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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in PE20 (Boston)

See if solar pays off for you in Boston — 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
12.3 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£992
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£12,588
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 East Midlands, the current unit rate is 25.55p/kWh with a 49.09p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 1019 kWh/kW — 51 above the regional median (968).

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 1019 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)
1019 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: £826, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 12.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2038 kWh 815 kWh 1223 kWh £208 £122 £331 £4,069 12.3 yrs £2,543
3 kW 3057 kWh 1223 kWh 1834 kWh £312 £183 £496 £6,104 12.3 yrs £3,814
4 kW 4076 kWh 1631 kWh 2446 kWh £417 £245 £661 £8,138 12.3 yrs £5,086
5 kW 5096 kWh 2038 kWh 3057 kWh £521 £306 £826 £10,173 12.3 yrs £6,357
6 kW 6115 kWh 2446 kWh 3669 kWh £625 £367 £992 £12,207 12.3 yrs £7,629
7 kW 7134 kWh 2854 kWh 4280 kWh £729 £428 £1,157 £14,242 12.3 yrs £8,900
8 kW 8153 kWh 3261 kWh 4892 kWh £833 £489 £1,322 £16,276 12.3 yrs £10,172

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: £985, Upfront: £12,273, 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 2038 kWh 1223 kWh 815 kWh £312 £82 £394 £6,169 15.7 yrs £1,711
3 kW 3057 kWh 1834 kWh 1223 kWh £469 £122 £591 £8,204 13.9 yrs £3,616
4 kW 4076 kWh 2446 kWh 1631 kWh £625 £163 £788 £10,238 13.0 yrs £5,521
5 kW 5096 kWh 3057 kWh 2038 kWh £781 £204 £985 £12,273 12.5 yrs £7,427
6 kW 6115 kWh 3669 kWh 2446 kWh £937 £245 £1,182 £14,307 12.1 yrs £9,332
7 kW 7134 kWh 4280 kWh 2854 kWh £1,094 £285 £1,379 £16,342 11.9 yrs £11,238
8 kW 8153 kWh 4892 kWh 3261 kWh £1,250 £326 £1,576 £18,376 11.7 yrs £13,143

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: £1,064, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 12.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2038 kWh 1427 kWh 611 kWh £365 £61 £426 £7,569 17.8 yrs £945
3 kW 3057 kWh 2140 kWh 917 kWh £547 £92 £639 £9,604 15.0 yrs £3,167
4 kW 4076 kWh 2854 kWh 1223 kWh £729 £122 £851 £11,638 13.7 yrs £5,389
5 kW 5096 kWh 3567 kWh 1529 kWh £911 £153 £1,064 £13,673 12.8 yrs £7,612
6 kW 6115 kWh 4280 kWh 1834 kWh £1,094 £183 £1,277 £15,707 12.3 yrs £9,834
7 kW 7134 kWh 4994 kWh 2140 kWh £1,276 £214 £1,490 £17,742 11.9 yrs £12,056
8 kW 8153 kWh 5707 kWh 2446 kWh £1,458 £245 £1,703 £19,776 11.6 yrs £14,278

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: £1,088, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 14.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2038 kWh 1488 kWh 550 kWh £380 £55 £435 £9,319 21.4 yrs £-615
3 kW 3057 kWh 2232 kWh 825 kWh £570 £83 £653 £11,354 17.4 yrs £1,702
4 kW 4076 kWh 2976 kWh 1101 kWh £760 £110 £870 £13,388 15.4 yrs £4,020
5 kW 5096 kWh 3720 kWh 1376 kWh £950 £138 £1,088 £15,423 14.2 yrs £6,337
6 kW 6115 kWh 4464 kWh 1651 kWh £1,140 £165 £1,306 £17,457 13.4 yrs £8,654
7 kW 7134 kWh 5208 kWh 1926 kWh £1,331 £193 £1,523 £19,492 12.8 yrs £10,972
8 kW 8153 kWh 5952 kWh 2201 kWh £1,521 £220 £1,741 £21,526 12.4 yrs £13,289

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: £1,104, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 15.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2038 kWh 1529 kWh 510 kWh £391 £51 £442 £11,069 25.1 yrs £-2,238
3 kW 3057 kWh 2293 kWh 764 kWh £586 £76 £662 £13,104 19.8 yrs £142
4 kW 4076 kWh 3057 kWh 1019 kWh £781 £102 £883 £15,138 17.1 yrs £2,523
5 kW 5096 kWh 3822 kWh 1274 kWh £976 £127 £1,104 £17,173 15.6 yrs £4,904
6 kW 6115 kWh 4586 kWh 1529 kWh £1,172 £153 £1,325 £19,207 14.5 yrs £7,285
7 kW 7134 kWh 5350 kWh 1783 kWh £1,367 £178 £1,545 £21,242 13.7 yrs £9,665
8 kW 8153 kWh 6115 kWh 2038 kWh £1,562 £204 £1,766 £23,276 13.2 yrs £12,046

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: £1,120, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 17.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2038 kWh 1569 kWh 469 kWh £401 £47 £448 £13,519 30.2 yrs £-4,562
3 kW 3057 kWh 2354 kWh 703 kWh £601 £70 £672 £15,554 23.2 yrs £-2,117
4 kW 4076 kWh 3139 kWh 938 kWh £802 £94 £896 £17,588 19.6 yrs £327
5 kW 5096 kWh 3924 kWh 1172 kWh £1,002 £117 £1,120 £19,623 17.5 yrs £2,771
6 kW 6115 kWh 4708 kWh 1406 kWh £1,203 £141 £1,344 £21,657 16.1 yrs £5,215
7 kW 7134 kWh 5493 kWh 1641 kWh £1,403 £164 £1,568 £23,692 15.1 yrs £7,659
8 kW 8153 kWh 6278 kWh 1875 kWh £1,604 £188 £1,791 £25,726 14.4 yrs £10,103

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 PE20

Figures below are tailored to PE20 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #476 of 2182
5.6 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~12 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1037 of 2997
10.8 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£1,134 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #528 of 2997
15.8% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£179 fixed • ~£1,134 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.55p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
49.09p/day
Local Sunshine
1019kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1019 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: 4% • Bungalows: 25% Based on 5,458 properties

Coverage

Boston (99%)|North Kesteven (1%)

Areas Covered

Kirton and Frampton, Five Village, Swineshead and Holland Fen, Skirbeck, Trinity, Wyberton, Heckington Rural, Donington + 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 East Midlands

PE21 (Boston)
≈6.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,016 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PE20
PE22 (East Lindsey)
≈15.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,010 kWh/kWp · -1% vs PE20
PE11 (South Holland)
≈15.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,009 kWh/kWp · -1% vs PE20
PE12 (South Holland)
≈16.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,020 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PE20
NG34 (North Kesteven)
≈22.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,002 kWh/kWp · -2% vs PE20
LN10 (East Lindsey)
≈25.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~980 kWh/kWp · -4% vs PE20

Similar sunshine across the UK

NR23 (North Norfolk)
~1,019 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PE20
PL22 (Cornwall)
~1,019 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PE20
SP5 (Wiltshire)
~1,019 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PE20