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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in OL9 (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
14.5 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,138
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£560
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£5,863
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 831 kWh/kW — 39 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 831 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)
831 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: £700, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 14.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1662 kWh 665 kWh 997 kWh £180 £100 £280 £4,069 14.5 yrs £1,531
3 kW 2494 kWh 997 kWh 1496 kWh £270 £150 £420 £6,104 14.5 yrs £2,297
4 kW 3325 kWh 1330 kWh 1995 kWh £361 £199 £560 £8,138 14.5 yrs £3,063
5 kW 4156 kWh 1662 kWh 2494 kWh £451 £249 £700 £10,173 14.5 yrs £3,829
6 kW 4987 kWh 1995 kWh 2992 kWh £541 £299 £840 £12,207 14.5 yrs £4,594
7 kW 5819 kWh 2327 kWh 3491 kWh £631 £349 £980 £14,242 14.5 yrs £5,360
8 kW 6650 kWh 2660 kWh 3990 kWh £721 £399 £1,120 £16,276 14.5 yrs £6,126

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: £842, 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 1662 kWh 997 kWh 665 kWh £270 £66 £337 £6,169 18.3 yrs £569
3 kW 2494 kWh 1496 kWh 997 kWh £406 £100 £505 £8,204 16.2 yrs £1,904
4 kW 3325 kWh 1995 kWh 1330 kWh £541 £133 £674 £10,238 15.2 yrs £3,239
5 kW 4156 kWh 2494 kWh 1662 kWh £676 £166 £842 £12,273 14.6 yrs £4,573
6 kW 4987 kWh 2992 kWh 1995 kWh £811 £199 £1,011 £14,307 14.2 yrs £5,908
7 kW 5819 kWh 3491 kWh 2327 kWh £946 £233 £1,179 £16,342 13.9 yrs £7,242
8 kW 6650 kWh 3990 kWh 2660 kWh £1,082 £266 £1,348 £18,376 13.6 yrs £8,577

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: £913, 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 1662 kWh 1164 kWh 499 kWh £315 £50 £365 £7,569 20.7 yrs £-262
3 kW 2494 kWh 1746 kWh 748 kWh £473 £75 £548 £9,604 17.5 yrs £1,357
4 kW 3325 kWh 2327 kWh 997 kWh £631 £100 £731 £11,638 15.9 yrs £2,976
5 kW 4156 kWh 2909 kWh 1247 kWh £789 £125 £913 £13,673 15.0 yrs £4,595
6 kW 4987 kWh 3491 kWh 1496 kWh £946 £150 £1,096 £15,707 14.3 yrs £6,214
7 kW 5819 kWh 4073 kWh 1746 kWh £1,104 £175 £1,279 £17,742 13.9 yrs £7,834
8 kW 6650 kWh 4655 kWh 1995 kWh £1,262 £199 £1,461 £19,776 13.5 yrs £9,453

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: £935, 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 1662 kWh 1214 kWh 449 kWh £329 £45 £374 £9,319 24.9 yrs £-1,841
3 kW 2494 kWh 1820 kWh 673 kWh £494 £67 £561 £11,354 20.2 yrs £-137
4 kW 3325 kWh 2427 kWh 898 kWh £658 £90 £748 £13,388 17.9 yrs £1,568
5 kW 4156 kWh 3034 kWh 1122 kWh £823 £112 £935 £15,423 16.5 yrs £3,272
6 kW 4987 kWh 3641 kWh 1347 kWh £987 £135 £1,122 £17,457 15.6 yrs £4,976
7 kW 5819 kWh 4248 kWh 1571 kWh £1,152 £157 £1,309 £19,492 14.9 yrs £6,681
8 kW 6650 kWh 4854 kWh 1795 kWh £1,316 £180 £1,496 £21,526 14.4 yrs £8,385

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: £949, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 18.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1662 kWh 1247 kWh 416 kWh £338 £42 £380 £11,069 29.2 yrs £-3,477
3 kW 2494 kWh 1870 kWh 623 kWh £507 £62 £569 £13,104 23.0 yrs £-1,716
4 kW 3325 kWh 2494 kWh 831 kWh £676 £83 £759 £15,138 19.9 yrs £45
5 kW 4156 kWh 3117 kWh 1039 kWh £845 £104 £949 £17,173 18.1 yrs £1,807
6 kW 4987 kWh 3741 kWh 1247 kWh £1,014 £125 £1,139 £19,207 16.9 yrs £3,568
7 kW 5819 kWh 4364 kWh 1455 kWh £1,183 £145 £1,329 £21,242 16.0 yrs £5,329
8 kW 6650 kWh 4987 kWh 1662 kWh £1,352 £166 £1,518 £23,276 15.3 yrs £7,090

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: £963, 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 1662 kWh 1280 kWh 382 kWh £347 £38 £385 £13,519 35.1 yrs £-5,814
3 kW 2494 kWh 1920 kWh 574 kWh £521 £57 £578 £15,554 26.9 yrs £-3,995
4 kW 3325 kWh 2560 kWh 765 kWh £694 £76 £771 £17,588 22.8 yrs £-2,177
5 kW 4156 kWh 3200 kWh 956 kWh £868 £96 £963 £19,623 20.4 yrs £-359
6 kW 4987 kWh 3840 kWh 1147 kWh £1,041 £115 £1,156 £21,657 18.7 yrs £1,459
7 kW 5819 kWh 4480 kWh 1338 kWh £1,215 £134 £1,348 £23,692 17.6 yrs £3,277
8 kW 6650 kWh 5120 kWh 1529 kWh £1,388 £153 £1,541 £25,726 16.7 yrs £5,096

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 OL9

Figures below are tailored to OL9 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1707 of 2182
4.5 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~10 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #2691 of 2997
12.6 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£645 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2618 of 2997
29.0% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£187 fixed • ~£645 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.11p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
51.16p/day
Local Sunshine
831kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~831 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: 79% • Flats: 13% • Bungalows: 7% Based on 9,392 properties

Coverage

Oldham (100%)

Areas Covered

Chadderton South, Chadderton Central, Coldhurst, Chadderton North, Werneth, St Mary's, Failsworth East, Moston + 1 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

OL8 (Oldham)
≈2.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~837 kWh/kWp · +1% vs OL9
OL1 (Oldham)
≈2.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~829 kWh/kWp · -0% vs OL9
OL95 (Oldham)
≈3.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~830 kWh/kWp · -0% vs OL9
M24 (Rochdale)
≈4.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~846 kWh/kWp · +2% vs OL9
M35 (Oldham)
≈4.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~848 kWh/kWp · +2% vs OL9
OL2 (Oldham)
≈4.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~832 kWh/kWp · +0% vs OL9

Similar sunshine across the UK

PA5 (Renfrewshire)
~831 kWh/kWp · +0% vs OL9
FK17 (Stirling)
~831 kWh/kWp · -0% vs OL9
G62 (East Dunbartonshire)
~832 kWh/kWp · +0% vs OL9