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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in S45 (North East Derbyshire)

See if solar pays off for you in North East Derbyshire — 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
13.4 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£757
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,765
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 East Midlands, the current unit rate is 25.55p/kWh with a 49.09p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 934 kWh/kW — 34 below the regional median (968).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 5.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 934 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.6p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.6p/kWh
Standing charge
49.1p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
934 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: £757, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 13.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1868 kWh 747 kWh 1121 kWh £191 £112 £303 £4,069 13.4 yrs £1,991
3 kW 2802 kWh 1121 kWh 1681 kWh £286 £168 £454 £6,104 13.4 yrs £2,986
4 kW 3736 kWh 1494 kWh 2242 kWh £382 £224 £606 £8,138 13.4 yrs £3,982
5 kW 4670 kWh 1868 kWh 2802 kWh £477 £280 £757 £10,173 13.4 yrs £4,977
6 kW 5604 kWh 2242 kWh 3363 kWh £573 £336 £909 £12,207 13.4 yrs £5,973
7 kW 6538 kWh 2615 kWh 3923 kWh £668 £392 £1,060 £14,242 13.4 yrs £6,968
8 kW 7472 kWh 2989 kWh 4483 kWh £764 £448 £1,212 £16,276 13.4 yrs £7,964

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 1868 kWh 1121 kWh 747 kWh £286 £75 £361 £6,169 17.1 yrs £1,053
3 kW 2802 kWh 1681 kWh 1121 kWh £430 £112 £542 £8,204 15.1 yrs £2,629
4 kW 3736 kWh 2242 kWh 1494 kWh £573 £149 £722 £10,238 14.2 yrs £4,206
5 kW 4670 kWh 2802 kWh 1868 kWh £716 £187 £903 £12,273 13.6 yrs £5,782
6 kW 5604 kWh 3363 kWh 2242 kWh £859 £224 £1,083 £14,307 13.2 yrs £7,359
7 kW 6538 kWh 3923 kWh 2615 kWh £1,002 £262 £1,264 £16,342 12.9 yrs £8,935
8 kW 7472 kWh 4483 kWh 2989 kWh £1,145 £299 £1,444 £18,376 12.7 yrs £10,512

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: £975, 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 1868 kWh 1308 kWh 560 kWh £334 £56 £390 £7,569 19.4 yrs £234
3 kW 2802 kWh 1961 kWh 841 kWh £501 £84 £585 £9,604 16.4 yrs £2,101
4 kW 3736 kWh 2615 kWh 1121 kWh £668 £112 £780 £11,638 14.9 yrs £3,968
5 kW 4670 kWh 3269 kWh 1401 kWh £835 £140 £975 £13,673 14.0 yrs £5,835
6 kW 5604 kWh 3923 kWh 1681 kWh £1,002 £168 £1,170 £15,707 13.4 yrs £7,702
7 kW 6538 kWh 4577 kWh 1961 kWh £1,169 £196 £1,366 £17,742 13.0 yrs £9,569
8 kW 7472 kWh 5231 kWh 2242 kWh £1,336 £224 £1,561 £19,776 12.7 yrs £11,435

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: £997, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1868 kWh 1364 kWh 504 kWh £348 £50 £399 £9,319 23.4 yrs £-1,342
3 kW 2802 kWh 2046 kWh 757 kWh £523 £76 £598 £11,354 19.0 yrs £612
4 kW 3736 kWh 2727 kWh 1009 kWh £697 £101 £798 £13,388 16.8 yrs £2,566
5 kW 4670 kWh 3409 kWh 1261 kWh £871 £126 £997 £15,423 15.5 yrs £4,520
6 kW 5604 kWh 4091 kWh 1513 kWh £1,045 £151 £1,197 £17,457 14.6 yrs £6,474
7 kW 6538 kWh 4773 kWh 1765 kWh £1,219 £177 £1,396 £19,492 14.0 yrs £8,429
8 kW 7472 kWh 5455 kWh 2018 kWh £1,394 £202 £1,595 £21,526 13.5 yrs £10,383

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: £1,012, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1868 kWh 1401 kWh 467 kWh £358 £47 £405 £11,069 27.4 yrs £-2,976
3 kW 2802 kWh 2102 kWh 701 kWh £537 £70 £607 £13,104 21.6 yrs £-963
4 kW 3736 kWh 2802 kWh 934 kWh £716 £93 £809 £15,138 18.7 yrs £1,049
5 kW 4670 kWh 3503 kWh 1168 kWh £895 £117 £1,012 £17,173 17.0 yrs £3,061
6 kW 5604 kWh 4203 kWh 1401 kWh £1,074 £140 £1,214 £19,207 15.8 yrs £5,073
7 kW 6538 kWh 4904 kWh 1635 kWh £1,253 £163 £1,416 £21,242 15.0 yrs £7,085
8 kW 7472 kWh 5604 kWh 1868 kWh £1,432 £187 £1,619 £23,276 14.4 yrs £9,097

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: £1,026, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1868 kWh 1438 kWh 430 kWh £368 £43 £410 £13,519 32.9 yrs £-5,309
3 kW 2802 kWh 2158 kWh 644 kWh £551 £64 £616 £15,554 25.3 yrs £-3,239
4 kW 3736 kWh 2877 kWh 859 kWh £735 £86 £821 £17,588 21.4 yrs £-1,169
5 kW 4670 kWh 3596 kWh 1074 kWh £919 £107 £1,026 £19,623 19.1 yrs £901
6 kW 5604 kWh 4315 kWh 1289 kWh £1,103 £129 £1,231 £21,657 17.6 yrs £2,972
7 kW 6538 kWh 5034 kWh 1504 kWh £1,286 £150 £1,437 £23,692 16.5 yrs £5,042
8 kW 7472 kWh 5754 kWh 1719 kWh £1,470 £172 £1,642 £25,726 15.7 yrs £7,112

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 S45

Figures below are tailored to S45 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1155 of 2182
4.9 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~10 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #2021 of 2997
11.7 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£866 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1554 of 2997
20.7% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£179 fixed • ~£866 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.55p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
49.09p/day
Local Sunshine
934kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~934 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
5.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 73% • Flats: 10% • Bungalows: 15% Based on 5,317 properties

Coverage

North East Derbyshire (95%)|Chesterfield (3%)|Bolsover (2%)

Areas Covered

Clay Cross North, Ashover, Pilsley & Morton, Clay Cross South, Spire, Ault Hucknall, Brampton & Walton

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 East Midlands

S42 (North East Derbyshire)
≈3.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~935 kWh/kWp · +0% vs S45
S49 (Chesterfield)
≈7.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~933 kWh/kWp · -0% vs S45
S40 (Chesterfield)
≈7.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~933 kWh/kWp · -0% vs S45
DE55 (Amber Valley)
≈8.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~943 kWh/kWp · +1% vs S45
S41 (Chesterfield)
≈9.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~935 kWh/kWp · +0% vs S45
S44 (Bolsover)
≈10.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~935 kWh/kWp · +0% vs S45

Similar sunshine across the UK

CF82 (Caerphilly)
~934 kWh/kWp · -0% vs S45
CH44 (Wirral)
~934 kWh/kWp · -0% vs S45
L44 (Wirral)
~934 kWh/kWp · -0% vs S45