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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in TW9 (Richmond upon Thames)

See if solar pays off for you in Richmond upon Thames — 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
12.2 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£6,104
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£499
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£6,361
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 991 kWh/kW — 38 below the regional median (1029).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 3.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 991 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)
991 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: £831, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 12.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1982 kWh 793 kWh 1189 kWh £213 £119 £332 £4,069 12.2 yrs £2,579
3 kW 2973 kWh 1189 kWh 1784 kWh £320 £178 £499 £6,104 12.2 yrs £3,868
4 kW 3965 kWh 1586 kWh 2379 kWh £427 £238 £665 £8,138 12.2 yrs £5,158
5 kW 4956 kWh 1982 kWh 2973 kWh £534 £297 £831 £10,173 12.2 yrs £6,447
6 kW 5947 kWh 2379 kWh 3568 kWh £640 £357 £997 £12,207 12.2 yrs £7,736
7 kW 6938 kWh 2775 kWh 4163 kWh £747 £416 £1,163 £14,242 12.2 yrs £9,026
8 kW 7929 kWh 3172 kWh 4758 kWh £854 £476 £1,330 £16,276 12.2 yrs £10,315

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: £999, Upfront: £12,273, 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 1982 kWh 1189 kWh 793 kWh £320 £79 £399 £6,169 15.4 yrs £1,820
3 kW 2973 kWh 1784 kWh 1189 kWh £480 £119 £599 £8,204 13.7 yrs £3,781
4 kW 3965 kWh 2379 kWh 1586 kWh £640 £159 £799 £10,238 12.8 yrs £5,741
5 kW 4956 kWh 2973 kWh 1982 kWh £800 £198 £999 £12,273 12.3 yrs £7,701
6 kW 5947 kWh 3568 kWh 2379 kWh £961 £238 £1,198 £14,307 11.9 yrs £9,661
7 kW 6938 kWh 4163 kWh 2775 kWh £1,121 £278 £1,398 £16,342 11.7 yrs £11,622
8 kW 7929 kWh 4758 kWh 3172 kWh £1,281 £317 £1,598 £18,376 11.5 yrs £13,582

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: £1,083, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 12.6 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1982 kWh 1388 kWh 595 kWh £374 £59 £433 £7,569 17.5 yrs £1,091
3 kW 2973 kWh 2081 kWh 892 kWh £560 £89 £650 £9,604 14.8 yrs £3,387
4 kW 3965 kWh 2775 kWh 1189 kWh £747 £119 £866 £11,638 13.4 yrs £5,683
5 kW 4956 kWh 3469 kWh 1487 kWh £934 £149 £1,083 £13,673 12.6 yrs £7,978
6 kW 5947 kWh 4163 kWh 1784 kWh £1,121 £178 £1,299 £15,707 12.1 yrs £10,274
7 kW 6938 kWh 4857 kWh 2081 kWh £1,307 £208 £1,516 £17,742 11.7 yrs £12,569
8 kW 7929 kWh 5550 kWh 2379 kWh £1,494 £238 £1,732 £19,776 11.4 yrs £14,865

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: £1,108, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 13.9 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1982 kWh 1447 kWh 535 kWh £390 £54 £443 £9,319 21.0 yrs £-458
3 kW 2973 kWh 2171 kWh 803 kWh £584 £80 £665 £11,354 17.1 yrs £1,939
4 kW 3965 kWh 2894 kWh 1070 kWh £779 £107 £886 £13,388 15.1 yrs £4,335
5 kW 4956 kWh 3618 kWh 1338 kWh £974 £134 £1,108 £15,423 13.9 yrs £6,731
6 kW 5947 kWh 4341 kWh 1606 kWh £1,169 £161 £1,329 £17,457 13.1 yrs £9,127
7 kW 6938 kWh 5065 kWh 1873 kWh £1,363 £187 £1,551 £19,492 12.6 yrs £11,524
8 kW 7929 kWh 5788 kWh 2141 kWh £1,558 £214 £1,772 £21,526 12.1 yrs £13,920

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: £1,124, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 15.3 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1982 kWh 1487 kWh 496 kWh £400 £50 £450 £11,069 24.6 yrs £-2,073
3 kW 2973 kWh 2230 kWh 743 kWh £600 £74 £675 £13,104 19.4 yrs £390
4 kW 3965 kWh 2973 kWh 991 kWh £800 £99 £900 £15,138 16.8 yrs £2,853
5 kW 4956 kWh 3717 kWh 1239 kWh £1,001 £124 £1,124 £17,173 15.3 yrs £5,317
6 kW 5947 kWh 4460 kWh 1487 kWh £1,201 £149 £1,349 £19,207 14.2 yrs £7,780
7 kW 6938 kWh 5204 kWh 1735 kWh £1,401 £173 £1,574 £21,242 13.5 yrs £10,243
8 kW 7929 kWh 5947 kWh 1982 kWh £1,601 £198 £1,799 £23,276 12.9 yrs £12,707

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: £1,141, Upfront: £19,623, 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 1982 kWh 1526 kWh 456 kWh £411 £46 £456 £13,519 29.6 yrs £-4,389
3 kW 2973 kWh 2290 kWh 684 kWh £616 £68 £685 £15,554 22.7 yrs £-1,859
4 kW 3965 kWh 3053 kWh 912 kWh £822 £91 £913 £17,588 19.3 yrs £672
5 kW 4956 kWh 3816 kWh 1140 kWh £1,027 £114 £1,141 £19,623 17.2 yrs £3,202
6 kW 5947 kWh 4579 kWh 1368 kWh £1,233 £137 £1,369 £21,657 15.8 yrs £5,732
7 kW 6938 kWh 5342 kWh 1596 kWh £1,438 £160 £1,598 £23,692 14.8 yrs £8,263
8 kW 7929 kWh 6105 kWh 1824 kWh £1,644 £182 £1,826 £25,726 14.1 yrs £10,793

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 TW9

Figures below are tailored to TW9 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #2037 of 2182
4.1 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~9 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #750 of 2997
10.6 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£1,148 /yr • £12,207 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #290 of 2997
15.1% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£174 fixed • ~£1,148 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
26.92p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
47.60p/day
Local Sunshine
991kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~991 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
3.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

⚠️ This area is predominantly flats. Many residents require freeholder approval for solar installations. System size shown reflects houses and bungalows only.

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 37% • Flats: 59% • Bungalows: 1% Based on 7,165 properties

Coverage

Richmond upon Thames (100%)

Areas Covered

South Richmond, Kew, North Richmond

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

TW10 (Richmond upon Thames)
≈0.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~995 kWh/kWp · +0% vs TW9
TW1 (Richmond upon Thames)
≈2.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~991 kWh/kWp · -0% vs TW9
TW2 (Richmond upon Thames)
≈3.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~998 kWh/kWp · +1% vs TW9
TW11 (Richmond upon Thames)
≈4.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~998 kWh/kWp · +1% vs TW9
KT2 (Kingston upon Thames)
≈5.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~997 kWh/kWp · +1% vs TW9
KT1 (Kingston upon Thames)
≈6.5 km away
Local sunshine: ~997 kWh/kWp · +1% vs TW9

Similar sunshine across the UK

IP26 (King's Lynn and West Norfolk)
~991 kWh/kWp · +0% vs TW9
GL8 (Cotswold)
~991 kWh/kWp · -0% vs TW9
GU9 (Waverley)
~991 kWh/kWp · -0% vs TW9