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Solar panel cost in Tonbridge and Malling (TN11)

See realistic solar installation costs, savings and payback for TN11 (Tonbridge and Malling) in under a minute using official UK data. Start with the calculator, then get a no-obligation quote from an MCS-certified installer. You can also ask the SolarByPostcode assistant to sanity-check your roof, bills and plans.

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
9.4 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£9,767
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£1,042
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£16,275
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: The official cost per kW is lower above 4 kW, so a 5–6 kW system can pay back a little faster than a 3–4 kW system on otherwise identical assumptions.
  • 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

Panel costs: Uses March 2026 TIC mean installation costs: £1,827/kW up to 4 kW and £1,628/kW above 4 kW.

Other costs: Battery prices are modelled at £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 South East, the current unit rate is 26.67p/kWh with a 54.45p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 1042 kWh/kW — 13 above the regional median (1029).

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 1042 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.7p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.7p/kWh
Standing charge
54.5p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1042 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: £868, Upfront: £8,139, Break-even: 9.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2083 kWh 833 kWh 1250 kWh £222 £125 £347 £3,256 9.4 yrs £3,689
3 kW 3125 kWh 1250 kWh 1875 kWh £333 £187 £521 £4,883 9.4 yrs £5,533
4 kW 4166 kWh 1667 kWh 2500 kWh £444 £250 £694 £6,511 9.4 yrs £7,378
5 kW 5208 kWh 2083 kWh 3125 kWh £556 £312 £868 £8,139 9.4 yrs £9,222
6 kW 6250 kWh 2500 kWh 3750 kWh £667 £375 £1,042 £9,767 9.4 yrs £11,067
7 kW 7291 kWh 2916 kWh 4375 kWh £778 £437 £1,215 £11,394 9.4 yrs £12,911
8 kW 8333 kWh 3333 kWh 5000 kWh £889 £500 £1,389 £13,022 9.4 yrs £14,756

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

3 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,042, Upfront: £10,239, Break-even: 9.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2083 kWh 1250 kWh 833 kWh £333 £83 £417 £5,356 12.9 yrs £2,978
3 kW 3125 kWh 1875 kWh 1250 kWh £500 £125 £625 £6,983 11.2 yrs £5,517
4 kW 4166 kWh 2500 kWh 1667 kWh £667 £167 £833 £8,611 10.3 yrs £8,056
5 kW 5208 kWh 3125 kWh 2083 kWh £833 £208 £1,042 £10,239 9.8 yrs £10,595
6 kW 6250 kWh 3750 kWh 2500 kWh £1,000 £250 £1,250 £11,867 9.5 yrs £13,134
7 kW 7291 kWh 4375 kWh 2916 kWh £1,167 £292 £1,458 £13,494 9.3 yrs £15,673
8 kW 8333 kWh 5000 kWh 3333 kWh £1,333 £333 £1,667 £15,122 9.1 yrs £18,212

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,129, Upfront: £11,639, Break-even: 10.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2083 kWh 1458 kWh 625 kWh £389 £62 £451 £6,756 15.0 yrs £2,273
3 kW 3125 kWh 2187 kWh 937 kWh £583 £94 £677 £8,383 12.4 yrs £5,159
4 kW 4166 kWh 2916 kWh 1250 kWh £778 £125 £903 £10,011 11.1 yrs £8,045
5 kW 5208 kWh 3646 kWh 1562 kWh £972 £156 £1,129 £11,639 10.3 yrs £10,931
6 kW 6250 kWh 4375 kWh 1875 kWh £1,167 £187 £1,354 £13,267 9.8 yrs £13,818
7 kW 7291 kWh 5104 kWh 2187 kWh £1,361 £219 £1,580 £14,894 9.4 yrs £16,704
8 kW 8333 kWh 5833 kWh 2500 kWh £1,556 £250 £1,806 £16,522 9.2 yrs £19,590

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

7.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,155, Upfront: £13,389, Break-even: 11.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2083 kWh 1521 kWh 562 kWh £406 £56 £462 £8,506 18.4 yrs £731
3 kW 3125 kWh 2281 kWh 844 kWh £608 £84 £693 £10,133 14.6 yrs £3,721
4 kW 4166 kWh 3041 kWh 1125 kWh £811 £112 £924 £11,761 12.7 yrs £6,712
5 kW 5208 kWh 3802 kWh 1406 kWh £1,014 £141 £1,155 £13,389 11.6 yrs £9,702
6 kW 6250 kWh 4562 kWh 1687 kWh £1,217 £169 £1,385 £15,017 10.8 yrs £12,693
7 kW 7291 kWh 5323 kWh 1969 kWh £1,420 £197 £1,616 £16,644 10.3 yrs £15,683
8 kW 8333 kWh 6083 kWh 2250 kWh £1,622 £225 £1,847 £18,272 9.9 yrs £18,674

