Solar explained to clever people by people who are not trying to be clever

Solar Panels in TR11 (Cornwall)

See if solar pays off for you in Cornwall — 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
11.9 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£854
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£11,186
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

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 1021 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 26.8p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
26.8p/kWh
Standing charge
54.0p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
1021 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: £854, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 11.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2043 kWh 817 kWh 1226 kWh £219 £123 £342 £4,069 11.9 yrs £2,766
3 kW 3064 kWh 1226 kWh 1839 kWh £329 £184 £513 £6,104 11.9 yrs £4,149
4 kW 4086 kWh 1634 kWh 2452 kWh £438 £245 £683 £8,138 11.9 yrs £5,532
5 kW 5107 kWh 2043 kWh 3064 kWh £548 £306 £854 £10,173 11.9 yrs £6,915
6 kW 6129 kWh 2452 kWh 3677 kWh £657 £368 £1,025 £12,207 11.9 yrs £8,298
7 kW 7150 kWh 2860 kWh 4290 kWh £767 £429 £1,196 £14,242 11.9 yrs £9,680
8 kW 8172 kWh 3269 kWh 4903 kWh £877 £490 £1,367 £16,276 11.9 yrs £11,063

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: £1,026, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 12.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2043 kWh 1226 kWh 817 kWh £329 £82 £410 £6,169 15.0 yrs £2,040
3 kW 3064 kWh 1839 kWh 1226 kWh £493 £123 £616 £8,204 13.3 yrs £4,110
4 kW 4086 kWh 2452 kWh 1634 kWh £657 £163 £821 £10,238 12.5 yrs £6,181
5 kW 5107 kWh 3064 kWh 2043 kWh £822 £204 £1,026 £12,273 12.0 yrs £8,251
6 kW 6129 kWh 3677 kWh 2452 kWh £986 £245 £1,231 £14,307 11.6 yrs £10,321
7 kW 7150 kWh 4290 kWh 2860 kWh £1,151 £286 £1,437 £16,342 11.4 yrs £12,391
8 kW 8172 kWh 4903 kWh 3269 kWh £1,315 £327 £1,642 £18,376 11.2 yrs £14,461

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: £1,112, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 12.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2043 kWh 1430 kWh 613 kWh £384 £61 £445 £7,569 17.0 yrs £1,328
3 kW 3064 kWh 2145 kWh 919 kWh £575 £92 £667 £9,604 14.4 yrs £3,741
4 kW 4086 kWh 2860 kWh 1226 kWh £767 £123 £890 £11,638 13.1 yrs £6,155
5 kW 5107 kWh 3575 kWh 1532 kWh £959 £153 £1,112 £13,673 12.3 yrs £8,569
6 kW 6129 kWh 4290 kWh 1839 kWh £1,151 £184 £1,334 £15,707 11.8 yrs £10,983
7 kW 7150 kWh 5005 kWh 2145 kWh £1,342 £215 £1,557 £17,742 11.4 yrs £13,397
8 kW 8172 kWh 5720 kWh 2452 kWh £1,534 £245 £1,779 £19,776 11.1 yrs £15,810

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: £1,138, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 13.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2043 kWh 1491 kWh 552 kWh £400 £55 £455 £9,319 20.5 yrs £-216
3 kW 3064 kWh 2237 kWh 827 kWh £600 £83 £683 £11,354 16.6 yrs £2,301
4 kW 4086 kWh 2983 kWh 1103 kWh £800 £110 £910 £13,388 14.7 yrs £4,817
5 kW 5107 kWh 3728 kWh 1379 kWh £1,000 £138 £1,138 £15,423 13.6 yrs £7,334
6 kW 6129 kWh 4474 kWh 1655 kWh £1,200 £165 £1,365 £17,457 12.8 yrs £9,851
7 kW 7150 kWh 5220 kWh 1931 kWh £1,400 £193 £1,593 £19,492 12.2 yrs £12,368
8 kW 8172 kWh 5965 kWh 2206 kWh £1,600 £221 £1,821 £21,526 11.8 yrs £14,885

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: £1,155, Upfront: £17,173, 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 2043 kWh 1532 kWh 511 kWh £411 £51 £462 £11,069 24.0 yrs £-1,829
3 kW 3064 kWh 2298 kWh 766 kWh £616 £77 £693 £13,104 18.9 yrs £757
4 kW 4086 kWh 3064 kWh 1021 kWh £822 £102 £924 £15,138 16.4 yrs £3,342
5 kW 5107 kWh 3831 kWh 1277 kWh £1,027 £128 £1,155 £17,173 14.9 yrs £5,928
6 kW 6129 kWh 4597 kWh 1532 kWh £1,233 £153 £1,386 £19,207 13.9 yrs £8,514
7 kW 7150 kWh 5363 kWh 1788 kWh £1,438 £179 £1,617 £21,242 13.1 yrs £11,099
8 kW 8172 kWh 6129 kWh 2043 kWh £1,644 £204 £1,848 £23,276 12.6 yrs £13,685

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: £1,172, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 16.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2043 kWh 1573 kWh 470 kWh £422 £47 £469 £13,519 28.8 yrs £-4,141
3 kW 3064 kWh 2360 kWh 705 kWh £633 £70 £703 £15,554 22.1 yrs £-1,487
4 kW 4086 kWh 3146 kWh 940 kWh £844 £94 £938 £17,588 18.8 yrs £1,167
5 kW 5107 kWh 3933 kWh 1175 kWh £1,055 £117 £1,172 £19,623 16.7 yrs £3,822
6 kW 6129 kWh 4719 kWh 1410 kWh £1,266 £141 £1,407 £21,657 15.4 yrs £6,476
7 kW 7150 kWh 5506 kWh 1645 kWh £1,477 £164 £1,641 £23,692 14.4 yrs £9,130
8 kW 8172 kWh 6292 kWh 1880 kWh £1,688 £188 £1,876 £25,726 13.7 yrs £11,785

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.

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.82p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
54.03p/day
Local Sunshine
1021kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1021 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

Houses: 60% • Flats: 23% • Bungalows: 15% Based on 9,822 properties

Coverage

Cornwall (100%)

Areas Covered

Falmouth Trescobeas & Budock, Falmouth Arwenack, Falmouth Penwerris, Falmouth Boslowick, Constantine, Mabe & Mawnan, Mylor, Perranarworthal & Ponsanooth + 7 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.