Solar explained to clever people by people who are not trying to be clever
Home Regions
Insights
Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in ST4 (Stoke-on-Trent)

See if solar pays off for you in Stoke-on-Trent — 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
13.9 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,138
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£585
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£6,480
After paying itself off, you're this much ahead

Ready to Get Started?

Get your free quote from Blue Ape Renewables. They'll connect you with MCS-certified installers in your area and handle all the paperwork.

Get Solar Quote →
4.8★ Trustpilot • Octopus Energy trusted partner • MCS certified • No obligation
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 Midlands, the current unit rate is 25.64p/kWh with a 53.00p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 899 kWh/kW — 43 below the regional median (942).

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 899 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
53.0p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
899 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: £731, Upfront: £10,173, 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 1798 kWh 719 kWh 1079 kWh £184 £108 £292 £4,069 13.9 yrs £1,778
3 kW 2698 kWh 1079 kWh 1619 kWh £277 £162 £439 £6,104 13.9 yrs £2,667
4 kW 3597 kWh 1439 kWh 2158 kWh £369 £216 £585 £8,138 13.9 yrs £3,556
5 kW 4496 kWh 1798 kWh 2698 kWh £461 £270 £731 £10,173 13.9 yrs £4,445
6 kW 5395 kWh 2158 kWh 3237 kWh £553 £324 £877 £12,207 13.9 yrs £5,334
7 kW 6295 kWh 2518 kWh 3777 kWh £646 £378 £1,023 £14,242 13.9 yrs £6,223
8 kW 7194 kWh 2878 kWh 4316 kWh £738 £432 £1,169 £16,276 13.9 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.

3 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £872, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 14.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1798 kWh 1079 kWh 719 kWh £277 £72 £349 £6,169 17.7 yrs £803
3 kW 2698 kWh 1619 kWh 1079 kWh £415 £108 £523 £8,204 15.7 yrs £2,255
4 kW 3597 kWh 2158 kWh 1439 kWh £553 £144 £697 £10,238 14.7 yrs £3,706
5 kW 4496 kWh 2698 kWh 1798 kWh £692 £180 £872 £12,273 14.1 yrs £5,158
6 kW 5395 kWh 3237 kWh 2158 kWh £830 £216 £1,046 £14,307 13.7 yrs £6,610
7 kW 6295 kWh 3777 kWh 2518 kWh £968 £252 £1,220 £16,342 13.4 yrs £8,061
8 kW 7194 kWh 4316 kWh 2878 kWh £1,107 £288 £1,394 £18,376 13.2 yrs £9,513

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: £942, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 14.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1798 kWh 1259 kWh 540 kWh £323 £54 £377 £7,569 20.1 yrs £-34
3 kW 2698 kWh 1888 kWh 809 kWh £484 £81 £565 £9,604 17.0 yrs £1,699
4 kW 3597 kWh 2518 kWh 1079 kWh £646 £108 £753 £11,638 15.4 yrs £3,431
5 kW 4496 kWh 3147 kWh 1349 kWh £807 £135 £942 £13,673 14.5 yrs £5,164
6 kW 5395 kWh 3777 kWh 1619 kWh £968 £162 £1,130 £15,707 13.9 yrs £6,897
7 kW 6295 kWh 4406 kWh 1888 kWh £1,130 £189 £1,319 £17,742 13.5 yrs £8,630
8 kW 7194 kWh 5036 kWh 2158 kWh £1,291 £216 £1,507 £19,776 13.1 yrs £10,363

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: £963, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 16.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1798 kWh 1313 kWh 486 kWh £337 £49 £385 £9,319 24.2 yrs £-1,616
3 kW 2698 kWh 1969 kWh 728 kWh £505 £73 £578 £11,354 19.7 yrs £202
4 kW 3597 kWh 2626 kWh 971 kWh £673 £97 £770 £13,388 17.4 yrs £2,019
5 kW 4496 kWh 3282 kWh 1214 kWh £842 £121 £963 £15,423 16.0 yrs £3,836
6 kW 5395 kWh 3939 kWh 1457 kWh £1,010 £146 £1,156 £17,457 15.1 yrs £5,653
7 kW 6295 kWh 4595 kWh 1700 kWh £1,178 £170 £1,348 £19,492 14.5 yrs £7,471
8 kW 7194 kWh 5251 kWh 1942 kWh £1,346 £194 £1,541 £21,526 14.0 yrs £9,288

