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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in TR26 (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
12.1 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£844
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£10,929
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 Western, the current unit rate is 26.82p/kWh with a 54.03p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 1009 kWh/kW — 4 below the regional median (1013).

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 1009 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)
1009 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: £844, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 12.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2018 kWh 807 kWh 1211 kWh £217 £121 £338 £4,069 12.1 yrs £2,683
3 kW 3027 kWh 1211 kWh 1816 kWh £325 £182 £506 £6,104 12.1 yrs £4,025
4 kW 4037 kWh 1615 kWh 2422 kWh £433 £242 £675 £8,138 12.1 yrs £5,367
5 kW 5046 kWh 2018 kWh 3027 kWh £541 £303 £844 £10,173 12.1 yrs £6,709
6 kW 6055 kWh 2422 kWh 3633 kWh £650 £363 £1,013 £12,207 12.1 yrs £8,050
7 kW 7064 kWh 2826 kWh 4238 kWh £758 £424 £1,182 £14,242 12.1 yrs £9,392
8 kW 8073 kWh 3229 kWh 4844 kWh £866 £484 £1,350 £16,276 12.1 yrs £10,734

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: £1,014, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 12.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2018 kWh 1211 kWh 807 kWh £325 £81 £406 £6,169 15.2 yrs £1,941
3 kW 3027 kWh 1816 kWh 1211 kWh £487 £121 £608 £8,204 13.5 yrs £3,962
4 kW 4037 kWh 2422 kWh 1615 kWh £650 £161 £811 £10,238 12.6 yrs £5,983
5 kW 5046 kWh 3027 kWh 2018 kWh £812 £202 £1,014 £12,273 12.1 yrs £8,003
6 kW 6055 kWh 3633 kWh 2422 kWh £974 £242 £1,217 £14,307 11.8 yrs £10,024
7 kW 7064 kWh 4238 kWh 2826 kWh £1,137 £283 £1,419 £16,342 11.5 yrs £12,045
8 kW 8073 kWh 4844 kWh 3229 kWh £1,299 £323 £1,622 £18,376 11.3 yrs £14,065

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: £1,099, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 12.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2018 kWh 1413 kWh 605 kWh £379 £61 £439 £7,569 17.2 yrs £1,220
3 kW 3027 kWh 2119 kWh 908 kWh £568 £91 £659 £9,604 14.6 yrs £3,580
4 kW 4037 kWh 2826 kWh 1211 kWh £758 £121 £879 £11,638 13.2 yrs £5,941
5 kW 5046 kWh 3532 kWh 1514 kWh £947 £151 £1,099 £13,673 12.4 yrs £8,301
6 kW 6055 kWh 4238 kWh 1816 kWh £1,137 £182 £1,318 £15,707 11.9 yrs £10,661
7 kW 7064 kWh 4945 kWh 2119 kWh £1,326 £212 £1,538 £17,742 11.5 yrs £13,021
8 kW 8073 kWh 5651 kWh 2422 kWh £1,516 £242 £1,758 £19,776 11.3 yrs £15,381

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: £1,124, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 13.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2018 kWh 1473 kWh 545 kWh £395 £54 £450 £9,319 20.7 yrs £-326
3 kW 3027 kWh 2210 kWh 817 kWh £593 £82 £674 £11,354 16.8 yrs £2,136
4 kW 4037 kWh 2947 kWh 1090 kWh £790 £109 £899 £13,388 14.9 yrs £4,598
5 kW 5046 kWh 3683 kWh 1362 kWh £988 £136 £1,124 £15,423 13.7 yrs £7,060
6 kW 6055 kWh 4420 kWh 1635 kWh £1,185 £163 £1,349 £17,457 12.9 yrs £9,522
7 kW 7064 kWh 5157 kWh 1907 kWh £1,383 £191 £1,574 £19,492 12.4 yrs £11,984
8 kW 8073 kWh 5893 kWh 2180 kWh £1,581 £218 £1,799 £21,526 12.0 yrs £14,446

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: £1,141, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 15.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2018 kWh 1514 kWh 505 kWh £406 £50 £456 £11,069 24.3 yrs £-1,940
3 kW 3027 kWh 2271 kWh 757 kWh £609 £76 £685 £13,104 19.1 yrs £590
4 kW 4037 kWh 3027 kWh 1009 kWh £812 £101 £913 £15,138 16.6 yrs £3,120
5 kW 5046 kWh 3784 kWh 1261 kWh £1,015 £126 £1,141 £17,173 15.0 yrs £5,649
6 kW 6055 kWh 4541 kWh 1514 kWh £1,218 £151 £1,369 £19,207 14.0 yrs £8,179
7 kW 7064 kWh 5298 kWh 1766 kWh £1,421 £177 £1,598 £21,242 13.3 yrs £10,709
8 kW 8073 kWh 6055 kWh 2018 kWh £1,624 £202 £1,826 £23,276 12.7 yrs £13,239

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: £1,158, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 16.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 2018 kWh 1554 kWh 464 kWh £417 £46 £463 £13,519 29.2 yrs £-4,254
3 kW 3027 kWh 2331 kWh 696 kWh £625 £70 £695 £15,554 22.4 yrs £-1,657
4 kW 4037 kWh 3108 kWh 928 kWh £834 £93 £926 £17,588 19.0 yrs £941
5 kW 5046 kWh 3885 kWh 1161 kWh £1,042 £116 £1,158 £19,623 16.9 yrs £3,539
6 kW 6055 kWh 4662 kWh 1393 kWh £1,250 £139 £1,390 £21,657 15.6 yrs £6,137
7 kW 7064 kWh 5439 kWh 1625 kWh £1,459 £162 £1,621 £23,692 14.6 yrs £8,734
8 kW 8073 kWh 6216 kWh 1857 kWh £1,667 £186 £1,853 £25,726 13.9 yrs £11,332

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 TR26

Figures below are tailored to TR26 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1072 of 2182
5.0 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~10 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #588 of 2997
10.5 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£971 /yr • £10,173 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #1469 of 2997
20.3% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£197 fixed • ~£971 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.82p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
54.03p/day
Local Sunshine
1009kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~1009 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: 54% • Flats: 29% • Bungalows: 14% Based on 4,577 properties

Coverage

Cornwall (100%)

Areas Covered

St Ives West & Towednack, St Ives East, Lelant & Carbis Bay, Ludgvan, Madron, Gulval & Heamoor

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 Western

TR27 (Cornwall)
≈5.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,067 kWh/kWp · +6% vs TR26
TR20 (Cornwall)
≈8.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,067 kWh/kWp · +6% vs TR26
TR93 (Cornwall)
≈8.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,066 kWh/kWp · +6% vs TR26
TR17 (Cornwall)
≈8.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,067 kWh/kWp · +6% vs TR26
TR18 (Cornwall)
≈10.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,066 kWh/kWp · +6% vs TR26
TR14 (Cornwall)
≈13.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~1,008 kWh/kWp · -0% vs TR26

Similar sunshine across the UK

CF95 (Cardiff)
~1,009 kWh/kWp · +0% vs TR26
CF10 (Cardiff)
~1,009 kWh/kWp · -0% vs TR26
CF2 (Cardiff)
~1,009 kWh/kWp · +0% vs TR26