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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in WA8 (Halton)

See if solar pays off for you in Halton — 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
13.0 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,138
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£624
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£7,453
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 North Wales and Mersey, the current unit rate is 27.72p/kWh with a 69.95p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 912 kWh/kW — 18 below the regional median (930).

Read the full story

A typical roof here lands around 4.0 kW, with most eligible homes comfortably fitting within 3–6 kW. Each kilowatt of panels produces roughly 912 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 27.7p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
27.7p/kWh
Standing charge
70.0p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
912 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: £780, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 13.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1825 kWh 730 kWh 1095 kWh £202 £109 £312 £4,069 13.0 yrs £2,167
3 kW 2737 kWh 1095 kWh 1642 kWh £303 £164 £468 £6,104 13.0 yrs £3,251
4 kW 3649 kWh 1460 kWh 2190 kWh £405 £219 £624 £8,138 13.0 yrs £4,334
5 kW 4562 kWh 1825 kWh 2737 kWh £506 £274 £780 £10,173 13.0 yrs £5,418
6 kW 5474 kWh 2190 kWh 3285 kWh £607 £328 £935 £12,207 13.0 yrs £6,502
7 kW 6387 kWh 2555 kWh 3832 kWh £708 £383 £1,091 £14,242 13.0 yrs £7,585
8 kW 7299 kWh 2920 kWh 4379 kWh £809 £438 £1,247 £16,276 13.0 yrs £8,669

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: £941, Upfront: £12,273, Break-even: 13.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1825 kWh 1095 kWh 730 kWh £303 £73 £376 £6,169 16.4 yrs £1,361
3 kW 2737 kWh 1642 kWh 1095 kWh £455 £109 £565 £8,204 14.5 yrs £3,091
4 kW 3649 kWh 2190 kWh 1460 kWh £607 £146 £753 £10,238 13.6 yrs £4,821
5 kW 4562 kWh 2737 kWh 1825 kWh £759 £182 £941 £12,273 13.0 yrs £6,551
6 kW 5474 kWh 3285 kWh 2190 kWh £910 £219 £1,129 £14,307 12.7 yrs £8,282
7 kW 6387 kWh 3832 kWh 2555 kWh £1,062 £255 £1,318 £16,342 12.4 yrs £10,012
8 kW 7299 kWh 4379 kWh 2920 kWh £1,214 £292 £1,506 £18,376 12.2 yrs £11,742

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: £1,022, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 13.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1825 kWh 1277 kWh 547 kWh £354 £55 £409 £7,569 18.5 yrs £607
3 kW 2737 kWh 1916 kWh 821 kWh £531 £82 £613 £9,604 15.7 yrs £2,661
4 kW 3649 kWh 2555 kWh 1095 kWh £708 £109 £818 £11,638 14.2 yrs £4,715
5 kW 4562 kWh 3193 kWh 1369 kWh £885 £137 £1,022 £13,673 13.4 yrs £6,768
6 kW 5474 kWh 3832 kWh 1642 kWh £1,062 £164 £1,226 £15,707 12.8 yrs £8,822
7 kW 6387 kWh 4471 kWh 1916 kWh £1,239 £192 £1,431 £17,742 12.4 yrs £10,875
8 kW 7299 kWh 5109 kWh 2190 kWh £1,416 £219 £1,635 £19,776 12.1 yrs £12,929

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: £1,046, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 14.7 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1825 kWh 1332 kWh 493 kWh £369 £49 £419 £9,319 22.3 yrs £-949
3 kW 2737 kWh 1998 kWh 739 kWh £554 £74 £628 £11,354 18.1 yrs £1,202
4 kW 3649 kWh 2664 kWh 985 kWh £738 £99 £837 £13,388 16.0 yrs £3,353
5 kW 4562 kWh 3330 kWh 1232 kWh £923 £123 £1,046 £15,423 14.7 yrs £5,503
6 kW 5474 kWh 3996 kWh 1478 kWh £1,108 £148 £1,256 £17,457 13.9 yrs £7,654
7 kW 6387 kWh 4662 kWh 1724 kWh £1,292 £172 £1,465 £19,492 13.3 yrs £9,804
8 kW 7299 kWh 5328 kWh 1971 kWh £1,477 £197 £1,674 £21,526 12.9 yrs £11,955

