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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in PL11 (Cornwall)

See if solar pays off for you in Cornwall — 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
11.3 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£899
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£12,306
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 Southern Western, the current unit rate is 26.82p/kWh with a 54.03p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 1075 kWh/kW — 62 above the regional median (1013).

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 1075 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.8p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.8p/kWh
Standing charge
54.0p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1075 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: £899, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 11.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2150 kWh 860 kWh 1290 kWh £231 £129 £360 £4,069 11.3 yrs £3,124
3 kW 3225 kWh 1290 kWh 1935 kWh £346 £194 £539 £6,104 11.3 yrs £4,686
4 kW 4300 kWh 1720 kWh 2580 kWh £461 £258 £719 £8,138 11.3 yrs £6,248
5 kW 5375 kWh 2150 kWh 3225 kWh £577 £323 £899 £10,173 11.3 yrs £7,811
6 kW 6450 kWh 2580 kWh 3870 kWh £692 £387 £1,079 £12,207 11.3 yrs £9,373
7 kW 7525 kWh 3010 kWh 4515 kWh £807 £452 £1,259 £14,242 11.3 yrs £10,935
8 kW 8600 kWh 3440 kWh 5160 kWh £923 £516 £1,439 £16,276 11.3 yrs £12,497

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: £1,080, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 11.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2150 kWh 1290 kWh 860 kWh £346 £86 £432 £6,169 14.3 yrs £2,471
3 kW 3225 kWh 1935 kWh 1290 kWh £519 £129 £648 £8,204 12.7 yrs £4,756
4 kW 4300 kWh 2580 kWh 1720 kWh £692 £172 £864 £10,238 11.8 yrs £7,042
5 kW 5375 kWh 3225 kWh 2150 kWh £865 £215 £1,080 £12,273 11.4 yrs £9,327
6 kW 6450 kWh 3870 kWh 2580 kWh £1,038 £258 £1,296 £14,307 11.0 yrs £11,612
7 kW 7525 kWh 4515 kWh 3010 kWh £1,211 £301 £1,512 £16,342 10.8 yrs £13,898
8 kW 8600 kWh 5160 kWh 3440 kWh £1,384 £344 £1,728 £18,376 10.6 yrs £16,183

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: £1,170, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 11.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2150 kWh 1505 kWh 645 kWh £404 £65 £468 £7,569 16.2 yrs £1,794
3 kW 3225 kWh 2258 kWh 968 kWh £605 £97 £702 £9,604 13.7 yrs £4,441
4 kW 4300 kWh 3010 kWh 1290 kWh £807 £129 £936 £11,638 12.4 yrs £7,088
5 kW 5375 kWh 3763 kWh 1613 kWh £1,009 £161 £1,170 £13,673 11.7 yrs £9,735
6 kW 6450 kWh 4515 kWh 1935 kWh £1,211 £194 £1,404 £15,707 11.2 yrs £12,382
7 kW 7525 kWh 5268 kWh 2258 kWh £1,413 £226 £1,639 £17,742 10.8 yrs £15,029
8 kW 8600 kWh 6020 kWh 2580 kWh £1,615 £258 £1,873 £19,776 10.6 yrs £17,676

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: £1,198, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 12.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2150 kWh 1570 kWh 581 kWh £421 £58 £479 £9,319 19.5 yrs £261
3 kW 3225 kWh 2354 kWh 871 kWh £631 £87 £719 £11,354 15.8 yrs £3,017
4 kW 4300 kWh 3139 kWh 1161 kWh £842 £116 £958 £13,388 14.0 yrs £5,772
5 kW 5375 kWh 3924 kWh 1451 kWh £1,052 £145 £1,198 £15,423 12.9 yrs £8,528
6 kW 6450 kWh 4709 kWh 1742 kWh £1,263 £174 £1,437 £17,457 12.1 yrs £11,283
7 kW 7525 kWh 5493 kWh 2032 kWh £1,473 £203 £1,677 £19,492 11.6 yrs £14,039
8 kW 8600 kWh 6278 kWh 2322 kWh £1,684 £232 £1,916 £21,526 11.2 yrs £16,794

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: £1,216, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 14.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2150 kWh 1613 kWh 538 kWh £432 £54 £486 £11,069 22.8 yrs £-1,344
3 kW 3225 kWh 2419 kWh 806 kWh £649 £81 £729 £13,104 18.0 yrs £1,484
4 kW 4300 kWh 3225 kWh 1075 kWh £865 £108 £972 £15,138 15.6 yrs £4,311
5 kW 5375 kWh 4031 kWh 1344 kWh £1,081 £134 £1,216 £17,173 14.1 yrs £7,139
6 kW 6450 kWh 4838 kWh 1613 kWh £1,297 £161 £1,459 £19,207 13.2 yrs £9,967
7 kW 7525 kWh 5644 kWh 1881 kWh £1,514 £188 £1,702 £21,242 12.5 yrs £12,795
8 kW 8600 kWh 6450 kWh 2150 kWh £1,730 £215 £1,945 £23,276 12.0 yrs £15,623

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: £1,234, Upfront: £19,623, 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 2150 kWh 1656 kWh 495 kWh £444 £49 £493 £13,519 27.4 yrs £-3,650
3 kW 3225 kWh 2483 kWh 742 kWh £666 £74 £740 £15,554 21.0 yrs £-749
4 kW 4300 kWh 3311 kWh 989 kWh £888 £99 £987 £17,588 17.8 yrs £2,151
5 kW 5375 kWh 4139 kWh 1236 kWh £1,110 £124 £1,234 £19,623 15.9 yrs £5,051
6 kW 6450 kWh 4967 kWh 1484 kWh £1,332 £148 £1,480 £21,657 14.6 yrs £7,951
7 kW 7525 kWh 5794 kWh 1731 kWh £1,554 £173 £1,727 £23,692 13.7 yrs £10,851
8 kW 8600 kWh 6622 kWh 1978 kWh £1,776 £198 £1,974 £25,726 13.0 yrs £13,751

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 PL11

Figures below are tailored to PL11 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #945 of 2182
5.1 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~11 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #123 of 2997
9.8 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£1,035 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1237 of 2997
19.1% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£197 fixed • ~£1,035 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.82p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
54.03p/day
Local Sunshine
1075kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1075 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

Houses: 68% • Flats: 15% • Bungalows: 13% Based on 2,604 properties

Coverage

Cornwall (100%)

Areas Covered

Torpoint, Rame Peninsula & St Germans, Looe East & Deviock

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 Southern Western

PL10 (Cornwall)
≈3.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,072 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PL11
PL12 (Cornwall)
≈4.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,041 kWh/kWp · -3% vs PL11
PL2 (Plymouth)
≈4.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,076 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PL11
PL1 (Plymouth)
≈5.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,087 kWh/kWp · +1% vs PL11
PL5 (Plymouth)
≈5.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,076 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PL11
PL4 (Plymouth)
≈6.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,087 kWh/kWp · +1% vs PL11

Similar sunshine across the UK

BH10 (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole)
~1,075 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PL11
BH14 (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole)
~1,075 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PL11
BH12 (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole)
~1,075 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PL11