Solar explained to clever people by people who are not trying to be clever

Solar Panels in NG33 (South Kesteven)

See if solar pays off for you in South Kesteven — 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
12.5 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£973
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£12,125
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

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 6.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 1000 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.6p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.6p/kWh
Standing charge
49.1p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1000 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: £811, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 12.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2000 kWh 800 kWh 1200 kWh £204 £120 £324 £4,069 12.5 yrs £2,420
3 kW 3000 kWh 1200 kWh 1800 kWh £307 £180 £487 £6,104 12.5 yrs £3,629
4 kW 4000 kWh 1600 kWh 2400 kWh £409 £240 £649 £8,138 12.5 yrs £4,839
5 kW 5000 kWh 2000 kWh 3000 kWh £511 £300 £811 £10,173 12.5 yrs £6,049
6 kW 6001 kWh 2400 kWh 3600 kWh £613 £360 £973 £12,207 12.5 yrs £7,259
7 kW 7001 kWh 2800 kWh 4200 kWh £715 £420 £1,136 £14,242 12.5 yrs £8,468
8 kW 8001 kWh 3200 kWh 4800 kWh £818 £480 £1,298 £16,276 12.5 yrs £9,678

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: £967, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 12.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2000 kWh 1200 kWh 800 kWh £307 £80 £387 £6,169 16.0 yrs £1,564
3 kW 3000 kWh 1800 kWh 1200 kWh £460 £120 £580 £8,204 14.1 yrs £3,396
4 kW 4000 kWh 2400 kWh 1600 kWh £613 £160 £773 £10,238 13.2 yrs £5,227
5 kW 5000 kWh 3000 kWh 2000 kWh £767 £200 £967 £12,273 12.7 yrs £7,059
6 kW 6001 kWh 3600 kWh 2400 kWh £920 £240 £1,160 £14,307 12.3 yrs £8,891
7 kW 7001 kWh 4200 kWh 2800 kWh £1,073 £280 £1,353 £16,342 12.1 yrs £10,723
8 kW 8001 kWh 4800 kWh 3200 kWh £1,227 £320 £1,547 £18,376 11.9 yrs £12,555

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: £1,044, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 13.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2000 kWh 1400 kWh 600 kWh £358 £60 £418 £7,569 18.1 yrs £786
3 kW 3000 kWh 2100 kWh 900 kWh £537 £90 £627 £9,604 15.3 yrs £2,929
4 kW 4000 kWh 2800 kWh 1200 kWh £715 £120 £835 £11,638 13.9 yrs £5,071
5 kW 5000 kWh 3500 kWh 1500 kWh £894 £150 £1,044 £13,673 13.1 yrs £7,214
6 kW 6001 kWh 4200 kWh 1800 kWh £1,073 £180 £1,253 £15,707 12.5 yrs £9,357
7 kW 7001 kWh 4900 kWh 2100 kWh £1,252 £210 £1,462 £17,742 12.1 yrs £11,500
8 kW 8001 kWh 5601 kWh 2400 kWh £1,431 £240 £1,671 £19,776 11.8 yrs £13,643

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: £1,068, Upfront: £15,423, 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 2000 kWh 1460 kWh 540 kWh £373 £54 £427 £9,319 21.8 yrs £-778
3 kW 3000 kWh 2190 kWh 810 kWh £560 £81 £641 £11,354 17.7 yrs £1,459
4 kW 4000 kWh 2920 kWh 1080 kWh £746 £108 £854 £13,388 15.7 yrs £3,695
5 kW 5000 kWh 3650 kWh 1350 kWh £933 £135 £1,068 £15,423 14.4 yrs £5,931
6 kW 6001 kWh 4380 kWh 1620 kWh £1,119 £162 £1,281 £17,457 13.6 yrs £8,167
7 kW 7001 kWh 5110 kWh 1890 kWh £1,306 £189 £1,495 £19,492 13.0 yrs £10,403
8 kW 8001 kWh 5841 kWh 2160 kWh £1,492 £216 £1,708 £21,526 12.6 yrs £12,639

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: £1,083, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 15.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2000 kWh 1500 kWh 500 kWh £383 £50 £433 £11,069 25.5 yrs £-2,403
3 kW 3000 kWh 2250 kWh 750 kWh £575 £75 £650 £13,104 20.2 yrs £-105
4 kW 4000 kWh 3000 kWh 1000 kWh £767 £100 £867 £15,138 17.5 yrs £2,194
5 kW 5000 kWh 3750 kWh 1250 kWh £958 £125 £1,083 £17,173 15.9 yrs £4,492
6 kW 6001 kWh 4500 kWh 1500 kWh £1,150 £150 £1,300 £19,207 14.8 yrs £6,790
7 kW 7001 kWh 5250 kWh 1750 kWh £1,341 £175 £1,517 £21,242 14.0 yrs £9,089
8 kW 8001 kWh 6001 kWh 2000 kWh £1,533 £200 £1,733 £23,276 13.4 yrs £11,387

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: £1,099, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 17.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2000 kWh 1540 kWh 460 kWh £394 £46 £440 £13,519 30.8 yrs £-4,729
3 kW 3000 kWh 2310 kWh 690 kWh £590 £69 £659 £15,554 23.6 yrs £-2,368
4 kW 4000 kWh 3080 kWh 920 kWh £787 £92 £879 £17,588 20.0 yrs £-8
5 kW 5000 kWh 3850 kWh 1150 kWh £984 £115 £1,099 £19,623 17.9 yrs £2,353
6 kW 6001 kWh 4620 kWh 1380 kWh £1,181 £138 £1,319 £21,657 16.4 yrs £4,714
7 kW 7001 kWh 5390 kWh 1610 kWh £1,377 £161 £1,538 £23,692 15.4 yrs £7,074
8 kW 8001 kWh 6161 kWh 1840 kWh £1,574 £184 £1,758 £25,726 14.6 yrs £9,435

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.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.55p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
49.09p/day
Local Sunshine
1000kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1000 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
6.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 70% • Flats: 2% • Bungalows: 28% Based on 3,184 properties

Coverage

South Kesteven (95%)|Melton (5%)

Areas Covered

Isaac Newton, Lincrest, Castle, Glen, Grantham St Wulfram's, Wymondham, Croxton Kerrial

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.