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: £1,062, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 16.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1825 kWh 1369 kWh 456 kWh £379 £46 £425 £11,069 26.0 yrs £-2,569
3 kW 2737 kWh 2053 kWh 684 kWh £569 £68 £637 £13,104 20.6 yrs £-354
4 kW 3649 kWh 2737 kWh 912 kWh £759 £91 £850 £15,138 17.8 yrs £1,861
5 kW 4562 kWh 3421 kWh 1140 kWh £948 £114 £1,062 £17,173 16.2 yrs £4,077
6 kW 5474 kWh 4106 kWh 1369 kWh £1,138 £137 £1,275 £19,207 15.1 yrs £6,292
7 kW 6387 kWh 4790 kWh 1597 kWh £1,328 £160 £1,487 £21,242 14.3 yrs £8,507
8 kW 7299 kWh 5474 kWh 1825 kWh £1,517 £182 £1,700 £23,276 13.7 yrs £10,722

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: £1,079, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 18.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1825 kWh 1405 kWh 420 kWh £389 £42 £431 £13,519 31.3 yrs £-4,890
3 kW 2737 kWh 2108 kWh 630 kWh £584 £63 £647 £15,554 24.0 yrs £-2,610
4 kW 3649 kWh 2810 kWh 839 kWh £779 £84 £863 £17,588 20.4 yrs £-330
5 kW 4562 kWh 3513 kWh 1049 kWh £974 £105 £1,079 £19,623 18.2 yrs £1,950
6 kW 5474 kWh 4215 kWh 1259 kWh £1,168 £126 £1,294 £21,657 16.7 yrs £4,230
7 kW 6387 kWh 4918 kWh 1469 kWh £1,363 £147 £1,510 £23,692 15.7 yrs £6,510
8 kW 7299 kWh 5620 kWh 1679 kWh £1,558 £168 £1,726 £25,726 14.9 yrs £8,790

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 WA8

Figures below are tailored to WA8 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1568 of 2182
4.6 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~10 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #1629 of 2997
11.3 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£721 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2872 of 2997
35.4% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£255 fixed • ~£721 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
27.72p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
69.95p/day
Local Sunshine
912kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~912 kWh per year. A typical home uses ~2,700 kWh per year.
Typical System Size
4.0kW
For houses & bungalows in this area

Local Property Data

Property Types

Houses: 73% • Flats: 18% • Bungalows: 8% Based on 14,259 properties

Coverage

Halton (93%)|Knowsley (4%)|St. Helens (3%)

Areas Covered

Central & West Bank, Halton View, Farnworth, Appleton, Hough Green, Ditton, Hale Village & Halebank, Birchfield + 5 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.

Compare nearby areas

Nearby in North Wales and Mersey

WA88 (Halton)
≈2.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~912 kWh/kWp · -0% vs WA8
WA7 (Halton)
≈5.3 km away
Local sunshine: ~918 kWh/kWp · +1% vs WA8
L35 (Knowsley)
≈6.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~914 kWh/kWp · +0% vs WA8
L26 (Knowsley)
≈6.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~915 kWh/kWp · +0% vs WA8
WA9 (St. Helens)
≈7.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~911 kWh/kWp · -0% vs WA8
L27 (Liverpool)
≈7.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~921 kWh/kWp · +1% vs WA8

Similar sunshine across the UK

NE71 (Northumberland)
~912 kWh/kWp · -0% vs WA8
LA20 (Westmorland and Furness)
~912 kWh/kWp · -0% vs WA8
EH34 (East Lothian)
~913 kWh/kWp · +0% vs WA8