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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in S12 (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
13.6 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,138
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£599
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£6,845
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 929 kWh/kW — 0 below the regional median (929).

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 929 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)
929 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: £749, 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 1858 kWh 743 kWh 1115 kWh £188 £111 £300 £4,069 13.6 yrs £1,924
3 kW 2786 kWh 1115 kWh 1672 kWh £282 £167 £449 £6,104 13.6 yrs £2,886
4 kW 3715 kWh 1486 kWh 2229 kWh £376 £223 £599 £8,138 13.6 yrs £3,848
5 kW 4644 kWh 1858 kWh 2786 kWh £471 £279 £749 £10,173 13.6 yrs £4,811
6 kW 5573 kWh 2229 kWh 3344 kWh £565 £334 £899 £12,207 13.6 yrs £5,773
7 kW 6501 kWh 2601 kWh 3901 kWh £659 £390 £1,049 £14,242 13.6 yrs £6,735
8 kW 7430 kWh 2972 kWh 4458 kWh £753 £446 £1,199 £16,276 13.6 yrs £7,697

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: £892, Upfront: £12,273, 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 1858 kWh 1115 kWh 743 kWh £282 £74 £357 £6,169 17.3 yrs £963
3 kW 2786 kWh 1672 kWh 1115 kWh £423 £111 £535 £8,204 15.3 yrs £2,495
4 kW 3715 kWh 2229 kWh 1486 kWh £565 £149 £713 £10,238 14.4 yrs £4,027
5 kW 4644 kWh 2786 kWh 1858 kWh £706 £186 £892 £12,273 13.8 yrs £5,558
6 kW 5573 kWh 3344 kWh 2229 kWh £847 £223 £1,070 £14,307 13.4 yrs £7,090
7 kW 6501 kWh 3901 kWh 2601 kWh £988 £260 £1,248 £16,342 13.1 yrs £8,621
8 kW 7430 kWh 4458 kWh 2972 kWh £1,129 £297 £1,426 £18,376 12.9 yrs £10,153

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: £963, Upfront: £13,673, 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 1858 kWh 1300 kWh 557 kWh £329 £56 £385 £7,569 19.7 yrs £133
3 kW 2786 kWh 1950 kWh 836 kWh £494 £84 £578 £9,604 16.6 yrs £1,949
4 kW 3715 kWh 2601 kWh 1115 kWh £659 £111 £770 £11,638 15.1 yrs £3,766
5 kW 4644 kWh 3251 kWh 1393 kWh £823 £139 £963 £13,673 14.2 yrs £5,582
6 kW 5573 kWh 3901 kWh 1672 kWh £988 £167 £1,155 £15,707 13.6 yrs £7,398
7 kW 6501 kWh 4551 kWh 1950 kWh £1,153 £195 £1,348 £17,742 13.2 yrs £9,215
8 kW 7430 kWh 5201 kWh 2229 kWh £1,317 £223 £1,540 £19,776 12.8 yrs £11,031

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: £984, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1858 kWh 1356 kWh 502 kWh £343 £50 £394 £9,319 23.7 yrs £-1,446
3 kW 2786 kWh 2034 kWh 752 kWh £515 £75 £590 £11,354 19.2 yrs £455
4 kW 3715 kWh 2712 kWh 1003 kWh £687 £100 £787 £13,388 17.0 yrs £2,357
5 kW 4644 kWh 3390 kWh 1254 kWh £859 £125 £984 £15,423 15.7 yrs £4,259
6 kW 5573 kWh 4068 kWh 1505 kWh £1,030 £150 £1,181 £17,457 14.8 yrs £6,161
7 kW 6501 kWh 4746 kWh 1755 kWh £1,202 £176 £1,378 £19,492 14.1 yrs £8,063
8 kW 7430 kWh 5424 kWh 2006 kWh £1,374 £201 £1,575 £21,526 13.7 yrs £9,965

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: £998, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1858 kWh 1393 kWh 464 kWh £353 £46 £399 £11,069 27.7 yrs £-3,082
3 kW 2786 kWh 2090 kWh 697 kWh £529 £70 £599 £13,104 21.9 yrs £-1,124
4 kW 3715 kWh 2786 kWh 929 kWh £706 £93 £799 £15,138 19.0 yrs £835
5 kW 4644 kWh 3483 kWh 1161 kWh £882 £116 £998 £17,173 17.2 yrs £2,794
6 kW 5573 kWh 4180 kWh 1393 kWh £1,059 £139 £1,198 £19,207 16.0 yrs £4,753
7 kW 6501 kWh 4876 kWh 1625 kWh £1,235 £163 £1,398 £21,242 15.2 yrs £6,711
8 kW 7430 kWh 5573 kWh 1858 kWh £1,412 £186 £1,597 £23,276 14.6 yrs £8,670

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: £1,013, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1858 kWh 1430 kWh 427 kWh £362 £43 £405 £13,519 33.4 yrs £-5,419
3 kW 2786 kWh 2145 kWh 641 kWh £543 £64 £608 £15,554 25.6 yrs £-3,403
4 kW 3715 kWh 2861 kWh 854 kWh £725 £85 £810 £17,588 21.7 yrs £-1,387
5 kW 4644 kWh 3576 kWh 1068 kWh £906 £107 £1,013 £19,623 19.4 yrs £629
6 kW 5573 kWh 4291 kWh 1282 kWh £1,087 £128 £1,215 £21,657 17.8 yrs £2,644
7 kW 6501 kWh 5006 kWh 1495 kWh £1,268 £150 £1,418 £23,692 16.7 yrs £4,660
8 kW 7430 kWh 5721 kWh 1709 kWh £1,449 £171 £1,620 £25,726 15.9 yrs £6,676

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 S12

Figures below are tailored to S12 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1684 of 2182
4.5 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~9 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #2243 of 2997
11.9 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£685 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2672 of 2997
31.3% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£214 fixed • ~£685 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.33p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
58.65p/day
Local Sunshine
929kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~929 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: 78% • Flats: 16% • Bungalows: 5% Based on 7,086 properties

Coverage

Sheffield (98%)|North East Derbyshire (2%)

Areas Covered

Birley, Richmond, Park and Arbourthorne, Beighton, Ridgeway & Marsh Lane, Gleadless Valley, Mosborough, City

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

S14 (Sheffield)
≈2.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~924 kWh/kWp · -1% vs S12
S13 (Sheffield)
≈2.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~932 kWh/kWp · +0% vs S12
S2 (Sheffield)
≈3.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~928 kWh/kWp · -0% vs S12
S8 (Sheffield)
≈4.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~919 kWh/kWp · -1% vs S12
S19 (Sheffield)
≈4.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~935 kWh/kWp · +1% vs S12
S7 (Sheffield)
≈4.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~920 kWh/kWp · -1% vs S12

Similar sunshine across the UK

CF39 (Rhondda Cynon Taf)
~929 kWh/kWp · -0% vs S12
NE3 (Newcastle upon Tyne)
~929 kWh/kWp · +0% vs S12
WS11 (Cannock Chase)
~929 kWh/kWp · +0% vs S12