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Solar Panels in S1 (Sheffield)

See if solar pays off for you in Sheffield — 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
13.8 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£6,104
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£443
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£4,982
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 Yorkshire, the current unit rate is 25.33p/kWh with a 58.65p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 916 kWh/kW — 13 below the regional median (929).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 3.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 916 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.3p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.3p/kWh
Standing charge
58.6p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
916 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: £739, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 13.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1832 kWh 733 kWh 1099 kWh £186 £110 £296 £4,069 13.8 yrs £1,843
3 kW 2749 kWh 1099 kWh 1649 kWh £278 £165 £443 £6,104 13.8 yrs £2,765
4 kW 3665 kWh 1466 kWh 2199 kWh £371 £220 £591 £8,138 13.8 yrs £3,686
5 kW 4581 kWh 1832 kWh 2749 kWh £464 £275 £739 £10,173 13.8 yrs £4,608
6 kW 5497 kWh 2199 kWh 3298 kWh £557 £330 £887 £12,207 13.8 yrs £5,530
7 kW 6414 kWh 2565 kWh 3848 kWh £650 £385 £1,035 £14,242 13.8 yrs £6,451
8 kW 7330 kWh 2932 kWh 4398 kWh £743 £440 £1,182 £16,276 13.8 yrs £7,373

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: £879, Upfront: £12,273, 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 1832 kWh 1099 kWh 733 kWh £278 £73 £352 £6,169 17.5 yrs £867
3 kW 2749 kWh 1649 kWh 1099 kWh £418 £110 £528 £8,204 15.5 yrs £2,350
4 kW 3665 kWh 2199 kWh 1466 kWh £557 £147 £704 £10,238 14.6 yrs £3,834
5 kW 4581 kWh 2749 kWh 1832 kWh £696 £183 £879 £12,273 14.0 yrs £5,317
6 kW 5497 kWh 3298 kWh 2199 kWh £835 £220 £1,055 £14,307 13.6 yrs £6,801
7 kW 6414 kWh 3848 kWh 2565 kWh £975 £257 £1,231 £16,342 13.3 yrs £8,284
8 kW 7330 kWh 4398 kWh 2932 kWh £1,114 £293 £1,407 £18,376 13.1 yrs £9,768

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: £950, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 14.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1832 kWh 1283 kWh 550 kWh £325 £55 £380 £7,569 19.9 yrs £29
3 kW 2749 kWh 1924 kWh 825 kWh £487 £82 £570 £9,604 16.9 yrs £1,793
4 kW 3665 kWh 2565 kWh 1099 kWh £650 £110 £760 £11,638 15.3 yrs £3,557
5 kW 4581 kWh 3207 kWh 1374 kWh £812 £137 £950 £13,673 14.4 yrs £5,322
6 kW 5497 kWh 3848 kWh 1649 kWh £975 £165 £1,140 £15,707 13.8 yrs £7,086
7 kW 6414 kWh 4490 kWh 1924 kWh £1,137 £192 £1,330 £17,742 13.3 yrs £8,851
8 kW 7330 kWh 5131 kWh 2199 kWh £1,300 £220 £1,520 £19,776 13.0 yrs £10,615

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: £971, Upfront: £15,423, 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 1832 kWh 1338 kWh 495 kWh £339 £49 £388 £9,319 24.0 yrs £-1,553
3 kW 2749 kWh 2007 kWh 742 kWh £508 £74 £582 £11,354 19.5 yrs £296
4 kW 3665 kWh 2675 kWh 990 kWh £678 £99 £777 £13,388 17.2 yrs £2,145
5 kW 4581 kWh 3344 kWh 1237 kWh £847 £124 £971 £15,423 15.9 yrs £3,993
6 kW 5497 kWh 4013 kWh 1484 kWh £1,017 £148 £1,165 £17,457 15.0 yrs £5,842
7 kW 6414 kWh 4682 kWh 1732 kWh £1,186 £173 £1,359 £19,492 14.3 yrs £7,690
8 kW 7330 kWh 5351 kWh 1979 kWh £1,355 £198 £1,553 £21,526 13.9 yrs £9,539

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: £985, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1832 kWh 1374 kWh 458 kWh £348 £46 £394 £11,069 28.1 yrs £-3,190
3 kW 2749 kWh 2062 kWh 687 kWh £522 £69 £591 £13,104 22.2 yrs £-1,286
4 kW 3665 kWh 2749 kWh 916 kWh £696 £92 £788 £15,138 19.2 yrs £619
5 kW 4581 kWh 3436 kWh 1145 kWh £870 £115 £985 £17,173 17.4 yrs £2,524
6 kW 5497 kWh 4123 kWh 1374 kWh £1,044 £137 £1,182 £19,207 16.3 yrs £4,429
7 kW 6414 kWh 4810 kWh 1603 kWh £1,218 £160 £1,379 £21,242 15.4 yrs £6,334
8 kW 7330 kWh 5497 kWh 1832 kWh £1,392 £183 £1,576 £23,276 14.8 yrs £8,239

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: £999, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1832 kWh 1411 kWh 421 kWh £357 £42 £400 £13,519 33.8 yrs £-5,528
3 kW 2749 kWh 2116 kWh 632 kWh £536 £63 £599 £15,554 26.0 yrs £-3,567
4 kW 3665 kWh 2822 kWh 843 kWh £715 £84 £799 £17,588 22.0 yrs £-1,606
5 kW 4581 kWh 3527 kWh 1054 kWh £894 £105 £999 £19,623 19.6 yrs £355
6 kW 5497 kWh 4233 kWh 1264 kWh £1,072 £126 £1,199 £21,657 18.1 yrs £2,316
7 kW 6414 kWh 4938 kWh 1475 kWh £1,251 £148 £1,398 £23,692 16.9 yrs £4,277
8 kW 7330 kWh 5644 kWh 1686 kWh £1,430 £169 £1,598 £25,726 16.1 yrs £6,238

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 S1

Figures below are tailored to S1 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #2342 of 2997
12.0 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£844 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2279 of 2997
25.4% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£214 fixed • ~£844 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.33p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
58.65p/day
Local Sunshine
916kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~916 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
3.0kW
For eligible homes in this area

⚠️ This area is predominantly flats. Many residents require freeholder approval for solar installations. System size shown reflects houses and bungalows only.

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 2% • Flats: 97% • Bungalows: 0% Based on 7,030 properties

Coverage

Sheffield (100%)

Areas Covered

City, Walkley, Nether Edge and Sharrow, Wath, Broomhill and Sharrow Vale, Burngreave, Park and Arbourthorne, Gleadless Valley + 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 Yorkshire

S3 (Sheffield)
≈0.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~920 kWh/kWp · +0% vs S1
S2 (Sheffield)
≈1.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~928 kWh/kWp · +1% vs S1
S4 (Sheffield)
≈2.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~924 kWh/kWp · +1% vs S1
S6 (Sheffield)
≈3.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~927 kWh/kWp · +1% vs S1
S10 (Sheffield)
≈3.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~918 kWh/kWp · +0% vs S1
S7 (Sheffield)
≈3.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~920 kWh/kWp · +0% vs S1

Similar sunshine across the UK

NE65 (Northumberland)
~916 kWh/kWp · +0% vs S1
BT31 (Newry, Mourne and Down)
~916 kWh/kWp · -0% vs S1
KY5 (Fife)
~916 kWh/kWp · +0% vs S1