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Solar Panels in NE98 (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
13.3 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£763
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,897
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 943 kWh/kW — 18 above 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 943 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)
943 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: £763, 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 1887 kWh 755 kWh 1132 kWh £192 £113 £305 £4,069 13.3 yrs £2,033
3 kW 2830 kWh 1132 kWh 1698 kWh £288 £170 £458 £6,104 13.3 yrs £3,050
4 kW 3773 kWh 1509 kWh 2264 kWh £384 £226 £610 £8,138 13.3 yrs £4,066
5 kW 4717 kWh 1887 kWh 2830 kWh £480 £283 £763 £10,173 13.3 yrs £5,083
6 kW 5660 kWh 2264 kWh 3396 kWh £576 £340 £915 £12,207 13.3 yrs £6,099
7 kW 6603 kWh 2641 kWh 3962 kWh £672 £396 £1,068 £14,242 13.3 yrs £7,116
8 kW 7547 kWh 3019 kWh 4528 kWh £768 £453 £1,220 £16,276 13.3 yrs £8,133

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: £908, 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 1887 kWh 1132 kWh 755 kWh £288 £75 £363 £6,169 17.0 yrs £1,098
3 kW 2830 kWh 1698 kWh 1132 kWh £432 £113 £545 £8,204 15.1 yrs £2,696
4 kW 3773 kWh 2264 kWh 1509 kWh £576 £151 £727 £10,238 14.1 yrs £4,295
5 kW 4717 kWh 2830 kWh 1887 kWh £720 £189 £908 £12,273 13.5 yrs £5,894
6 kW 5660 kWh 3396 kWh 2264 kWh £864 £226 £1,090 £14,307 13.1 yrs £7,493
7 kW 6603 kWh 3962 kWh 2641 kWh £1,008 £264 £1,272 £16,342 12.9 yrs £9,091
8 kW 7547 kWh 4528 kWh 3019 kWh £1,151 £302 £1,453 £18,376 12.6 yrs £10,690

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: £981, 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 1887 kWh 1321 kWh 566 kWh £336 £57 £392 £7,569 19.3 yrs £280
3 kW 2830 kWh 1981 kWh 849 kWh £504 £85 £589 £9,604 16.3 yrs £2,170
4 kW 3773 kWh 2641 kWh 1132 kWh £672 £113 £785 £11,638 14.8 yrs £4,060
5 kW 4717 kWh 3302 kWh 1415 kWh £840 £141 £981 £13,673 13.9 yrs £5,949
6 kW 5660 kWh 3962 kWh 1698 kWh £1,008 £170 £1,177 £15,707 13.3 yrs £7,839
7 kW 6603 kWh 4622 kWh 1981 kWh £1,175 £198 £1,374 £17,742 12.9 yrs £9,729
8 kW 7547 kWh 5283 kWh 2264 kWh £1,343 £226 £1,570 £19,776 12.6 yrs £11,619

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: £1,003, 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 1887 kWh 1377 kWh 509 kWh £350 £51 £401 £9,319 23.2 yrs £-1,296
3 kW 2830 kWh 2066 kWh 764 kWh £525 £76 £602 £11,354 18.9 yrs £682
4 kW 3773 kWh 2754 kWh 1019 kWh £700 £102 £802 £13,388 16.7 yrs £2,659
5 kW 4717 kWh 3443 kWh 1273 kWh £876 £127 £1,003 £15,423 15.4 yrs £4,636
6 kW 5660 kWh 4132 kWh 1528 kWh £1,051 £153 £1,204 £17,457 14.5 yrs £6,613
7 kW 6603 kWh 4820 kWh 1783 kWh £1,226 £178 £1,404 £19,492 13.9 yrs £8,591
8 kW 7547 kWh 5509 kWh 2038 kWh £1,401 £204 £1,605 £21,526 13.4 yrs £10,568

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: £1,017, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 16.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1887 kWh 1415 kWh 472 kWh £360 £47 £407 £11,069 27.2 yrs £-2,929
3 kW 2830 kWh 2122 kWh 707 kWh £540 £71 £610 £13,104 21.5 yrs £-894
4 kW 3773 kWh 2830 kWh 943 kWh £720 £94 £814 £15,138 18.6 yrs £1,142
5 kW 4717 kWh 3537 kWh 1179 kWh £900 £118 £1,017 £17,173 16.9 yrs £3,177
6 kW 5660 kWh 4245 kWh 1415 kWh £1,079 £141 £1,221 £19,207 15.7 yrs £5,213
7 kW 6603 kWh 4952 kWh 1651 kWh £1,259 £165 £1,424 £21,242 14.9 yrs £7,248
8 kW 7547 kWh 5660 kWh 1887 kWh £1,439 £189 £1,628 £23,276 14.3 yrs £9,284

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: £1,032, 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 1887 kWh 1453 kWh 434 kWh £369 £43 £413 £13,519 32.7 yrs £-5,263
3 kW 2830 kWh 2179 kWh 651 kWh £554 £65 £619 £15,554 25.1 yrs £-3,169
4 kW 3773 kWh 2905 kWh 868 kWh £739 £87 £826 £17,588 21.3 yrs £-1,075
5 kW 4717 kWh 3632 kWh 1085 kWh £924 £108 £1,032 £19,623 19.0 yrs £1,018
6 kW 5660 kWh 4358 kWh 1302 kWh £1,108 £130 £1,238 £21,657 17.5 yrs £3,112
7 kW 6603 kWh 5084 kWh 1519 kWh £1,293 £152 £1,445 £23,692 16.4 yrs £5,206
8 kW 7547 kWh 5811 kWh 1736 kWh £1,478 £174 £1,651 £25,726 15.6 yrs £7,299

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 NE98

Figures below are tailored to NE98 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2007 of 2997
11.7 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£872 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2221 of 2997
25.1% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£218 fixed • ~£872 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.43p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
59.86p/day
Local Sunshine
943kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~943 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

No EPC data available for this outcode

Coverage

Gateshead (53%)|Newcastle upon Tyne (47%)

Areas Covered

Lobley Hill and Bensham, Dene & South Gosforth

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

NE88 (Gateshead)
≈0.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~920 kWh/kWp · -2% vs NE98
NE82 (Gateshead)
≈0.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~920 kWh/kWp · -2% vs NE98
NE92 (Gateshead)
≈0.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~920 kWh/kWp · -2% vs NE98
DH98 (Gateshead)
≈0.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~920 kWh/kWp · -2% vs NE98
NE83 (Gateshead)
≈0.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~920 kWh/kWp · -3% vs NE98
NE11 (Gateshead)
≈1.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~919 kWh/kWp · -3% vs NE98

Similar sunshine across the UK

S72 (Barnsley)
~943 kWh/kWp · +0% vs NE98
CH5 (Flintshire)
~943 kWh/kWp · +0% vs NE98
L20 (Sefton)
~943 kWh/kWp · +0% vs NE98