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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in TD9 (Scottish Borders)

See if solar pays off for you in Scottish Borders — 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
14.8 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£826
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,451
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 Scotland, the current unit rate is 25.84p/kWh with a 56.55p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 843 kWh/kW — 7 below the regional median (850).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 6.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 843 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.8p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.8p/kWh
Standing charge
56.5p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
843 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: £689, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 14.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1686 kWh 674 kWh 1012 kWh £174 £101 £275 £4,069 14.8 yrs £1,440
3 kW 2529 kWh 1012 kWh 1517 kWh £261 £152 £413 £6,104 14.8 yrs £2,160
4 kW 3372 kWh 1349 kWh 2023 kWh £349 £202 £551 £8,138 14.8 yrs £2,879
5 kW 4215 kWh 1686 kWh 2529 kWh £436 £253 £689 £10,173 14.8 yrs £3,599
6 kW 5058 kWh 2023 kWh 3035 kWh £523 £303 £826 £12,207 14.8 yrs £4,319
7 kW 5901 kWh 2361 kWh 3541 kWh £610 £354 £964 £14,242 14.8 yrs £5,039
8 kW 6744 kWh 2698 kWh 4047 kWh £697 £405 £1,102 £16,276 14.8 yrs £5,759

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: £822, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 14.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1686 kWh 1012 kWh 674 kWh £261 £67 £329 £6,169 18.8 yrs £408
3 kW 2529 kWh 1517 kWh 1012 kWh £392 £101 £493 £8,204 16.6 yrs £1,662
4 kW 3372 kWh 2023 kWh 1349 kWh £523 £135 £658 £10,238 15.6 yrs £2,916
5 kW 4215 kWh 2529 kWh 1686 kWh £654 £169 £822 £12,273 14.9 yrs £4,170
6 kW 5058 kWh 3035 kWh 2023 kWh £784 £202 £987 £14,307 14.5 yrs £5,424
7 kW 5901 kWh 3541 kWh 2361 kWh £915 £236 £1,151 £16,342 14.2 yrs £6,678
8 kW 6744 kWh 4047 kWh 2698 kWh £1,046 £270 £1,315 £18,376 14.0 yrs £7,932

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: £889, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 15.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1686 kWh 1180 kWh 506 kWh £305 £51 £356 £7,569 21.3 yrs £-458
3 kW 2529 kWh 1770 kWh 759 kWh £457 £76 £533 £9,604 18.0 yrs £1,063
4 kW 3372 kWh 2361 kWh 1012 kWh £610 £101 £711 £11,638 16.4 yrs £2,584
5 kW 4215 kWh 2951 kWh 1265 kWh £762 £126 £889 £13,673 15.4 yrs £4,105
6 kW 5058 kWh 3541 kWh 1517 kWh £915 £152 £1,067 £15,707 14.7 yrs £5,627
7 kW 5901 kWh 4131 kWh 1770 kWh £1,067 £177 £1,244 £17,742 14.3 yrs £7,148
8 kW 6744 kWh 4721 kWh 2023 kWh £1,220 £202 £1,422 £19,776 13.9 yrs £8,669

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: £909, Upfront: £15,423, 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 1686 kWh 1231 kWh 455 kWh £318 £46 £364 £9,319 25.6 yrs £-2,048
3 kW 2529 kWh 1846 kWh 683 kWh £477 £68 £545 £11,354 20.8 yrs £-446
4 kW 3372 kWh 2462 kWh 910 kWh £636 £91 £727 £13,388 18.4 yrs £1,155
5 kW 4215 kWh 3077 kWh 1138 kWh £795 £114 £909 £15,423 17.0 yrs £2,756
6 kW 5058 kWh 3693 kWh 1366 kWh £954 £137 £1,091 £17,457 16.0 yrs £4,357
7 kW 5901 kWh 4308 kWh 1593 kWh £1,113 £159 £1,273 £19,492 15.3 yrs £5,959
8 kW 6744 kWh 4923 kWh 1821 kWh £1,272 £182 £1,454 £21,526 14.8 yrs £7,560

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: £922, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 18.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1686 kWh 1265 kWh 422 kWh £327 £42 £369 £11,069 30.0 yrs £-3,691
3 kW 2529 kWh 1897 kWh 632 kWh £490 £63 £553 £13,104 23.7 yrs £-2,036
4 kW 3372 kWh 2529 kWh 843 kWh £654 £84 £738 £15,138 20.5 yrs £-381
5 kW 4215 kWh 3161 kWh 1054 kWh £817 £105 £922 £17,173 18.6 yrs £1,273
6 kW 5058 kWh 3794 kWh 1265 kWh £980 £126 £1,107 £19,207 17.4 yrs £2,928
7 kW 5901 kWh 4426 kWh 1475 kWh £1,144 £148 £1,291 £21,242 16.5 yrs £4,582
8 kW 6744 kWh 5058 kWh 1686 kWh £1,307 £169 £1,476 £23,276 15.8 yrs £6,237

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: £936, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 21.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1686 kWh 1298 kWh 388 kWh £335 £39 £374 £13,519 36.1 yrs £-6,034
3 kW 2529 kWh 1947 kWh 582 kWh £503 £58 £561 £15,554 27.7 yrs £-4,326
4 kW 3372 kWh 2597 kWh 776 kWh £671 £78 £749 £17,588 23.5 yrs £-2,618
5 kW 4215 kWh 3246 kWh 969 kWh £839 £97 £936 £19,623 21.0 yrs £-910
6 kW 5058 kWh 3895 kWh 1163 kWh £1,006 £116 £1,123 £21,657 19.3 yrs £798
7 kW 5901 kWh 4544 kWh 1357 kWh £1,174 £136 £1,310 £23,692 18.1 yrs £2,506
8 kW 6744 kWh 5193 kWh 1551 kWh £1,342 £155 £1,497 £25,726 17.2 yrs £4,214

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 TD9

Figures below are tailored to TD9 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #6 of 2182
8.1 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~17 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #2775 of 2997
12.9 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£946 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1799 of 2997
21.8% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£206 fixed • ~£946 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.84p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
56.55p/day
Local Sunshine
843kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~843 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
6.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 48% • Flats: 8% • Bungalows: 45% Based on 65 properties

Coverage

Scottish Borders (99%)|Cumberland (1%)

Areas Covered

Hawick and Hermitage, Hawick and Denholm, Longtown, Selkirkshire, Jedburgh and District

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 Scotland

TD7 (Scottish Borders)
≈14.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~883 kWh/kWp · +5% vs TD9
TD8 (Scottish Borders)
≈16.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~876 kWh/kWp · +4% vs TD9
TD6 (Scottish Borders)
≈19.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~897 kWh/kWp · +6% vs TD9
TD1 (Scottish Borders)
≈21.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~884 kWh/kWp · +5% vs TD9
TD4 (Scottish Borders)
≈25.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~883 kWh/kWp · +5% vs TD9
EH43 (Scottish Borders)
≈26.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~833 kWh/kWp · -1% vs TD9

Similar sunshine across the UK

BT76 (Mid Ulster)
~843 kWh/kWp · -0% vs TD9
BT92 (Fermanagh and Omagh)
~843 kWh/kWp · -0% vs TD9
LL59 (Isle of Anglesey)
~843 kWh/kWp · +0% vs TD9