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

Solar Panels in TS20 (Stockton-on-Tees)

See if solar pays off for you in Stockton-on-Tees — 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
13.6 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£10,173
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£748
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£8,519
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 925 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.4p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.4p/kWh
Standing charge
59.9p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
925 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: £748, Upfront: £10,173, 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 1849 kWh 740 kWh 1110 kWh £188 £111 £299 £4,069 13.6 yrs £1,912
3 kW 2774 kWh 1110 kWh 1664 kWh £282 £166 £449 £6,104 13.6 yrs £2,868
4 kW 3698 kWh 1479 kWh 2219 kWh £376 £222 £598 £8,138 13.6 yrs £3,824
5 kW 4623 kWh 1849 kWh 2774 kWh £470 £277 £748 £10,173 13.6 yrs £4,780
6 kW 5548 kWh 2219 kWh 3329 kWh £564 £333 £897 £12,207 13.6 yrs £5,736
7 kW 6472 kWh 2589 kWh 3883 kWh £658 £388 £1,047 £14,242 13.6 yrs £6,693
8 kW 7397 kWh 2959 kWh 4438 kWh £752 £444 £1,196 £16,276 13.6 yrs £7,649

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: £890, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 13.8 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1849 kWh 1110 kWh 740 kWh £282 £74 £356 £6,169 17.3 yrs £954
3 kW 2774 kWh 1664 kWh 1110 kWh £423 £111 £534 £8,204 15.4 yrs £2,480
4 kW 3698 kWh 2219 kWh 1479 kWh £564 £148 £712 £10,238 14.4 yrs £4,007
5 kW 4623 kWh 2774 kWh 1849 kWh £705 £185 £890 £12,273 13.8 yrs £5,534
6 kW 5548 kWh 3329 kWh 2219 kWh £846 £222 £1,068 £14,307 13.4 yrs £7,061
7 kW 6472 kWh 3883 kWh 2589 kWh £988 £259 £1,246 £16,342 13.1 yrs £8,587
8 kW 7397 kWh 4438 kWh 2959 kWh £1,129 £296 £1,425 £18,376 12.9 yrs £10,114

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: £962, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 14.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1849 kWh 1294 kWh 555 kWh £329 £55 £385 £7,569 19.7 yrs £124
3 kW 2774 kWh 1942 kWh 832 kWh £494 £83 £577 £9,604 16.6 yrs £1,936
4 kW 3698 kWh 2589 kWh 1110 kWh £658 £111 £769 £11,638 15.1 yrs £3,748
5 kW 4623 kWh 3236 kWh 1387 kWh £823 £139 £962 £13,673 14.2 yrs £5,560
6 kW 5548 kWh 3883 kWh 1664 kWh £988 £166 £1,154 £15,707 13.6 yrs £7,373
7 kW 6472 kWh 4531 kWh 1942 kWh £1,152 £194 £1,346 £17,742 13.2 yrs £9,185
8 kW 7397 kWh 5178 kWh 2219 kWh £1,317 £222 £1,539 £19,776 12.9 yrs £10,997

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: £983, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1849 kWh 1350 kWh 499 kWh £343 £50 £393 £9,319 23.7 yrs £-1,455
3 kW 2774 kWh 2025 kWh 749 kWh £515 £75 £590 £11,354 19.2 yrs £443
4 kW 3698 kWh 2700 kWh 999 kWh £687 £100 £786 £13,388 17.0 yrs £2,341
5 kW 4623 kWh 3375 kWh 1248 kWh £858 £125 £983 £15,423 15.7 yrs £4,238
6 kW 5548 kWh 4050 kWh 1498 kWh £1,030 £150 £1,180 £17,457 14.8 yrs £6,136
7 kW 6472 kWh 4725 kWh 1748 kWh £1,202 £175 £1,376 £19,492 14.2 yrs £8,034
8 kW 7397 kWh 5400 kWh 1997 kWh £1,373 £200 £1,573 £21,526 13.7 yrs £9,932

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: £997, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1849 kWh 1387 kWh 462 kWh £353 £46 £399 £11,069 27.7 yrs £-3,090
3 kW 2774 kWh 2080 kWh 693 kWh £529 £69 £598 £13,104 21.9 yrs £-1,136
4 kW 3698 kWh 2774 kWh 925 kWh £705 £92 £798 £15,138 19.0 yrs £819
5 kW 4623 kWh 3467 kWh 1156 kWh £882 £116 £997 £17,173 17.2 yrs £2,774
6 kW 5548 kWh 4161 kWh 1387 kWh £1,058 £139 £1,197 £19,207 16.0 yrs £4,729
7 kW 6472 kWh 4854 kWh 1618 kWh £1,234 £162 £1,396 £21,242 15.2 yrs £6,683
8 kW 7397 kWh 5548 kWh 1849 kWh £1,411 £185 £1,596 £23,276 14.6 yrs £8,638

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: £1,012, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1849 kWh 1424 kWh 425 kWh £362 £43 £405 £13,519 33.4 yrs £-5,426
3 kW 2774 kWh 2136 kWh 638 kWh £543 £64 £607 £15,554 25.6 yrs £-3,415
4 kW 3698 kWh 2848 kWh 851 kWh £724 £85 £809 £17,588 21.7 yrs £-1,403
5 kW 4623 kWh 3560 kWh 1063 kWh £905 £106 £1,012 £19,623 19.4 yrs £609
6 kW 5548 kWh 4272 kWh 1276 kWh £1,086 £128 £1,214 £21,657 17.8 yrs £2,621
7 kW 6472 kWh 4984 kWh 1489 kWh £1,267 £149 £1,416 £23,692 16.7 yrs £4,633
8 kW 7397 kWh 5696 kWh 1701 kWh £1,448 £170 £1,619 £25,726 15.9 yrs £6,645

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
25.43p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
59.86p/day
Local Sunshine
925kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~925 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: 68% • Flats: 20% • Bungalows: 10% Based on 5,757 properties

Coverage

Stockton-on-Tees (100%)

Areas Covered

Norton Central, Norton South, Norton North, Stockton Town Centre, Newtown, Roseworth, Northern Parishes

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.