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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in NE16 (Gateshead)

See if solar pays off for you in Gateshead — 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
13.7 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£743
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,396
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 Northern, the current unit rate is 25.43p/kWh with a 59.86p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 919 kWh/kW — 7 below the regional median (926).

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 919 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.4p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.4p/kWh
Standing charge
59.9p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
919 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: £743, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 13.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1837 kWh 735 kWh 1102 kWh £187 £110 £297 £4,069 13.7 yrs £1,873
3 kW 2756 kWh 1102 kWh 1653 kWh £280 £165 £446 £6,104 13.7 yrs £2,809
4 kW 3674 kWh 1470 kWh 2205 kWh £374 £220 £594 £8,138 13.7 yrs £3,746
5 kW 4593 kWh 1837 kWh 2756 kWh £467 £276 £743 £10,173 13.7 yrs £4,682
6 kW 5511 kWh 2205 kWh 3307 kWh £561 £331 £891 £12,207 13.7 yrs £5,619
7 kW 6430 kWh 2572 kWh 3858 kWh £654 £386 £1,040 £14,242 13.7 yrs £6,555
8 kW 7348 kWh 2939 kWh 4409 kWh £747 £441 £1,188 £16,276 13.7 yrs £7,492

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: £884, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 13.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1837 kWh 1102 kWh 735 kWh £280 £73 £354 £6,169 17.4 yrs £907
3 kW 2756 kWh 1653 kWh 1102 kWh £420 £110 £531 £8,204 15.5 yrs £2,410
4 kW 3674 kWh 2205 kWh 1470 kWh £561 £147 £708 £10,238 14.5 yrs £3,914
5 kW 4593 kWh 2756 kWh 1837 kWh £701 £184 £884 £12,273 13.9 yrs £5,417
6 kW 5511 kWh 3307 kWh 2205 kWh £841 £220 £1,061 £14,307 13.5 yrs £6,920
7 kW 6430 kWh 3858 kWh 2572 kWh £981 £257 £1,238 £16,342 13.2 yrs £8,424
8 kW 7348 kWh 4409 kWh 2939 kWh £1,121 £294 £1,415 £18,376 13.0 yrs £9,927

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: £955, Upfront: £13,673, 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 1837 kWh 1286 kWh 551 kWh £327 £55 £382 £7,569 19.8 yrs £74
3 kW 2756 kWh 1929 kWh 827 kWh £491 £83 £573 £9,604 16.8 yrs £1,861
4 kW 3674 kWh 2572 kWh 1102 kWh £654 £110 £764 £11,638 15.2 yrs £3,648
5 kW 4593 kWh 3215 kWh 1378 kWh £818 £138 £955 £13,673 14.3 yrs £5,434
6 kW 5511 kWh 3858 kWh 1653 kWh £981 £165 £1,146 £15,707 13.7 yrs £7,221
7 kW 6430 kWh 4501 kWh 1929 kWh £1,145 £193 £1,337 £17,742 13.3 yrs £9,008
8 kW 7348 kWh 5144 kWh 2205 kWh £1,308 £220 £1,529 £19,776 12.9 yrs £10,795

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: £977, Upfront: £15,423, 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 1837 kWh 1341 kWh 496 kWh £341 £50 £391 £9,319 23.9 yrs £-1,506
3 kW 2756 kWh 2012 kWh 744 kWh £512 £74 £586 £11,354 19.4 yrs £366
4 kW 3674 kWh 2682 kWh 992 kWh £682 £99 £781 £13,388 17.1 yrs £2,238
5 kW 4593 kWh 3353 kWh 1240 kWh £853 £124 £977 £15,423 15.8 yrs £4,110
6 kW 5511 kWh 4023 kWh 1488 kWh £1,023 £149 £1,172 £17,457 14.9 yrs £5,982
7 kW 6430 kWh 4694 kWh 1736 kWh £1,194 £174 £1,367 £19,492 14.3 yrs £7,853
8 kW 7348 kWh 5364 kWh 1984 kWh £1,364 £198 £1,563 £21,526 13.8 yrs £9,725

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: £991, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1837 kWh 1378 kWh 459 kWh £350 £46 £396 £11,069 27.9 yrs £-3,143
3 kW 2756 kWh 2067 kWh 689 kWh £526 £69 £594 £13,104 22.0 yrs £-1,214
4 kW 3674 kWh 2756 kWh 919 kWh £701 £92 £793 £15,138 19.1 yrs £714
5 kW 4593 kWh 3445 kWh 1148 kWh £876 £115 £991 £17,173 17.3 yrs £2,643
6 kW 5511 kWh 4134 kWh 1378 kWh £1,051 £138 £1,189 £19,207 16.2 yrs £4,572
7 kW 6430 kWh 4822 kWh 1607 kWh £1,226 £161 £1,387 £21,242 15.3 yrs £6,500
8 kW 7348 kWh 5511 kWh 1837 kWh £1,402 £184 £1,585 £23,276 14.7 yrs £8,429

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: £1,005, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1837 kWh 1415 kWh 423 kWh £360 £42 £402 £13,519 33.6 yrs £-5,479
3 kW 2756 kWh 2122 kWh 634 kWh £540 £63 £603 £15,554 25.8 yrs £-3,494
4 kW 3674 kWh 2829 kWh 845 kWh £719 £85 £804 £17,588 21.9 yrs £-1,509
5 kW 4593 kWh 3536 kWh 1056 kWh £899 £106 £1,005 £19,623 19.5 yrs £477
6 kW 5511 kWh 4244 kWh 1268 kWh £1,079 £127 £1,206 £21,657 18.0 yrs £2,462
7 kW 6430 kWh 4951 kWh 1479 kWh £1,259 £148 £1,407 £23,692 16.8 yrs £4,447
8 kW 7348 kWh 5658 kWh 1690 kWh £1,439 £169 £1,608 £25,726 16.0 yrs £6,432

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 NE16

Figures below are tailored to NE16 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #919 of 2182
5.1 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~11 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #2330 of 2997
12.0 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£849 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2355 of 2997
25.7% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£218 fixed • ~£849 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.43p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
59.86p/day
Local Sunshine
919kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~919 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: 70% • Flats: 16% • Bungalows: 14% Based on 5,043 properties

Coverage

Gateshead (81%)|County Durham (19%)

Areas Covered

Whickham North, Whickham South and Sunniside, Derwent & Pont Valley, Dunston Hill and Whickham East, Blaydon, Lamesley, Stanley, Annfield Plain & Tanfield

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 Northern

NE21 (Gateshead)
≈3.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~925 kWh/kWp · +1% vs NE16
NE11 (Gateshead)
≈3.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~919 kWh/kWp · +0% vs NE16
NE85 (Gateshead)
≈4.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~957 kWh/kWp · +4% vs NE16
NE82 (Gateshead)
≈4.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~920 kWh/kWp · +0% vs NE16
NE92 (Gateshead)
≈4.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~920 kWh/kWp · +0% vs NE16
DH98 (Gateshead)
≈4.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~920 kWh/kWp · +0% vs NE16

Similar sunshine across the UK

L36 (Knowsley)
~919 kWh/kWp · -0% vs NE16
LL19 (Denbighshire)
~918 kWh/kWp · -0% vs NE16
HD5 (Kirklees)
~918 kWh/kWp · -0% vs NE16