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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in SO4 (New Forest)

See if solar pays off for you in New Forest — 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
11.1 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£918
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£12,776
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 Southern, the current unit rate is 26.48p/kWh with a 44.62p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 1107 kWh/kW — 105 above the regional median (1001).

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 1107 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.5p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.5p/kWh
Standing charge
44.6p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1107 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: £918, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 11.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2213 kWh 885 kWh 1328 kWh £234 £133 £367 £4,069 11.1 yrs £3,275
3 kW 3320 kWh 1328 kWh 1992 kWh £352 £199 £551 £6,104 11.1 yrs £4,912
4 kW 4426 kWh 1770 kWh 2656 kWh £469 £266 £734 £8,138 11.1 yrs £6,549
5 kW 5533 kWh 2213 kWh 3320 kWh £586 £332 £918 £10,173 11.1 yrs £8,187
6 kW 6639 kWh 2656 kWh 3983 kWh £703 £398 £1,102 £12,207 11.1 yrs £9,824
7 kW 7746 kWh 3098 kWh 4647 kWh £820 £465 £1,285 £14,242 11.1 yrs £11,461
8 kW 8852 kWh 3541 kWh 5311 kWh £938 £531 £1,469 £16,276 11.1 yrs £13,099

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: £1,100, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 11.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2213 kWh 1328 kWh 885 kWh £352 £89 £440 £6,169 14.0 yrs £2,633
3 kW 3320 kWh 1992 kWh 1328 kWh £527 £133 £660 £8,204 12.4 yrs £5,000
4 kW 4426 kWh 2656 kWh 1770 kWh £703 £177 £880 £10,238 11.6 yrs £7,367
5 kW 5533 kWh 3320 kWh 2213 kWh £879 £221 £1,100 £12,273 11.2 yrs £9,734
6 kW 6639 kWh 3983 kWh 2656 kWh £1,055 £266 £1,320 £14,307 10.8 yrs £12,100
7 kW 7746 kWh 4647 kWh 3098 kWh £1,231 £310 £1,540 £16,342 10.6 yrs £14,467
8 kW 8852 kWh 5311 kWh 3541 kWh £1,406 £354 £1,761 £18,376 10.4 yrs £16,834

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: £1,191, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 11.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2213 kWh 1549 kWh 664 kWh £410 £66 £477 £7,569 15.9 yrs £1,963
3 kW 3320 kWh 2324 kWh 996 kWh £615 £100 £715 £9,604 13.4 yrs £4,694
4 kW 4426 kWh 3098 kWh 1328 kWh £820 £133 £953 £11,638 12.2 yrs £7,426
5 kW 5533 kWh 3873 kWh 1660 kWh £1,026 £166 £1,191 £13,673 11.5 yrs £10,157
6 kW 6639 kWh 4647 kWh 1992 kWh £1,231 £199 £1,430 £15,707 11.0 yrs £12,889
7 kW 7746 kWh 5422 kWh 2324 kWh £1,436 £232 £1,668 £17,742 10.6 yrs £15,620
8 kW 8852 kWh 6196 kWh 2656 kWh £1,641 £266 £1,906 £19,776 10.4 yrs £18,352

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: £1,219, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 12.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2213 kWh 1616 kWh 598 kWh £428 £60 £488 £9,319 19.1 yrs £432
3 kW 3320 kWh 2423 kWh 896 kWh £642 £90 £731 £11,354 15.5 yrs £3,273
4 kW 4426 kWh 3231 kWh 1195 kWh £856 £120 £975 £13,388 13.7 yrs £6,113
5 kW 5533 kWh 4039 kWh 1494 kWh £1,069 £149 £1,219 £15,423 12.7 yrs £8,954
6 kW 6639 kWh 4847 kWh 1793 kWh £1,283 £179 £1,463 £17,457 11.9 yrs £11,795
7 kW 7746 kWh 5654 kWh 2091 kWh £1,497 £209 £1,706 £19,492 11.4 yrs £14,636
8 kW 8852 kWh 6462 kWh 2390 kWh £1,711 £239 £1,950 £21,526 11.0 yrs £17,477

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: £1,237, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 13.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2213 kWh 1660 kWh 553 kWh £440 £55 £495 £11,069 22.4 yrs £-1,172
3 kW 3320 kWh 2490 kWh 830 kWh £659 £83 £742 £13,104 17.7 yrs £1,741
4 kW 4426 kWh 3320 kWh 1107 kWh £879 £111 £990 £15,138 15.3 yrs £4,655
5 kW 5533 kWh 4149 kWh 1383 kWh £1,099 £138 £1,237 £17,173 13.9 yrs £7,569
6 kW 6639 kWh 4979 kWh 1660 kWh £1,319 £166 £1,484 £19,207 12.9 yrs £10,483
7 kW 7746 kWh 5809 kWh 1936 kWh £1,538 £194 £1,732 £21,242 12.3 yrs £13,397
8 kW 8852 kWh 6639 kWh 2213 kWh £1,758 £221 £1,979 £23,276 11.8 yrs £16,310

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: £1,255, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 15.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2213 kWh 1704 kWh 509 kWh £451 £51 £502 £13,519 26.9 yrs £-3,477
3 kW 3320 kWh 2556 kWh 763 kWh £677 £76 £753 £15,554 20.7 yrs £-490
4 kW 4426 kWh 3408 kWh 1018 kWh £902 £102 £1,004 £17,588 17.5 yrs £2,497
5 kW 5533 kWh 4260 kWh 1272 kWh £1,128 £127 £1,255 £19,623 15.6 yrs £5,484
6 kW 6639 kWh 5112 kWh 1527 kWh £1,354 £153 £1,506 £21,657 14.4 yrs £8,470
7 kW 7746 kWh 5964 kWh 1781 kWh £1,579 £178 £1,757 £23,692 13.5 yrs £11,457
8 kW 8852 kWh 6816 kWh 2036 kWh £1,805 £204 £2,009 £25,726 12.8 yrs £14,444

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 SO4

Figures below are tailored to SO4 — click through for full league tables.

Solar Payback Index Rank #69 of 2997
9.6 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£1,055 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #460 of 2997
15.4% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£163 fixed • ~£1,055 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.48p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
44.62p/day
Local Sunshine
1107kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1107 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

No EPC data available for this outcode

Coverage

New Forest (100%)

Areas Covered

Lymington, Milford & Hordle, Fawley, Blackfield, Calshot & Langley, Hythe Central, Hythe South, Totton Central + 8 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 Southern

SO43 (New Forest)
≈5.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,036 kWh/kWp · -6% vs SO4
SO42 (New Forest)
≈6.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,068 kWh/kWp · -4% vs SO4
SO40 (New Forest)
≈7.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,035 kWh/kWp · -7% vs SO4
SO45 (New Forest)
≈7.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,052 kWh/kWp · -5% vs SO4
SO15 (Southampton)
≈8.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,032 kWh/kWp · -7% vs SO4
SO1 (Southampton)
≈9.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,050 kWh/kWp · -5% vs SO4

Similar sunshine across the UK

CT3 (Dover)
~1,106 kWh/kWp · -0% vs SO4
BN43 (Adur)
~1,109 kWh/kWp · +0% vs SO4
TN31 (Rother)
~1,104 kWh/kWp · -0% vs SO4