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

10 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,172, Upfront: £15,139, Break-even: 12.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2083 kWh 1562 kWh 521 kWh £417 £52 £469 £10,256 21.9 yrs £-880
3 kW 3125 kWh 2344 kWh 781 kWh £625 £78 £703 £11,883 16.9 yrs £2,180
4 kW 4166 kWh 3125 kWh 1042 kWh £833 £104 £938 £13,511 14.4 yrs £5,240
5 kW 5208 kWh 3906 kWh 1302 kWh £1,042 £130 £1,172 £15,139 12.9 yrs £8,300
6 kW 6250 kWh 4687 kWh 1562 kWh £1,250 £156 £1,406 £16,767 11.9 yrs £11,359
7 kW 7291 kWh 5468 kWh 1823 kWh £1,458 £182 £1,641 £18,394 11.2 yrs £14,419
8 kW 8333 kWh 6250 kWh 2083 kWh £1,667 £208 £1,875 £20,022 10.7 yrs £17,479

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, battery £/kWh = 700.

13.5 kWh battery 5 kW example → Annual benefit: £1,189, Upfront: £17,589, 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 2083 kWh 1604 kWh 479 kWh £428 £48 £476 £12,706 26.7 yrs £-3,191
3 kW 3125 kWh 2406 kWh 719 kWh £642 £72 £714 £14,333 20.1 yrs £-62
4 kW 4166 kWh 3208 kWh 958 kWh £856 £96 £951 £15,961 16.8 yrs £3,067
5 kW 5208 kWh 4010 kWh 1198 kWh £1,069 £120 £1,189 £17,589 14.8 yrs £6,197
6 kW 6250 kWh 4812 kWh 1437 kWh £1,283 £144 £1,427 £19,217 13.5 yrs £9,326
7 kW 7291 kWh 5614 kWh 1677 kWh £1,497 £168 £1,665 £20,844 12.5 yrs £12,456
8 kW 8333 kWh 6416 kWh 1917 kWh £1,711 £192 £1,903 £22,472 11.8 yrs £15,585

Assumptions: south-facing, sensible tilt; self-use shares from site rules; export at 10p baseline. Costs: panels £/kW = 1,628, 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.

Before you request quotes in Tonbridge and Malling

Use the numbers above to sanity-check installer quotes. The main things to compare are system size, battery assumptions, payback claims, MCS certification, DNO paperwork and export assumptions.

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Understand DNO, G98 and G99 export limits

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Insights for TN11

Figures below are tailored to TN11 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #281 of 2182
5.9 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~12 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #255 of 2996
9.4 years (UK avg 10.8 years)
~£1,042 /yr • £9,767 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #344 of 2996
19.1% (UK avg 26.6%) drag on savings
£199 fixed • ~£1,042 /yr value
Aspect Penalty View ranking →
East −20.5% West −20.8%
Typical output loss versus a south-facing roof (lower is better)

Seasonal solar output in TN11

Monthly generation per kilowatt of solar panels

kWh 39 Jan 53 Feb 88 Mar 117 Apr 124 May 126 Jun 128 Jul 115 Aug 98 Sep 70 Oct 49 Nov 36 Dec
Best month Worst month Winter (Dec–Feb) Other months

Winter output: 49.3% of an average month (Dec–Feb)

Best / worst month: Jul / Dec

These figures show output per kilowatt (kW) of panels installed. In winter, a 1 kW system here produces about 43 kWh per month; the average month produces around 87 kWh. So a typical 4 kW home system would generate roughly 171 kWh in winter, or 347 kWh in an average month.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.67p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
54.45p/day
Local Sunshine
1042kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1042 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: 75% • Flats: 12% • Bungalows: 12% Based on 3,507 properties

Coverage

Tonbridge and Malling (68%)|Sevenoaks (24%)|Tunbridge Wells (8%)

Areas Covered

Bourne, Hildenborough, Leigh and Chiddingstone Causeway, Cage Green & Angel, Penshurst, Fordcombe and Chiddingstone, Pembury & Capel, Vauxhall + 6 more

Data Sources & Assumptions

Solar yield: PVGIS (EU Joint Research Centre), January 2025 data

Electricity rates: Ofgem price cap, Q3 2026

Installation costs: DESNZ/MCS data, March 2026 (TIC)

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 South East

TN10 (Tonbridge and Malling)
≈0.7 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,034 kWh/kWp · -1% vs TN11
TN9 (Tonbridge and Malling)
≈2.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,028 kWh/kWp · -1% vs TN11
TN4 (Tunbridge Wells)
≈7.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,028 kWh/kWp · -1% vs TN11
TN2 (Tunbridge Wells)
≈7.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,029 kWh/kWp · -1% vs TN11
TN1 (Tunbridge Wells)
≈8.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,029 kWh/kWp · -1% vs TN11
TN13 (Sevenoaks)
≈8.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,015 kWh/kWp · -3% vs TN11

Similar sunshine across the UK

SS7 (Castle Point)
~1,042 kWh/kWp · -0% vs TN11
IP1 (Ipswich)
~1,042 kWh/kWp · +0% vs TN11
PL23 (Cornwall)
~1,041 kWh/kWp · -0% vs TN11