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Solar panel cost in Epping Forest (RM4)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for RM4 (Epping Forest) in under a minute using official UK data. Start with the calculator, then get a no-obligation quote from an MCS-certified installer. You can also ask the SolarByPostcode assistant to sanity-check your roof, bills and plans.

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
11.8 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£1,034
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£13,639
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 Eastern, the current unit rate is 27.88p/kWh with a 49.33p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 1005 kWh/kW — 5 below the regional median (1009).

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 1005 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 27.9p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
27.9p/kWh
Standing charge
49.3p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1005 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: £862, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 11.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2009 kWh 804 kWh 1205 kWh £224 £121 £345 £4,069 11.8 yrs £2,823
3 kW 3014 kWh 1205 kWh 1808 kWh £336 £181 £517 £6,104 11.8 yrs £4,235
4 kW 4018 kWh 1607 kWh 2411 kWh £448 £241 £689 £8,138 11.8 yrs £5,646
5 kW 5023 kWh 2009 kWh 3014 kWh £560 £301 £862 £10,173 11.8 yrs £7,058
6 kW 6027 kWh 2411 kWh 3616 kWh £672 £362 £1,034 £12,207 11.8 yrs £8,469
7 kW 7032 kWh 2813 kWh 4219 kWh £784 £422 £1,206 £14,242 11.8 yrs £9,881
8 kW 8037 kWh 3215 kWh 4822 kWh £896 £482 £1,378 £16,276 11.8 yrs £11,293

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: £1,041, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 11.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2009 kWh 1205 kWh 804 kWh £336 £80 £416 £6,169 14.8 yrs £2,160
3 kW 3014 kWh 1808 kWh 1205 kWh £504 £121 £625 £8,204 13.1 yrs £4,290
4 kW 4018 kWh 2411 kWh 1607 kWh £672 £161 £833 £10,238 12.3 yrs £6,420
5 kW 5023 kWh 3014 kWh 2009 kWh £840 £201 £1,041 £12,273 11.8 yrs £8,550
6 kW 6027 kWh 3616 kWh 2411 kWh £1,008 £241 £1,249 £14,307 11.5 yrs £10,680
7 kW 7032 kWh 4219 kWh 2813 kWh £1,176 £281 £1,458 £16,342 11.2 yrs £12,810
8 kW 8037 kWh 4822 kWh 3215 kWh £1,344 £321 £1,666 £18,376 11.0 yrs £14,940

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: £1,131, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 12.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2009 kWh 1406 kWh 603 kWh £392 £60 £452 £7,569 16.7 yrs £1,479
3 kW 3014 kWh 2110 kWh 904 kWh £588 £90 £679 £9,604 14.2 yrs £3,968
4 kW 4018 kWh 2813 kWh 1205 kWh £784 £121 £905 £11,638 12.9 yrs £6,457
5 kW 5023 kWh 3516 kWh 1507 kWh £980 £151 £1,131 £13,673 12.1 yrs £8,946
6 kW 6027 kWh 4219 kWh 1808 kWh £1,176 £181 £1,357 £15,707 11.6 yrs £11,436
7 kW 7032 kWh 4922 kWh 2110 kWh £1,372 £211 £1,583 £17,742 11.2 yrs £13,925
8 kW 8037 kWh 5626 kWh 2411 kWh £1,568 £241 £1,810 £19,776 10.9 yrs £16,414

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: £1,158, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 13.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2009 kWh 1467 kWh 542 kWh £409 £54 £463 £9,319 20.1 yrs £-56
3 kW 3014 kWh 2200 kWh 814 kWh £613 £81 £695 £11,354 16.3 yrs £2,541
4 kW 4018 kWh 2933 kWh 1085 kWh £818 £108 £926 £13,388 14.5 yrs £5,138
5 kW 5023 kWh 3667 kWh 1356 kWh £1,022 £136 £1,158 £15,423 13.3 yrs £7,735
6 kW 6027 kWh 4400 kWh 1627 kWh £1,227 £163 £1,389 £17,457 12.6 yrs £10,332
7 kW 7032 kWh 5133 kWh 1899 kWh £1,431 £190 £1,621 £19,492 12.0 yrs £12,929
8 kW 8037 kWh 5867 kWh 2170 kWh £1,636 £217 £1,853 £21,526 11.6 yrs £15,526

