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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in NE62 (Northumberland)

See if solar pays off for you in Northumberland — 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
13.3 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,138
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£611
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£7,143
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 945 kWh/kW — 19 above the regional median (926).

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 945 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)
945 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: £764, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 13.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1890 kWh 756 kWh 1134 kWh £192 £113 £306 £4,069 13.3 yrs £2,044
3 kW 2835 kWh 1134 kWh 1701 kWh £288 £170 £458 £6,104 13.3 yrs £3,065
4 kW 3780 kWh 1512 kWh 2268 kWh £384 £227 £611 £8,138 13.3 yrs £4,087
5 kW 4725 kWh 1890 kWh 2835 kWh £481 £283 £764 £10,173 13.3 yrs £5,109
6 kW 5670 kWh 2268 kWh 3402 kWh £577 £340 £917 £12,207 13.3 yrs £6,131
7 kW 6615 kWh 2646 kWh 3969 kWh £673 £397 £1,070 £14,242 13.3 yrs £7,152
8 kW 7559 kWh 3024 kWh 4536 kWh £769 £454 £1,223 £16,276 13.3 yrs £8,174

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: £910, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 13.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1890 kWh 1134 kWh 756 kWh £288 £76 £364 £6,169 17.0 yrs £1,110
3 kW 2835 kWh 1701 kWh 1134 kWh £433 £113 £546 £8,204 15.0 yrs £2,715
4 kW 3780 kWh 2268 kWh 1512 kWh £577 £151 £728 £10,238 14.1 yrs £4,320
5 kW 4725 kWh 2835 kWh 1890 kWh £721 £189 £910 £12,273 13.5 yrs £5,925
6 kW 5670 kWh 3402 kWh 2268 kWh £865 £227 £1,092 £14,307 13.1 yrs £7,530
7 kW 6615 kWh 3969 kWh 2646 kWh £1,009 £265 £1,274 £16,342 12.8 yrs £9,135
8 kW 7559 kWh 4536 kWh 3024 kWh £1,153 £302 £1,456 £18,376 12.6 yrs £10,740

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: £983, Upfront: £13,673, 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 1890 kWh 1323 kWh 567 kWh £336 £57 £393 £7,569 19.3 yrs £293
3 kW 2835 kWh 1984 kWh 850 kWh £505 £85 £590 £9,604 16.3 yrs £2,190
4 kW 3780 kWh 2646 kWh 1134 kWh £673 £113 £786 £11,638 14.8 yrs £4,086
5 kW 4725 kWh 3307 kWh 1417 kWh £841 £142 £983 £13,673 13.9 yrs £5,983
6 kW 5670 kWh 3969 kWh 1701 kWh £1,009 £170 £1,179 £15,707 13.3 yrs £7,880
7 kW 6615 kWh 4630 kWh 1984 kWh £1,177 £198 £1,376 £17,742 12.9 yrs £9,776
8 kW 7559 kWh 5292 kWh 2268 kWh £1,346 £227 £1,572 £19,776 12.6 yrs £11,673

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: £1,005, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1890 kWh 1380 kWh 510 kWh £351 £51 £402 £9,319 23.2 yrs £-1,282
3 kW 2835 kWh 2069 kWh 765 kWh £526 £77 £603 £11,354 18.8 yrs £702
4 kW 3780 kWh 2759 kWh 1021 kWh £702 £102 £804 £13,388 16.7 yrs £2,686
5 kW 4725 kWh 3449 kWh 1276 kWh £877 £128 £1,005 £15,423 15.4 yrs £4,670
6 kW 5670 kWh 4139 kWh 1531 kWh £1,052 £153 £1,206 £17,457 14.5 yrs £6,654
7 kW 6615 kWh 4829 kWh 1786 kWh £1,228 £179 £1,407 £19,492 13.9 yrs £8,638
8 kW 7559 kWh 5518 kWh 2041 kWh £1,403 £204 £1,607 £21,526 13.4 yrs £10,623

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: £1,019, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 16.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1890 kWh 1417 kWh 472 kWh £360 £47 £408 £11,069 27.2 yrs £-2,915
3 kW 2835 kWh 2126 kWh 709 kWh £541 £71 £612 £13,104 21.4 yrs £-873
4 kW 3780 kWh 2835 kWh 945 kWh £721 £94 £815 £15,138 18.6 yrs £1,170
5 kW 4725 kWh 3543 kWh 1181 kWh £901 £118 £1,019 £17,173 16.8 yrs £3,212
6 kW 5670 kWh 4252 kWh 1417 kWh £1,081 £142 £1,223 £19,207 15.7 yrs £5,254
7 kW 6615 kWh 4961 kWh 1654 kWh £1,262 £165 £1,427 £21,242 14.9 yrs £7,297
8 kW 7559 kWh 5670 kWh 1890 kWh £1,442 £189 £1,631 £23,276 14.3 yrs £9,339

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: £1,034, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1890 kWh 1455 kWh 435 kWh £370 £43 £414 £13,519 32.7 yrs £-5,249
3 kW 2835 kWh 2183 kWh 652 kWh £555 £65 £620 £15,554 25.1 yrs £-3,148
4 kW 3780 kWh 2910 kWh 869 kWh £740 £87 £827 £17,588 21.3 yrs £-1,047
5 kW 4725 kWh 3638 kWh 1087 kWh £925 £109 £1,034 £19,623 19.0 yrs £1,054
6 kW 5670 kWh 4366 kWh 1304 kWh £1,110 £130 £1,241 £21,657 17.5 yrs £3,154
7 kW 6615 kWh 5093 kWh 1521 kWh £1,295 £152 £1,447 £23,692 16.4 yrs £5,255
8 kW 7559 kWh 5821 kWh 1739 kWh £1,480 £174 £1,654 £25,726 15.6 yrs £7,356

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 NE62

Figures below are tailored to NE62 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1371 of 2182
4.8 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~10 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1874 of 2997
11.6 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£699 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2670 of 2997
31.3% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£218 fixed • ~£699 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.43p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
59.86p/day
Local Sunshine
945kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~945 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: 72% • Flats: 11% • Bungalows: 16% Based on 2,146 properties

Coverage

Northumberland (100%)

Areas Covered

Stakeford, Choppington & Hepscott, Sleekburn, Bothal, College with North Seaton, Bedlington East, Bedlington West

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

NE63 (Northumberland)
≈2.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~945 kWh/kWp · +0% vs NE62
NE22 (Northumberland)
≈3.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~948 kWh/kWp · +0% vs NE62
NE64 (Northumberland)
≈5.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~915 kWh/kWp · -3% vs NE62
NE61 (Northumberland)
≈5.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~939 kWh/kWp · -1% vs NE62
NE24 (Northumberland)
≈6.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~919 kWh/kWp · -3% vs NE62
NE23 (Northumberland)
≈8.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~950 kWh/kWp · +1% vs NE62

Similar sunshine across the UK

L64 (Cheshire West and Chester)
~945 kWh/kWp · -0% vs NE62
CH41 (Wirral)
~945 kWh/kWp · +0% vs NE62
B75 (Birmingham)
~945 kWh/kWp · -0% vs NE62