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2111 kWh 1266 kWh 844 kWh £341 £84 £425 £6,169 14.5 yrs £2,338
3 kW 3166 kWh 1900 kWh 1266 kWh £511 £127 £638 £8,204 12.9 yrs £4,557
4 kW 4221 kWh 2533 kWh 1689 kWh £682 £169 £851 £10,238 12.0 yrs £6,775
5 kW 5277 kWh 3166 kWh 2111 kWh £852 £211 £1,063 £12,273 11.5 yrs £8,994
6 kW 6332 kWh 3799 kWh 2533 kWh £1,023 £253 £1,276 £14,307 11.2 yrs £11,213
7 kW 7387 kWh 4432 kWh 2955 kWh £1,193 £295 £1,489 £16,342 11.0 yrs £13,432
8 kW 8443 kWh 5066 kWh 3377 kWh £1,364 £338 £1,701 £18,376 10.8 yrs £15,651

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: £1,153, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 11.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2111 kWh 1477 kWh 633 kWh £398 £63 £461 £7,569 16.4 yrs £1,652
3 kW 3166 kWh 2216 kWh 950 kWh £597 £95 £692 £9,604 13.9 yrs £4,228
4 kW 4221 kWh 2955 kWh 1266 kWh £795 £127 £922 £11,638 12.6 yrs £6,804
5 kW 5277 kWh 3694 kWh 1583 kWh £994 £158 £1,153 £13,673 11.9 yrs £9,380
6 kW 6332 kWh 4432 kWh 1900 kWh £1,193 £190 £1,383 £15,707 11.4 yrs £11,956
7 kW 7387 kWh 5171 kWh 2216 kWh £1,392 £222 £1,614 £17,742 11.0 yrs £14,532
8 kW 8443 kWh 5910 kWh 2533 kWh £1,591 £253 £1,844 £19,776 10.7 yrs £17,108

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: £1,179, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 13.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2111 kWh 1541 kWh 570 kWh £415 £57 £472 £9,319 19.8 yrs £116
3 kW 3166 kWh 2311 kWh 855 kWh £622 £85 £708 £11,354 16.0 yrs £2,799
4 kW 4221 kWh 3082 kWh 1140 kWh £830 £114 £944 £13,388 14.2 yrs £5,482
5 kW 5277 kWh 3852 kWh 1425 kWh £1,037 £142 £1,179 £15,423 13.1 yrs £8,166
6 kW 6332 kWh 4622 kWh 1710 kWh £1,244 £171 £1,415 £17,457 12.3 yrs £10,849
7 kW 7387 kWh 5393 kWh 1995 kWh £1,452 £199 £1,651 £19,492 11.8 yrs £13,532
8 kW 8443 kWh 6163 kWh 2279 kWh £1,659 £228 £1,887 £21,526 11.4 yrs £16,215

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: £1,197, Upfront: £17,173, 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 2111 kWh 1583 kWh 528 kWh £426 £53 £479 £11,069 23.1 yrs £-1,491
3 kW 3166 kWh 2374 kWh 791 kWh £639 £79 £718 £13,104 18.2 yrs £1,264
4 kW 4221 kWh 3166 kWh 1055 kWh £852 £106 £958 £15,138 15.8 yrs £4,018
5 kW 5277 kWh 3957 kWh 1319 kWh £1,065 £132 £1,197 £17,173 14.3 yrs £6,773
6 kW 6332 kWh 4749 kWh 1583 kWh £1,278 £158 £1,437 £19,207 13.4 yrs £9,527
7 kW 7387 kWh 5540 kWh 1847 kWh £1,491 £185 £1,676 £21,242 12.7 yrs £12,282
8 kW 8443 kWh 6332 kWh 2111 kWh £1,705 £211 £1,916 £23,276 12.2 yrs £15,036

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: £1,215, Upfront: £19,623, 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 2111 kWh 1625 kWh 485 kWh £438 £49 £486 £13,519 27.8 yrs £-3,798
3 kW 3166 kWh 2438 kWh 728 kWh £656 £73 £729 £15,554 21.3 yrs £-972
4 kW 4221 kWh 3250 kWh 971 kWh £875 £97 £972 £17,588 18.1 yrs £1,854
5 kW 5277 kWh 4063 kWh 1214 kWh £1,094 £121 £1,215 £19,623 16.1 yrs £4,680
6 kW 6332 kWh 4876 kWh 1456 kWh £1,313 £146 £1,458 £21,657 14.9 yrs £7,506
7 kW 7387 kWh 5688 kWh 1699 kWh £1,531 £170 £1,701 £23,692 13.9 yrs £10,332
8 kW 8443 kWh 6501 kWh 1942 kWh £1,750 £194 £1,944 £25,726 13.2 yrs £13,158

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 ME11

Figures below are tailored to ME11 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1502 of 2182
4.7 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~10 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #185 of 2997
10.0 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£815 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1673 of 2997
21.3% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£174 fixed • ~£815 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.92p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
47.60p/day
Local Sunshine
1055kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1055 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: 82% • Flats: 7% • Bungalows: 10% Based on 1,107 properties

Coverage

Swale (100%)

Areas Covered

Queenborough and Halfway, Sheerness, Watling

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 South East

ME12 (Swale)
≈3.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,059 kWh/kWp · +0% vs ME11
ME10 (Swale)
≈8.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,048 kWh/kWp · -1% vs ME11
ME9 (Swale)
≈8.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,048 kWh/kWp · -1% vs ME11
ME8 (Medway)
≈11.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,034 kWh/kWp · -2% vs ME11
ME7 (Medway)
≈13.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,018 kWh/kWp · -4% vs ME11
ME13 (Swale)
≈15.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,044 kWh/kWp · -1% vs ME11

Similar sunshine across the UK

DT11 (Dorset)
~1,055 kWh/kWp · -0% vs ME11
SS2 (Southend-on-Sea)
~1,055 kWh/kWp · -0% vs ME11
BH22 (Dorset)
~1,055 kWh/kWp · -0% vs ME11