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: £1,176, Upfront: £17,173, 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 2009 kWh 1507 kWh 502 kWh £420 £50 £470 £11,069 23.5 yrs £-1,662
3 kW 3014 kWh 2260 kWh 753 kWh £630 £75 £706 £13,104 18.6 yrs £1,007
4 kW 4018 kWh 3014 kWh 1005 kWh £840 £100 £941 £15,138 16.1 yrs £3,676
5 kW 5023 kWh 3767 kWh 1256 kWh £1,050 £126 £1,176 £17,173 14.6 yrs £6,344
6 kW 6027 kWh 4521 kWh 1507 kWh £1,260 £151 £1,411 £19,207 13.6 yrs £9,013
7 kW 7032 kWh 5274 kWh 1758 kWh £1,470 £176 £1,646 £21,242 12.9 yrs £11,682
8 kW 8037 kWh 6027 kWh 2009 kWh £1,680 £201 £1,881 £23,276 12.4 yrs £14,351

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: £1,194, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 16.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2009 kWh 1547 kWh 462 kWh £431 £46 £478 £13,519 28.3 yrs £-3,969
3 kW 3014 kWh 2321 kWh 693 kWh £647 £69 £716 £15,554 21.7 yrs £-1,228
4 kW 4018 kWh 3094 kWh 924 kWh £863 £92 £955 £17,588 18.4 yrs £1,513
5 kW 5023 kWh 3868 kWh 1155 kWh £1,078 £116 £1,194 £19,623 16.4 yrs £4,254
6 kW 6027 kWh 4641 kWh 1386 kWh £1,294 £139 £1,433 £21,657 15.1 yrs £6,994
7 kW 7032 kWh 5415 kWh 1617 kWh £1,510 £162 £1,671 £23,692 14.2 yrs £9,735
8 kW 8037 kWh 6188 kWh 1848 kWh £1,725 £185 £1,910 £25,726 13.5 yrs £12,476

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 RM4

Figures below are tailored to RM4 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #106 of 2182
6.5 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~14 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #700 of 2997
11.8 years (UK avg 12.6 years)
~£1,034 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #443 of 2997
17.4% (UK avg 24.6%) drag on savings
£180 fixed • ~£1,034 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −21.6% West −19.5%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.88p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
49.33p/day
Local Sunshine
1005kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1005 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: 69% • Flats: 8% • Bungalows: 21% Based on 1,068 properties

Coverage

Epping Forest (66%)|Havering (27%)|Brentwood (7%)

Areas Covered

Chigwell with Lambourne, Theydon Bois with Passingford, Rush Green & Crowlands, Havering-atte-Bower, Brizes, Stondon Massey & South Weald, Gooshays, Heaton

Data Sources & Assumptions

Solar yield: PVGIS (EU Joint Research Centre), January 2025 data

Electricity rates: Ofgem price cap, Q1 2026

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 Eastern

RM5 (Havering)
≈4.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,014 kWh/kWp · +1% vs RM4
RM3 (Havering)
≈5.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,019 kWh/kWp · +1% vs RM4
RM2 (Havering)
≈6.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,014 kWh/kWp · +1% vs RM4
RM1 (Havering)
≈7.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,014 kWh/kWp · +1% vs RM4
CM16 (Epping Forest)
≈7.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,010 kWh/kWp · +1% vs RM4
RM50 (Havering)
≈7.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,014 kWh/kWp · +1% vs RM4

Similar sunshine across the UK

DN36 (North East Lincolnshire)
~1,005 kWh/kWp · -0% vs RM4
BS41 (North Somerset)
~1,004 kWh/kWp · -0% vs RM4
E15 (Newham)
~1,004 kWh/kWp · -0% vs RM4