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: £977, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1798 kWh 1349 kWh 450 kWh £346 £45 £391 £11,069 28.3 yrs £-3,253
3 kW 2698 kWh 2023 kWh 674 kWh £519 £67 £586 £13,104 22.4 yrs £-1,379
4 kW 3597 kWh 2698 kWh 899 kWh £692 £90 £782 £15,138 19.4 yrs £494
5 kW 4496 kWh 3372 kWh 1124 kWh £865 £112 £977 £17,173 17.6 yrs £2,368
6 kW 5395 kWh 4046 kWh 1349 kWh £1,038 £135 £1,172 £19,207 16.4 yrs £4,241
7 kW 6295 kWh 4721 kWh 1574 kWh £1,210 £157 £1,368 £21,242 15.5 yrs £6,115
8 kW 7194 kWh 5395 kWh 1798 kWh £1,383 £180 £1,563 £23,276 14.9 yrs £7,988

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: £991, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1798 kWh 1385 kWh 414 kWh £355 £41 £396 £13,519 34.1 yrs £-5,590
3 kW 2698 kWh 2077 kWh 620 kWh £533 £62 £595 £15,554 26.2 yrs £-3,661
4 kW 3597 kWh 2770 kWh 827 kWh £710 £83 £793 £17,588 22.2 yrs £-1,731
5 kW 4496 kWh 3462 kWh 1034 kWh £888 £103 £991 £19,623 19.8 yrs £199
6 kW 5395 kWh 4154 kWh 1241 kWh £1,065 £124 £1,189 £21,657 18.2 yrs £2,129
7 kW 6295 kWh 4847 kWh 1448 kWh £1,243 £145 £1,387 £23,692 17.1 yrs £4,058
8 kW 7194 kWh 5539 kWh 1655 kWh £1,420 £165 £1,586 £25,726 16.2 yrs £5,988

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 ST4

Figures below are tailored to ST4 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1881 of 2182
4.3 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~9 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #2532 of 2997
12.2 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£669 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2617 of 2997
28.9% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£193 fixed • ~£669 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.64p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
53.00p/day
Local Sunshine
899kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~899 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: 76% • Flats: 18% • Bungalows: 5% Based on 16,667 properties

Coverage

Stoke-on-Trent (98%)|Stafford (1%)|Newcastle-under-Lyme (1%)

Areas Covered

Hanley Park, Joiner's Square & Shelton, Hartshill Park & Stoke, Hanford, Newstead & Trentham, Fenton West & Mount Pleasant, Basford & Hartshill, Trent Vale & Oak Hill + 6 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 Midlands

ST1 (Stoke-on-Trent)
≈2.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~900 kWh/kWp · +0% vs ST4
ST5 (Newcastle-under-Lyme)
≈3.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~898 kWh/kWp · -0% vs ST4
ST2 (Stoke-on-Trent)
≈3.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~911 kWh/kWp · +1% vs ST4
ST3 (Stoke-on-Trent)
≈4.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~910 kWh/kWp · +1% vs ST4
ST55 (Newcastle-under-Lyme)
≈5.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~910 kWh/kWp · +1% vs ST4
ST6 (Stoke-on-Trent)
≈5.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~900 kWh/kWp · +0% vs ST4

Similar sunshine across the UK

CF48 (Merthyr Tydfil)
~899 kWh/kWp · -0% vs ST4
PA77 (Argyll and Bute)
~899 kWh/kWp · -0% vs ST4
PH14 (Perth and Kinross)
~900 kWh/kWp · +0% vs ST4