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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in TN25 (Ashford)

See if solar pays off for you in Ashford — 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
11.5 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£1,066
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£14,435
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 South East, the current unit rate is 26.92p/kWh with a 47.60p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 1059 kWh/kW — 30 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 1059 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.9p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.9p/kWh
Standing charge
47.6p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1059 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: £888, Upfront: £10,173, 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 2118 kWh 847 kWh 1271 kWh £228 £127 £355 £4,069 11.5 yrs £3,035
3 kW 3178 kWh 1271 kWh 1907 kWh £342 £191 £533 £6,104 11.5 yrs £4,553
4 kW 4237 kWh 1695 kWh 2542 kWh £456 £254 £710 £8,138 11.5 yrs £6,071
5 kW 5296 kWh 2118 kWh 3178 kWh £570 £318 £888 £10,173 11.5 yrs £7,589
6 kW 6355 kWh 2542 kWh 3813 kWh £684 £381 £1,066 £12,207 11.5 yrs £9,106
7 kW 7415 kWh 2966 kWh 4449 kWh £798 £445 £1,243 £14,242 11.5 yrs £10,624
8 kW 8474 kWh 3390 kWh 5084 kWh £912 £508 £1,421 £16,276 11.5 yrs £12,142

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: £1,067, Upfront: £12,273, 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 2118 kWh 1271 kWh 847 kWh £342 £85 £427 £6,169 14.5 yrs £2,369
3 kW 3178 kWh 1907 kWh 1271 kWh £513 £127 £640 £8,204 12.8 yrs £4,604
4 kW 4237 kWh 2542 kWh 1695 kWh £684 £169 £854 £10,238 12.0 yrs £6,838
5 kW 5296 kWh 3178 kWh 2118 kWh £855 £212 £1,067 £12,273 11.5 yrs £9,073
6 kW 6355 kWh 3813 kWh 2542 kWh £1,027 £254 £1,281 £14,307 11.2 yrs £11,308
7 kW 7415 kWh 4449 kWh 2966 kWh £1,198 £297 £1,494 £16,342 10.9 yrs £13,542
8 kW 8474 kWh 5084 kWh 3390 kWh £1,369 £339 £1,708 £18,376 10.8 yrs £15,777

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: £1,157, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 11.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2118 kWh 1483 kWh 636 kWh £399 £64 £463 £7,569 16.4 yrs £1,686
3 kW 3178 kWh 2224 kWh 953 kWh £599 £95 £694 £9,604 13.8 yrs £4,279
4 kW 4237 kWh 2966 kWh 1271 kWh £798 £127 £926 £11,638 12.6 yrs £6,872
5 kW 5296 kWh 3707 kWh 1589 kWh £998 £159 £1,157 £13,673 11.8 yrs £9,465
6 kW 6355 kWh 4449 kWh 1907 kWh £1,198 £191 £1,388 £15,707 11.3 yrs £12,058
7 kW 7415 kWh 5190 kWh 2224 kWh £1,397 £222 £1,620 £17,742 11.0 yrs £14,651
8 kW 8474 kWh 5932 kWh 2542 kWh £1,597 £254 £1,851 £19,776 10.7 yrs £17,244

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: £1,184, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 13.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2118 kWh 1546 kWh 572 kWh £416 £57 £474 £9,319 19.7 yrs £151
3 kW 3178 kWh 2320 kWh 858 kWh £624 £86 £710 £11,354 16.0 yrs £2,852
4 kW 4237 kWh 3093 kWh 1144 kWh £833 £114 £947 £13,388 14.1 yrs £5,552
5 kW 5296 kWh 3866 kWh 1430 kWh £1,041 £143 £1,184 £15,423 13.0 yrs £8,253
6 kW 6355 kWh 4639 kWh 1716 kWh £1,249 £172 £1,421 £17,457 12.3 yrs £10,954
7 kW 7415 kWh 5413 kWh 2002 kWh £1,457 £200 £1,657 £19,492 11.8 yrs £13,654
8 kW 8474 kWh 6186 kWh 2288 kWh £1,665 £229 £1,894 £21,526 11.4 yrs £16,355

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: £1,202, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 14.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2118 kWh 1589 kWh 530 kWh £428 £53 £481 £11,069 23.0 yrs £-1,455
3 kW 3178 kWh 2383 kWh 794 kWh £642 £79 £721 £13,104 18.2 yrs £1,317
4 kW 4237 kWh 3178 kWh 1059 kWh £855 £106 £961 £15,138 15.7 yrs £4,089
5 kW 5296 kWh 3972 kWh 1324 kWh £1,069 £132 £1,202 £17,173 14.3 yrs £6,861
6 kW 6355 kWh 4767 kWh 1589 kWh £1,283 £159 £1,442 £19,207 13.3 yrs £9,634
7 kW 7415 kWh 5561 kWh 1854 kWh £1,497 £185 £1,682 £21,242 12.6 yrs £12,406
8 kW 8474 kWh 6355 kWh 2118 kWh £1,711 £212 £1,923 £23,276 12.1 yrs £15,178

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: £1,220, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 16.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2118 kWh 1631 kWh 487 kWh £439 £49 £488 £13,519 27.7 yrs £-3,762
3 kW 3178 kWh 2447 kWh 731 kWh £659 £73 £732 £15,554 21.3 yrs £-918
4 kW 4237 kWh 3262 kWh 974 kWh £878 £97 £976 £17,588 18.0 yrs £1,926
5 kW 5296 kWh 4078 kWh 1218 kWh £1,098 £122 £1,220 £19,623 16.1 yrs £4,770
6 kW 6355 kWh 4894 kWh 1462 kWh £1,317 £146 £1,464 £21,657 14.8 yrs £7,614
7 kW 7415 kWh 5709 kWh 1705 kWh £1,537 £171 £1,707 £23,692 13.9 yrs £10,458
8 kW 8474 kWh 6525 kWh 1949 kWh £1,756 £195 £1,951 £25,726 13.2 yrs £13,302

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 TN25

Figures below are tailored to TN25 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #328 of 2182
5.9 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~12 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #168 of 2997
9.9 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£1,227 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #117 of 2997
14.2% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£174 fixed • ~£1,227 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.92p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
47.60p/day
Local Sunshine
1059kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1059 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: 9% • Bungalows: 16% Based on 5,812 properties

Coverage

Ashford (82%)|Folkestone and Hythe (18%)

Areas Covered

North Downs West, Bircholt, Downs West, Wye with Hinxhill, Mersham, Sevington South with Finberry, Saxon Shore, Victoria + 5 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 South East

TN24 (Ashford)
≈3.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,093 kWh/kWp · +3% vs TN25
TN23 (Ashford)
≈5.1 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,088 kWh/kWp · +3% vs TN25
TN26 (Ashford)
≈9.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,088 kWh/kWp · +3% vs TN25
CT21 (Folkestone and Hythe)
≈12.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,090 kWh/kWp · +3% vs TN25
TN29 (Folkestone and Hythe)
≈14.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,123 kWh/kWp · +6% vs TN25
CT4 (Canterbury)
≈15.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,087 kWh/kWp · +3% vs TN25

Similar sunshine across the UK

IP3 (Ipswich)
~1,059 kWh/kWp · -0% vs TN25
IP15 (East Suffolk)
~1,059 kWh/kWp · -0% vs TN25
NR29 (Great Yarmouth)
~1,059 kWh/kWp · -0% vs TN25