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

Solar Panels in TS9 (North Yorkshire)

See if solar pays off for you in North Yorkshire — 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
14.1 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£863
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£9,362
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 6.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 889 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)
889 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: £719, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 14.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1778 kWh 711 kWh 1067 kWh £181 £107 £288 £4,069 14.1 yrs £1,683
3 kW 2667 kWh 1067 kWh 1600 kWh £271 £160 £431 £6,104 14.1 yrs £2,524
4 kW 3557 kWh 1423 kWh 2134 kWh £362 £213 £575 £8,138 14.1 yrs £3,365
5 kW 4446 kWh 1778 kWh 2667 kWh £452 £267 £719 £10,173 14.1 yrs £4,207
6 kW 5335 kWh 2134 kWh 3201 kWh £543 £320 £863 £12,207 14.1 yrs £5,048
7 kW 6224 kWh 2490 kWh 3734 kWh £633 £373 £1,007 £14,242 14.1 yrs £5,889
8 kW 7113 kWh 2845 kWh 4268 kWh £724 £427 £1,150 £16,276 14.1 yrs £6,731

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: £856, Upfront: £12,273, 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 1778 kWh 1067 kWh 711 kWh £271 £71 £342 £6,169 18.0 yrs £680
3 kW 2667 kWh 1600 kWh 1067 kWh £407 £107 £514 £8,204 16.0 yrs £2,070
4 kW 3557 kWh 2134 kWh 1423 kWh £543 £142 £685 £10,238 14.9 yrs £3,460
5 kW 4446 kWh 2667 kWh 1778 kWh £678 £178 £856 £12,273 14.3 yrs £4,851
6 kW 5335 kWh 3201 kWh 2134 kWh £814 £213 £1,027 £14,307 13.9 yrs £6,241
7 kW 6224 kWh 3734 kWh 2490 kWh £950 £249 £1,199 £16,342 13.6 yrs £7,631
8 kW 7113 kWh 4268 kWh 2845 kWh £1,085 £285 £1,370 £18,376 13.4 yrs £9,021

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: £925, Upfront: £13,673, 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 1778 kWh 1245 kWh 533 kWh £317 £53 £370 £7,569 20.5 yrs £-171
3 kW 2667 kWh 1867 kWh 800 kWh £475 £80 £555 £9,604 17.3 yrs £1,493
4 kW 3557 kWh 2490 kWh 1067 kWh £633 £107 £740 £11,638 15.7 yrs £3,158
5 kW 4446 kWh 3112 kWh 1334 kWh £791 £133 £925 £13,673 14.8 yrs £4,822
6 kW 5335 kWh 3734 kWh 1600 kWh £950 £160 £1,110 £15,707 14.2 yrs £6,487
7 kW 6224 kWh 4357 kWh 1867 kWh £1,108 £187 £1,295 £17,742 13.7 yrs £8,151
8 kW 7113 kWh 4979 kWh 2134 kWh £1,266 £213 £1,480 £19,776 13.4 yrs £9,816

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: £945, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 16.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1778 kWh 1298 kWh 480 kWh £330 £48 £378 £9,319 24.6 yrs £-1,756
3 kW 2667 kWh 1947 kWh 720 kWh £495 £72 £567 £11,354 20.0 yrs £-10
4 kW 3557 kWh 2596 kWh 960 kWh £660 £96 £756 £13,388 17.7 yrs £1,737
5 kW 4446 kWh 3245 kWh 1200 kWh £825 £120 £945 £15,423 16.3 yrs £3,484
6 kW 5335 kWh 3894 kWh 1440 kWh £990 £144 £1,134 £17,457 15.4 yrs £5,231
7 kW 6224 kWh 4544 kWh 1680 kWh £1,155 £168 £1,323 £19,492 14.7 yrs £6,978
8 kW 7113 kWh 5193 kWh 1921 kWh £1,320 £192 £1,513 £21,526 14.2 yrs £8,724

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: £959, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1778 kWh 1334 kWh 445 kWh £339 £44 £384 £11,069 28.9 yrs £-3,397
3 kW 2667 kWh 2001 kWh 667 kWh £509 £67 £575 £13,104 22.8 yrs £-1,595
4 kW 3557 kWh 2667 kWh 889 kWh £678 £89 £767 £15,138 19.7 yrs £207
5 kW 4446 kWh 3334 kWh 1111 kWh £848 £111 £959 £17,173 17.9 yrs £2,008
6 kW 5335 kWh 4001 kWh 1334 kWh £1,017 £133 £1,151 £19,207 16.7 yrs £3,810
7 kW 6224 kWh 4668 kWh 1556 kWh £1,187 £156 £1,343 £21,242 15.8 yrs £5,612
8 kW 7113 kWh 5335 kWh 1778 kWh £1,357 £178 £1,534 £23,276 15.2 yrs £7,413

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: £973, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 20.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1778 kWh 1369 kWh 409 kWh £348 £41 £389 £13,519 34.7 yrs £-5,737
3 kW 2667 kWh 2054 kWh 614 kWh £522 £61 £584 £15,554 26.6 yrs £-3,880
4 kW 3557 kWh 2739 kWh 818 kWh £696 £82 £778 £17,588 22.6 yrs £-2,024
5 kW 4446 kWh 3423 kWh 1023 kWh £871 £102 £973 £19,623 20.2 yrs £-167
6 kW 5335 kWh 4108 kWh 1227 kWh £1,045 £123 £1,167 £21,657 18.6 yrs £1,689
7 kW 6224 kWh 4792 kWh 1432 kWh £1,219 £143 £1,362 £23,692 17.4 yrs £3,546
8 kW 7113 kWh 5477 kWh 1636 kWh £1,393 £164 £1,556 £25,726 16.5 yrs £5,402

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
889kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~889 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: 67% • Flats: 9% • Bungalows: 24% Based on 3,580 properties

Coverage

North Yorkshire (94%)|Middlesbrough (5%)|Redcar and Cleveland (2%)

Areas Covered

Stokesley, Great Ayton, Hutton Rudby & Osmotherley, Coulby Newham, Hutton, Helmsley & Sinnington

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.