Solar explained to clever people by people who are not trying to be clever
Home Regions
Insights
Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in PR1 (Preston)

See if solar pays off for you in Preston — 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
13.6 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,138
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£601
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£6,875
After paying itself off, you're this much ahead

Ready to Get Started?

Get your free quote from Blue Ape Renewables. They'll connect you with MCS-certified installers in your area and handle all the paperwork.

Get Solar Quote →
4.8★ Trustpilot • Octopus Energy trusted partner • MCS certified • No obligation
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 891 kWh/kW — 21 above 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 891 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)
891 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: £751, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 13.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1783 kWh 713 kWh 1070 kWh £193 £107 £300 £4,069 13.6 yrs £1,936
3 kW 2674 kWh 1070 kWh 1604 kWh £290 £160 £450 £6,104 13.6 yrs £2,904
4 kW 3565 kWh 1426 kWh 2139 kWh £387 £214 £601 £8,138 13.6 yrs £3,872
5 kW 4456 kWh 1783 kWh 2674 kWh £483 £267 £751 £10,173 13.6 yrs £4,840
6 kW 5348 kWh 2139 kWh 3209 kWh £580 £321 £901 £12,207 13.6 yrs £5,808
7 kW 6239 kWh 2496 kWh 3743 kWh £677 £374 £1,051 £14,242 13.6 yrs £6,776
8 kW 7130 kWh 2852 kWh 4278 kWh £773 £428 £1,201 £16,276 13.6 yrs £7,744

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: £903, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 13.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1783 kWh 1070 kWh 713 kWh £290 £71 £361 £6,169 17.1 yrs £1,056
3 kW 2674 kWh 1604 kWh 1070 kWh £435 £107 £542 £8,204 15.1 yrs £2,634
4 kW 3565 kWh 2139 kWh 1426 kWh £580 £143 £722 £10,238 14.2 yrs £4,212
5 kW 4456 kWh 2674 kWh 1783 kWh £725 £178 £903 £12,273 13.6 yrs £5,790
6 kW 5348 kWh 3209 kWh 2139 kWh £870 £214 £1,084 £14,307 13.2 yrs £7,368
7 kW 6239 kWh 3743 kWh 2496 kWh £1,015 £250 £1,264 £16,342 12.9 yrs £8,946
8 kW 7130 kWh 4278 kWh 2852 kWh £1,160 £285 £1,445 £18,376 12.7 yrs £10,524

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: £979, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 14.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1783 kWh 1248 kWh 535 kWh £338 £53 £392 £7,569 19.3 yrs £266
3 kW 2674 kWh 1872 kWh 802 kWh £507 £80 £588 £9,604 16.3 yrs £2,149
4 kW 3565 kWh 2496 kWh 1070 kWh £677 £107 £783 £11,638 14.9 yrs £4,032
5 kW 4456 kWh 3119 kWh 1337 kWh £846 £134 £979 £13,673 14.0 yrs £5,915
6 kW 5348 kWh 3743 kWh 1604 kWh £1,015 £160 £1,175 £15,707 13.4 yrs £7,798
7 kW 6239 kWh 4367 kWh 1872 kWh £1,184 £187 £1,371 £17,742 12.9 yrs £9,681
8 kW 7130 kWh 4991 kWh 2139 kWh £1,353 £214 £1,567 £19,776 12.6 yrs £11,564

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: £1,002, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1783 kWh 1301 kWh 481 kWh £353 £48 £401 £9,319 23.2 yrs £-1,301
3 kW 2674 kWh 1952 kWh 722 kWh £529 £72 £601 £11,354 18.9 yrs £673
4 kW 3565 kWh 2603 kWh 963 kWh £706 £96 £802 £13,388 16.7 yrs £2,648
5 kW 4456 kWh 3253 kWh 1203 kWh £882 £120 £1,002 £15,423 15.4 yrs £4,622
6 kW 5348 kWh 3904 kWh 1444 kWh £1,058 £144 £1,203 £17,457 14.5 yrs £6,597
7 kW 6239 kWh 4554 kWh 1685 kWh £1,235 £168 £1,403 £19,492 13.9 yrs £8,571
8 kW 7130 kWh 5205 kWh 1925 kWh £1,411 £193 £1,604 £21,526 13.4 yrs £10,546

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: £1,017, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 16.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1783 kWh 1337 kWh 446 kWh £362 £45 £407 £11,069 27.2 yrs £-2,929
3 kW 2674 kWh 2005 kWh 668 kWh £544 £67 £610 £13,104 21.5 yrs £-894
4 kW 3565 kWh 2674 kWh 891 kWh £725 £89 £814 £15,138 18.6 yrs £1,142
5 kW 4456 kWh 3342 kWh 1114 kWh £906 £111 £1,017 £17,173 16.9 yrs £3,177
6 kW 5348 kWh 4011 kWh 1337 kWh £1,087 £134 £1,221 £19,207 15.7 yrs £5,213
7 kW 6239 kWh 4679 kWh 1560 kWh £1,269 £156 £1,424 £21,242 14.9 yrs £7,248
8 kW 7130 kWh 5348 kWh 1783 kWh £1,450 £178 £1,628 £23,276 14.3 yrs £9,284

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: £1,033, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1783 kWh 1373 kWh 410 kWh £372 £41 £413 £13,519 32.7 yrs £-5,257
3 kW 2674 kWh 2059 kWh 615 kWh £558 £61 £620 £15,554 25.1 yrs £-3,161
4 kW 3565 kWh 2745 kWh 820 kWh £744 £82 £826 £17,588 21.3 yrs £-1,064
5 kW 4456 kWh 3431 kWh 1025 kWh £930 £102 £1,033 £19,623 19.0 yrs £1,032
6 kW 5348 kWh 4118 kWh 1230 kWh £1,116 £123 £1,239 £21,657 17.5 yrs £3,129
7 kW 6239 kWh 4804 kWh 1435 kWh £1,302 £143 £1,446 £23,692 16.4 yrs £5,225
8 kW 7130 kWh 5490 kWh 1640 kWh £1,488 £164 £1,652 £25,726 15.6 yrs £7,322

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 PR1

Figures below are tailored to PR1 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1926 of 2182
4.2 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~9 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #2139 of 2997
11.8 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£692 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2416 of 2997
27.0% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£187 fixed • ~£692 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.11p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
51.16p/day
Local Sunshine
891kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~891 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: 58% • Flats: 36% • Bungalows: 4% Based on 22,274 properties

Coverage

Preston (81%)|South Ribble (19%)

Areas Covered

City Centre, St Matthew's, Fishwick & Frenchwood, Plungington, Deepdale, Middleforth, Howick & Priory, Broad Oak + 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

PR0 (Preston)
≈1.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~884 kWh/kWp · -1% vs PR1
PR2 (Preston)
≈2.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~894 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PR1
PR11 (Preston)
≈4.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~884 kWh/kWp · -1% vs PR1
PR5 (South Ribble)
≈4.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~860 kWh/kWp · -4% vs PR1
PR25 (South Ribble)
≈7.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~898 kWh/kWp · +1% vs PR1
PR26 (South Ribble)
≈7.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~891 kWh/kWp · -0% vs PR1

Similar sunshine across the UK

HD7 (Kirklees)
~891 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PR1
HD9 (Kirklees)
~891 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PR1
HX6 (Calderdale)
~891 kWh/kWp · +0% vs PR1