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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in ME3 (Medway)

See if solar pays off for you in Medway — 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
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£887
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£12,003
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 1058 kWh/kW — 29 above the regional median (1029).

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 1058 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)
1058 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: £887, 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 2116 kWh 846 kWh 1270 kWh £228 £127 £355 £4,069 11.5 yrs £3,027
3 kW 3174 kWh 1270 kWh 1904 kWh £342 £190 £532 £6,104 11.5 yrs £4,540
4 kW 4232 kWh 1693 kWh 2539 kWh £456 £254 £710 £8,138 11.5 yrs £6,054
5 kW 5290 kWh 2116 kWh 3174 kWh £570 £317 £887 £10,173 11.5 yrs £7,567
6 kW 6348 kWh 2539 kWh 3809 kWh £684 £381 £1,064 £12,207 11.5 yrs £9,081
7 kW 7406 kWh 2962 kWh 4443 kWh £797 £444 £1,242 £14,242 11.5 yrs £10,594
8 kW 8464 kWh 3386 kWh 5078 kWh £911 £508 £1,419 £16,276 11.5 yrs £12,108

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: £1,066, 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 2116 kWh 1270 kWh 846 kWh £342 £85 £426 £6,169 14.5 yrs £2,359
3 kW 3174 kWh 1904 kWh 1270 kWh £513 £127 £640 £8,204 12.8 yrs £4,589
4 kW 4232 kWh 2539 kWh 1693 kWh £684 £169 £853 £10,238 12.0 yrs £6,818
5 kW 5290 kWh 3174 kWh 2116 kWh £854 £212 £1,066 £12,273 11.5 yrs £9,048
6 kW 6348 kWh 3809 kWh 2539 kWh £1,025 £254 £1,279 £14,307 11.2 yrs £11,277
7 kW 7406 kWh 4443 kWh 2962 kWh £1,196 £296 £1,492 £16,342 10.9 yrs £13,507
8 kW 8464 kWh 5078 kWh 3386 kWh £1,367 £339 £1,706 £18,376 10.8 yrs £15,736

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: £1,156, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 11.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2116 kWh 1481 kWh 635 kWh £399 £63 £462 £7,569 16.4 yrs £1,675
3 kW 3174 kWh 2222 kWh 952 kWh £598 £95 £693 £9,604 13.9 yrs £4,263
4 kW 4232 kWh 2962 kWh 1270 kWh £797 £127 £924 £11,638 12.6 yrs £6,850
5 kW 5290 kWh 3703 kWh 1587 kWh £997 £159 £1,156 £13,673 11.8 yrs £9,438
6 kW 6348 kWh 4443 kWh 1904 kWh £1,196 £190 £1,387 £15,707 11.3 yrs £12,025
7 kW 7406 kWh 5184 kWh 2222 kWh £1,396 £222 £1,618 £17,742 11.0 yrs £14,613
8 kW 8464 kWh 5925 kWh 2539 kWh £1,595 £254 £1,849 £19,776 10.7 yrs £17,200

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: £1,182, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 13.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2116 kWh 1545 kWh 571 kWh £416 £57 £473 £9,319 19.7 yrs £140
3 kW 3174 kWh 2317 kWh 857 kWh £624 £86 £709 £11,354 16.0 yrs £2,835
4 kW 4232 kWh 3089 kWh 1143 kWh £832 £114 £946 £13,388 14.2 yrs £5,530
5 kW 5290 kWh 3862 kWh 1428 kWh £1,040 £143 £1,182 £15,423 13.0 yrs £8,225
6 kW 6348 kWh 4634 kWh 1714 kWh £1,247 £171 £1,419 £17,457 12.3 yrs £10,920
7 kW 7406 kWh 5406 kWh 2000 kWh £1,455 £200 £1,655 £19,492 11.8 yrs £13,615
8 kW 8464 kWh 6179 kWh 2285 kWh £1,663 £229 £1,892 £21,526 11.4 yrs £16,310

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: £1,200, 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 2116 kWh 1587 kWh 529 kWh £427 £53 £480 £11,069 23.1 yrs £-1,467
3 kW 3174 kWh 2380 kWh 793 kWh £641 £79 £720 £13,104 18.2 yrs £1,300
4 kW 4232 kWh 3174 kWh 1058 kWh £854 £106 £960 £15,138 15.8 yrs £4,066
5 kW 5290 kWh 3967 kWh 1322 kWh £1,068 £132 £1,200 £17,173 14.3 yrs £6,833
6 kW 6348 kWh 4761 kWh 1587 kWh £1,282 £159 £1,440 £19,207 13.3 yrs £9,599
7 kW 7406 kWh 5554 kWh 1851 kWh £1,495 £185 £1,680 £21,242 12.6 yrs £12,366
8 kW 8464 kWh 6348 kWh 2116 kWh £1,709 £212 £1,920 £23,276 12.1 yrs £15,132

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: £1,218, 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 2116 kWh 1629 kWh 487 kWh £439 £49 £487 £13,519 27.7 yrs £-3,774
3 kW 3174 kWh 2444 kWh 730 kWh £658 £73 £731 £15,554 21.3 yrs £-936
4 kW 4232 kWh 3259 kWh 973 kWh £877 £97 £975 £17,588 18.0 yrs £1,903
5 kW 5290 kWh 4073 kWh 1217 kWh £1,097 £122 £1,218 £19,623 16.1 yrs £4,741
6 kW 6348 kWh 4888 kWh 1460 kWh £1,316 £146 £1,462 £21,657 14.8 yrs £7,579
7 kW 7406 kWh 5702 kWh 1703 kWh £1,535 £170 £1,705 £23,692 13.9 yrs £10,417
8 kW 8464 kWh 6517 kWh 1947 kWh £1,754 £195 £1,949 £25,726 13.2 yrs £13,255

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 ME3

Figures below are tailored to ME3 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #892 of 2182
5.2 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~11 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #187 of 2997
10.0 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£1,021 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #714 of 2997
17.0% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£174 fixed • ~£1,021 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.92p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
47.60p/day
Local Sunshine
1058kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1058 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: 76% • Flats: 12% • Bungalows: 10% Based on 6,969 properties

Coverage

Medway (86%)|Gravesham (14%)

Areas Covered

Hoo St Werburgh & High Halstow, Strood Rural, All Saints, Higham & Shorne, Rochester West & Borstal

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

ME2 (Medway)
≈4.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,016 kWh/kWp · -4% vs ME3
ME7 (Medway)
≈5.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,018 kWh/kWp · -4% vs ME3
ME1 (Medway)
≈5.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,018 kWh/kWp · -4% vs ME3
ME4 (Medway)
≈5.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,040 kWh/kWp · -2% vs ME3
ME8 (Medway)
≈8.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,034 kWh/kWp · -2% vs ME3
ME5 (Medway)
≈8.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,017 kWh/kWp · -4% vs ME3

Similar sunshine across the UK

TQ4 (Torbay)
~1,058 kWh/kWp · -0% vs ME3
PO8 (East Hampshire)
~1,058 kWh/kWp · -0% vs ME3
TQ9 (South Hams)
~1,058 kWh/kWp · -0% vs ME3