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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in S4 (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
13.7 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,138
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£596
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£6,760
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 924 kWh/kW — 6 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 924 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)
924 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: £745, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 13.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1847 kWh 739 kWh 1108 kWh £187 £111 £298 £4,069 13.7 yrs £1,890
3 kW 2771 kWh 1108 kWh 1662 kWh £281 £166 £447 £6,104 13.7 yrs £2,835
4 kW 3694 kWh 1478 kWh 2216 kWh £374 £222 £596 £8,138 13.7 yrs £3,780
5 kW 4618 kWh 1847 kWh 2771 kWh £468 £277 £745 £10,173 13.7 yrs £4,726
6 kW 5541 kWh 2216 kWh 3325 kWh £561 £332 £894 £12,207 13.7 yrs £5,671
7 kW 6465 kWh 2586 kWh 3879 kWh £655 £388 £1,043 £14,242 13.7 yrs £6,616
8 kW 7388 kWh 2955 kWh 4433 kWh £749 £443 £1,192 £16,276 13.7 yrs £7,561

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: £886, 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 1847 kWh 1108 kWh 739 kWh £281 £74 £355 £6,169 17.4 yrs £923
3 kW 2771 kWh 1662 kWh 1108 kWh £421 £111 £532 £8,204 15.4 yrs £2,434
4 kW 3694 kWh 2216 kWh 1478 kWh £561 £148 £709 £10,238 14.4 yrs £3,946
5 kW 4618 kWh 2771 kWh 1847 kWh £702 £185 £886 £12,273 13.8 yrs £5,457
6 kW 5541 kWh 3325 kWh 2216 kWh £842 £222 £1,064 £14,307 13.4 yrs £6,968
7 kW 6465 kWh 3879 kWh 2586 kWh £982 £259 £1,241 £16,342 13.2 yrs £8,480
8 kW 7388 kWh 4433 kWh 2955 kWh £1,123 £296 £1,418 £18,376 13.0 yrs £9,991

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: £957, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 14.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1847 kWh 1293 kWh 554 kWh £327 £55 £383 £7,569 19.8 yrs £89
3 kW 2771 kWh 1939 kWh 831 kWh £491 £83 £574 £9,604 16.7 yrs £1,884
4 kW 3694 kWh 2586 kWh 1108 kWh £655 £111 £766 £11,638 15.2 yrs £3,678
5 kW 4618 kWh 3232 kWh 1385 kWh £819 £139 £957 £13,673 14.3 yrs £5,473
6 kW 5541 kWh 3879 kWh 1662 kWh £982 £166 £1,149 £15,707 13.7 yrs £7,267
7 kW 6465 kWh 4525 kWh 1939 kWh £1,146 £194 £1,340 £17,742 13.2 yrs £9,062
8 kW 7388 kWh 5172 kWh 2216 kWh £1,310 £222 £1,532 £19,776 12.9 yrs £10,856

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: £979, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1847 kWh 1348 kWh 499 kWh £342 £50 £391 £9,319 23.8 yrs £-1,491
3 kW 2771 kWh 2022 kWh 748 kWh £512 £75 £587 £11,354 19.3 yrs £388
4 kW 3694 kWh 2697 kWh 997 kWh £683 £100 £783 £13,388 17.1 yrs £2,268
5 kW 4618 kWh 3371 kWh 1247 kWh £854 £125 £979 £15,423 15.8 yrs £4,147
6 kW 5541 kWh 4045 kWh 1496 kWh £1,025 £150 £1,174 £17,457 14.9 yrs £6,027
7 kW 6465 kWh 4719 kWh 1745 kWh £1,195 £175 £1,370 £19,492 14.2 yrs £7,906
8 kW 7388 kWh 5393 kWh 1995 kWh £1,366 £199 £1,566 £21,526 13.7 yrs £9,786

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: £993, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1847 kWh 1385 kWh 462 kWh £351 £46 £397 £11,069 27.9 yrs £-3,128
3 kW 2771 kWh 2078 kWh 693 kWh £526 £69 £596 £13,104 22.0 yrs £-1,192
4 kW 3694 kWh 2771 kWh 924 kWh £702 £92 £794 £15,138 19.1 yrs £744
5 kW 4618 kWh 3463 kWh 1154 kWh £877 £115 £993 £17,173 17.3 yrs £2,681
6 kW 5541 kWh 4156 kWh 1385 kWh £1,053 £139 £1,191 £19,207 16.1 yrs £4,617
7 kW 6465 kWh 4848 kWh 1616 kWh £1,228 £162 £1,390 £21,242 15.3 yrs £6,553
8 kW 7388 kWh 5541 kWh 1847 kWh £1,404 £185 £1,588 £23,276 14.7 yrs £8,489

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: £1,007, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1847 kWh 1422 kWh 425 kWh £360 £42 £403 £13,519 33.6 yrs £-5,464
3 kW 2771 kWh 2133 kWh 637 kWh £540 £64 £604 £15,554 25.7 yrs £-3,472
4 kW 3694 kWh 2844 kWh 850 kWh £720 £85 £805 £17,588 21.8 yrs £-1,479
5 kW 4618 kWh 3556 kWh 1062 kWh £901 £106 £1,007 £19,623 19.5 yrs £514
6 kW 5541 kWh 4267 kWh 1274 kWh £1,081 £127 £1,208 £21,657 17.9 yrs £2,507
7 kW 6465 kWh 4978 kWh 1487 kWh £1,261 £149 £1,410 £23,692 16.8 yrs £4,499
8 kW 7388 kWh 5689 kWh 1699 kWh £1,441 £170 £1,611 £25,726 16.0 yrs £6,492

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 S4

Figures below are tailored to S4 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1775 of 2182
4.4 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~9 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #2349 of 2997
12.0 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£681 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2682 of 2997
31.4% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£214 fixed • ~£681 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.33p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
58.65p/day
Local Sunshine
924kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~924 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: 74% • Flats: 23% • Bungalows: 3% Based on 3,811 properties

Coverage

Sheffield (100%)

Areas Covered

Burngreave, City, Darnall, Shiregreen and Brightside, Manor Castle

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

S99 (Sheffield)
≈1.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~929 kWh/kWp · +1% vs S4
S98 (Sheffield)
≈1.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~929 kWh/kWp · +1% vs S4
S95 (Sheffield)
≈1.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~929 kWh/kWp · +1% vs S4
S96 (Sheffield)
≈1.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~929 kWh/kWp · +1% vs S4
S3 (Sheffield)
≈2.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~920 kWh/kWp · -0% vs S4
S9 (Sheffield)
≈2.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~928 kWh/kWp · +0% vs S4

Similar sunshine across the UK

DY8 (Dudley)
~924 kWh/kWp · +0% vs S4
DL3 (Darlington)
~924 kWh/kWp · +0% vs S4
LL17 (Denbighshire)
~924 kWh/kWp · +0% vs S4