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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in ME9 (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
11.6 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£879
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£11,796
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 1048 kWh/kW — 19 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 1048 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)
1048 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: £879, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 11.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2096 kWh 839 kWh 1258 kWh £226 £126 £352 £4,069 11.6 yrs £2,961
3 kW 3144 kWh 1258 kWh 1887 kWh £339 £189 £527 £6,104 11.6 yrs £4,442
4 kW 4193 kWh 1677 kWh 2516 kWh £451 £252 £703 £8,138 11.6 yrs £5,922
5 kW 5241 kWh 2096 kWh 3144 kWh £564 £314 £879 £10,173 11.6 yrs £7,403
6 kW 6289 kWh 2516 kWh 3773 kWh £677 £377 £1,055 £12,207 11.6 yrs £8,883
7 kW 7337 kWh 2935 kWh 4402 kWh £790 £440 £1,230 £14,242 11.6 yrs £10,364
8 kW 8385 kWh 3354 kWh 5031 kWh £903 £503 £1,406 £16,276 11.6 yrs £11,844

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: £1,056, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 11.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2096 kWh 1258 kWh 839 kWh £339 £84 £422 £6,169 14.6 yrs £2,280
3 kW 3144 kWh 1887 kWh 1258 kWh £508 £126 £634 £8,204 12.9 yrs £4,470
4 kW 4193 kWh 2516 kWh 1677 kWh £677 £168 £845 £10,238 12.1 yrs £6,660
5 kW 5241 kWh 3144 kWh 2096 kWh £846 £210 £1,056 £12,273 11.6 yrs £8,850
6 kW 6289 kWh 3773 kWh 2516 kWh £1,016 £252 £1,267 £14,307 11.3 yrs £11,039
7 kW 7337 kWh 4402 kWh 2935 kWh £1,185 £293 £1,479 £16,342 11.1 yrs £13,229
8 kW 8385 kWh 5031 kWh 3354 kWh £1,354 £335 £1,690 £18,376 10.9 yrs £15,419

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: £1,145, 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 2096 kWh 1467 kWh 629 kWh £395 £63 £458 £7,569 16.5 yrs £1,589
3 kW 3144 kWh 2201 kWh 943 kWh £593 £94 £687 £9,604 14.0 yrs £4,134
4 kW 4193 kWh 2935 kWh 1258 kWh £790 £126 £916 £11,638 12.7 yrs £6,678
5 kW 5241 kWh 3668 kWh 1572 kWh £988 £157 £1,145 £13,673 11.9 yrs £9,223
6 kW 6289 kWh 4402 kWh 1887 kWh £1,185 £189 £1,374 £15,707 11.4 yrs £11,768
7 kW 7337 kWh 5136 kWh 2201 kWh £1,383 £220 £1,603 £17,742 11.1 yrs £14,312
8 kW 8385 kWh 5870 kWh 2516 kWh £1,580 £252 £1,832 £19,776 10.8 yrs £16,857

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: £1,171, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 13.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2096 kWh 1530 kWh 566 kWh £412 £57 £469 £9,319 19.9 yrs £52
3 kW 3144 kWh 2295 kWh 849 kWh £618 £85 £703 £11,354 16.2 yrs £2,703
4 kW 4193 kWh 3061 kWh 1132 kWh £824 £113 £937 £13,388 14.3 yrs £5,354
5 kW 5241 kWh 3826 kWh 1415 kWh £1,030 £141 £1,171 £15,423 13.2 yrs £8,005
6 kW 6289 kWh 4591 kWh 1698 kWh £1,236 £170 £1,406 £17,457 12.4 yrs £10,656
7 kW 7337 kWh 5356 kWh 1981 kWh £1,442 £198 £1,640 £19,492 11.9 yrs £13,307
8 kW 8385 kWh 6121 kWh 2264 kWh £1,648 £226 £1,874 £21,526 11.5 yrs £15,958

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: £1,189, Upfront: £17,173, 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 2096 kWh 1572 kWh 524 kWh £423 £52 £476 £11,069 23.3 yrs £-1,556
3 kW 3144 kWh 2358 kWh 786 kWh £635 £79 £713 £13,104 18.4 yrs £1,166
4 kW 4193 kWh 3144 kWh 1048 kWh £846 £105 £951 £15,138 15.9 yrs £3,888
5 kW 5241 kWh 3931 kWh 1310 kWh £1,058 £131 £1,189 £17,173 14.4 yrs £6,610
6 kW 6289 kWh 4717 kWh 1572 kWh £1,270 £157 £1,427 £19,207 13.5 yrs £9,332
7 kW 7337 kWh 5503 kWh 1834 kWh £1,481 £183 £1,665 £21,242 12.8 yrs £12,054
8 kW 8385 kWh 6289 kWh 2096 kWh £1,693 £210 £1,903 £23,276 12.2 yrs £14,776

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: £1,207, Upfront: £19,623, 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 2096 kWh 1614 kWh 482 kWh £435 £48 £483 £13,519 28.0 yrs £-3,864
3 kW 3144 kWh 2421 kWh 723 kWh £652 £72 £724 £15,554 21.5 yrs £-1,071
4 kW 4193 kWh 3228 kWh 964 kWh £869 £96 £965 £17,588 18.2 yrs £1,722
5 kW 5241 kWh 4035 kWh 1205 kWh £1,086 £121 £1,207 £19,623 16.3 yrs £4,514
6 kW 6289 kWh 4842 kWh 1446 kWh £1,304 £145 £1,448 £21,657 15.0 yrs £7,307
7 kW 7337 kWh 5649 kWh 1688 kWh £1,521 £169 £1,690 £23,692 14.0 yrs £10,100
8 kW 8385 kWh 6457 kWh 1929 kWh £1,738 £193 £1,931 £25,726 13.3 yrs £12,893

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 ME9

Figures below are tailored to ME9 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #692 of 2182
5.4 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~11 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #230 of 2997
10.1 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£1,012 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #808 of 2997
17.2% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£174 fixed • ~£1,012 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.92p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
47.60p/day
Local Sunshine
1048kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1048 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: 80% • Flats: 6% • Bungalows: 12% Based on 5,680 properties

Coverage

Swale (91%)|Maidstone (9%)

Areas Covered

Teynham and Lynsted, Bobbing, Iwade and Lower Halstow, Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch, West Downs, Homewood, Borden and Grove Park + 7 more

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

ME10 (Swale)
≈0.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,048 kWh/kWp · +0% vs ME9
ME11 (Swale)
≈8.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,055 kWh/kWp · +1% vs ME9
ME8 (Medway)
≈9.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,034 kWh/kWp · -1% vs ME9
ME12 (Swale)
≈10.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,059 kWh/kWp · +1% vs ME9
ME13 (Swale)
≈11.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,044 kWh/kWp · -0% vs ME9
ME7 (Medway)
≈13.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,018 kWh/kWp · -3% vs ME9

Similar sunshine across the UK

TQ12 (Teignbridge)
~1,048 kWh/kWp · -0% vs ME9
NR13 (Broadland)
~1,048 kWh/kWp · +0% vs ME9
PL24 (Cornwall)
~1,049 kWh/kWp · +0% vs ME9