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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in OL1 (Oldham)

See if solar pays off for you in Oldham — 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
14.6 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,138
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£558
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£5,821
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 North West, the current unit rate is 27.11p/kWh with a 51.16p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 829 kWh/kW — 41 below the regional median (870).

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 829 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 27.1p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
27.1p/kWh
Standing charge
51.2p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
829 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: £698, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 14.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1657 kWh 663 kWh 994 kWh £180 £99 £279 £4,069 14.6 yrs £1,515
3 kW 2486 kWh 994 kWh 1492 kWh £270 £149 £419 £6,104 14.6 yrs £2,272
4 kW 3315 kWh 1326 kWh 1989 kWh £359 £199 £558 £8,138 14.6 yrs £3,029
5 kW 4144 kWh 1657 kWh 2486 kWh £449 £249 £698 £10,173 14.6 yrs £3,787
6 kW 4972 kWh 1989 kWh 2983 kWh £539 £298 £838 £12,207 14.6 yrs £4,544
7 kW 5801 kWh 2320 kWh 3481 kWh £629 £348 £977 £14,242 14.6 yrs £5,301
8 kW 6630 kWh 2652 kWh 3978 kWh £719 £398 £1,117 £16,276 14.6 yrs £6,059

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: £840, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 14.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1657 kWh 994 kWh 663 kWh £270 £66 £336 £6,169 18.4 yrs £549
3 kW 2486 kWh 1492 kWh 994 kWh £404 £99 £504 £8,204 16.3 yrs £1,874
4 kW 3315 kWh 1989 kWh 1326 kWh £539 £133 £672 £10,238 15.2 yrs £3,198
5 kW 4144 kWh 2486 kWh 1657 kWh £674 £166 £840 £12,273 14.6 yrs £4,523
6 kW 4972 kWh 2983 kWh 1989 kWh £809 £199 £1,008 £14,307 14.2 yrs £5,847
7 kW 5801 kWh 3481 kWh 2320 kWh £944 £232 £1,176 £16,342 13.9 yrs £7,172
8 kW 6630 kWh 3978 kWh 2652 kWh £1,078 £265 £1,344 £18,376 13.7 yrs £8,496

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: £911, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 15.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1657 kWh 1160 kWh 497 kWh £315 £50 £364 £7,569 20.8 yrs £-284
3 kW 2486 kWh 1740 kWh 746 kWh £472 £75 £546 £9,604 17.6 yrs £1,324
4 kW 3315 kWh 2320 kWh 994 kWh £629 £99 £729 £11,638 16.0 yrs £2,933
5 kW 4144 kWh 2901 kWh 1243 kWh £786 £124 £911 £13,673 15.0 yrs £4,541
6 kW 4972 kWh 3481 kWh 1492 kWh £944 £149 £1,093 £15,707 14.4 yrs £6,149
7 kW 5801 kWh 4061 kWh 1740 kWh £1,101 £174 £1,275 £17,742 13.9 yrs £7,757
8 kW 6630 kWh 4641 kWh 1989 kWh £1,258 £199 £1,457 £19,776 13.6 yrs £9,365

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: £932, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 16.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1657 kWh 1210 kWh 448 kWh £328 £45 £373 £9,319 25.0 yrs £-1,864
3 kW 2486 kWh 1815 kWh 671 kWh £492 £67 £559 £11,354 20.3 yrs £-170
4 kW 3315 kWh 2420 kWh 895 kWh £656 £90 £746 £13,388 18.0 yrs £1,523
5 kW 4144 kWh 3025 kWh 1119 kWh £820 £112 £932 £15,423 16.5 yrs £3,216
6 kW 4972 kWh 3630 kWh 1343 kWh £984 £134 £1,118 £17,457 15.6 yrs £4,909
7 kW 5801 kWh 4235 kWh 1566 kWh £1,148 £157 £1,305 £19,492 14.9 yrs £6,602
8 kW 6630 kWh 4840 kWh 1790 kWh £1,312 £179 £1,491 £21,526 14.4 yrs £8,296

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: £946, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 18.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1657 kWh 1243 kWh 414 kWh £337 £41 £378 £11,069 29.2 yrs £-3,500
3 kW 2486 kWh 1865 kWh 622 kWh £506 £62 £568 £13,104 23.1 yrs £-1,750
4 kW 3315 kWh 2486 kWh 829 kWh £674 £83 £757 £15,138 20.0 yrs £-0
5 kW 4144 kWh 3108 kWh 1036 kWh £843 £104 £946 £17,173 18.2 yrs £1,750
6 kW 4972 kWh 3729 kWh 1243 kWh £1,011 £124 £1,135 £19,207 16.9 yrs £3,500
7 kW 5801 kWh 4351 kWh 1450 kWh £1,180 £145 £1,325 £21,242 16.0 yrs £5,250
8 kW 6630 kWh 4972 kWh 1657 kWh £1,348 £166 £1,514 £23,276 15.4 yrs £6,999

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: £960, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 20.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1657 kWh 1276 kWh 381 kWh £346 £38 £384 £13,519 35.2 yrs £-5,837
3 kW 2486 kWh 1914 kWh 572 kWh £519 £57 £576 £15,554 27.0 yrs £-4,030
4 kW 3315 kWh 2553 kWh 762 kWh £692 £76 £768 £17,588 22.9 yrs £-2,223
5 kW 4144 kWh 3191 kWh 953 kWh £865 £95 £960 £19,623 20.4 yrs £-417
6 kW 4972 kWh 3829 kWh 1144 kWh £1,038 £114 £1,152 £21,657 18.8 yrs £1,390
7 kW 5801 kWh 4467 kWh 1334 kWh £1,211 £133 £1,344 £23,692 17.6 yrs £3,197
8 kW 6630 kWh 5105 kWh 1525 kWh £1,384 £152 £1,536 £25,726 16.7 yrs £5,003

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 OL1

Figures below are tailored to OL1 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #2001 of 2182
4.1 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~9 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #2686 of 2997
12.6 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£643 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2619 of 2997
29.0% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£187 fixed • ~£643 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.11p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
51.16p/day
Local Sunshine
829kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~829 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: 69% • Flats: 26% • Bungalows: 3% Based on 5,868 properties

Coverage

Oldham (100%)

Areas Covered

St Mary's, Coldhurst, St James', Chadderton North, Chadderton Central, Royton South, Royton North, Shaw + 4 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 North West

OL95 (Oldham)
≈1.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~830 kWh/kWp · +0% vs OL1
OL4 (Oldham)
≈1.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~837 kWh/kWp · +1% vs OL1
OL8 (Oldham)
≈2.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~837 kWh/kWp · +1% vs OL1
OL9 (Oldham)
≈2.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~831 kWh/kWp · +0% vs OL1
OL2 (Oldham)
≈3.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~832 kWh/kWp · +0% vs OL1
OL5 (Tameside)
≈5.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~803 kWh/kWp · -3% vs OL1

Similar sunshine across the UK

BT93 (Fermanagh and Omagh)
~829 kWh/kWp · -0% vs OL1
DG4 (Dumfries and Galloway)
~829 kWh/kWp · +0% vs OL1
PA62 (Argyll and Bute)
~829 kWh/kWp · +0% vs OL1