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Big Roof Britain Solar Payback Index Standing Charge Drag

Solar Panels in WS12 (Cannock Chase)

See if solar pays off for you in Cannock Chase — 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
13.5 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£8,138
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£603
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£6,934
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 Midlands, the current unit rate is 25.64p/kWh with a 53.00p/day standing charge. Your postcode’s south-facing sunshine yield is 927 kWh/kW — 15 below the regional median (942).

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 927 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.6p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.6p/kWh
Standing charge
53.0p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
927 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: £754, Upfront: £10,173, Break-even: 13.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1854 kWh 742 kWh 1113 kWh £190 £111 £301 £4,069 13.5 yrs £1,960
3 kW 2781 kWh 1113 kWh 1669 kWh £285 £167 £452 £6,104 13.5 yrs £2,940
4 kW 3709 kWh 1483 kWh 2225 kWh £380 £223 £603 £8,138 13.5 yrs £3,919
5 kW 4636 kWh 1854 kWh 2781 kWh £475 £278 £754 £10,173 13.5 yrs £4,899
6 kW 5563 kWh 2225 kWh 3338 kWh £571 £334 £904 £12,207 13.5 yrs £5,879
7 kW 6490 kWh 2596 kWh 3894 kWh £666 £389 £1,055 £14,242 13.5 yrs £6,859
8 kW 7417 kWh 2967 kWh 4450 kWh £761 £445 £1,206 £16,276 13.5 yrs £7,839

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: £899, Upfront: £12,273, 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 1854 kWh 1113 kWh 742 kWh £285 £74 £359 £6,169 17.2 yrs £1,020
3 kW 2781 kWh 1669 kWh 1113 kWh £428 £111 £539 £8,204 15.2 yrs £2,580
4 kW 3709 kWh 2225 kWh 1483 kWh £571 £148 £719 £10,238 14.2 yrs £4,139
5 kW 4636 kWh 2781 kWh 1854 kWh £713 £185 £899 £12,273 13.7 yrs £5,699
6 kW 5563 kWh 3338 kWh 2225 kWh £856 £223 £1,078 £14,307 13.3 yrs £7,259
7 kW 6490 kWh 3894 kWh 2596 kWh £998 £260 £1,258 £16,342 13.0 yrs £8,819
8 kW 7417 kWh 4450 kWh 2967 kWh £1,141 £297 £1,438 £18,376 12.8 yrs £10,379

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: £971, Upfront: £13,673, 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 1854 kWh 1298 kWh 556 kWh £333 £56 £388 £7,569 19.5 yrs £200
3 kW 2781 kWh 1947 kWh 834 kWh £499 £83 £583 £9,604 16.5 yrs £2,050
4 kW 3709 kWh 2596 kWh 1113 kWh £666 £111 £777 £11,638 15.0 yrs £3,900
5 kW 4636 kWh 3245 kWh 1391 kWh £832 £139 £971 £13,673 14.1 yrs £5,749
6 kW 5563 kWh 3894 kWh 1669 kWh £998 £167 £1,165 £15,707 13.5 yrs £7,599
7 kW 6490 kWh 4543 kWh 1947 kWh £1,165 £195 £1,360 £17,742 13.0 yrs £9,449
8 kW 7417 kWh 5192 kWh 2225 kWh £1,331 £223 £1,554 £19,776 12.7 yrs £11,299

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: £993, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.5 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1854 kWh 1354 kWh 501 kWh £347 £50 £397 £9,319 23.5 yrs £-1,376
3 kW 2781 kWh 2030 kWh 751 kWh £521 £75 £596 £11,354 19.1 yrs £561
4 kW 3709 kWh 2707 kWh 1001 kWh £694 £100 £794 £13,388 16.9 yrs £2,498
5 kW 4636 kWh 3384 kWh 1252 kWh £868 £125 £993 £15,423 15.5 yrs £4,434
6 kW 5563 kWh 4061 kWh 1502 kWh £1,041 £150 £1,191 £17,457 14.7 yrs £6,371
7 kW 6490 kWh 4738 kWh 1752 kWh £1,215 £175 £1,390 £19,492 14.0 yrs £8,308
8 kW 7417 kWh 5415 kWh 2003 kWh £1,388 £200 £1,589 £21,526 13.6 yrs £10,245

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: £1,007, Upfront: £17,173, Break-even: 17.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1854 kWh 1391 kWh 464 kWh £357 £46 £403 £11,069 27.5 yrs £-3,010
3 kW 2781 kWh 2086 kWh 695 kWh £535 £70 £604 £13,104 21.7 yrs £-1,015
4 kW 3709 kWh 2781 kWh 927 kWh £713 £93 £806 £15,138 18.8 yrs £980
5 kW 4636 kWh 3477 kWh 1159 kWh £891 £116 £1,007 £17,173 17.0 yrs £2,974
6 kW 5563 kWh 4172 kWh 1391 kWh £1,070 £139 £1,209 £19,207 15.9 yrs £4,969
7 kW 6490 kWh 4868 kWh 1623 kWh £1,248 £162 £1,410 £21,242 15.1 yrs £6,964
8 kW 7417 kWh 5563 kWh 1854 kWh £1,426 £185 £1,612 £23,276 14.4 yrs £8,959

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: £1,022, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.2 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1854 kWh 1428 kWh 426 kWh £366 £43 £409 £13,519 33.1 yrs £-5,344
3 kW 2781 kWh 2142 kWh 640 kWh £549 £64 £613 £15,554 25.4 yrs £-3,291
4 kW 3709 kWh 2856 kWh 853 kWh £732 £85 £817 £17,588 21.5 yrs £-1,238
5 kW 4636 kWh 3570 kWh 1066 kWh £915 £107 £1,022 £19,623 19.2 yrs £814
6 kW 5563 kWh 4283 kWh 1279 kWh £1,098 £128 £1,226 £21,657 17.7 yrs £2,867
7 kW 6490 kWh 4997 kWh 1493 kWh £1,281 £149 £1,431 £23,692 16.6 yrs £4,920
8 kW 7417 kWh 5711 kWh 1706 kWh £1,464 £171 £1,635 £25,726 15.7 yrs £6,973

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 WS12

Figures below are tailored to WS12 — click through for full league tables.

Big-Roof Britain Rank #1516 of 2182
4.7 kWp (UK avg 5.1 kWp)
~10 panels (≈430 W)
Solar Payback Index Rank #2173 of 2997
11.8 years (UK avg 11.3 years)
~£690 /yr • £8,138 upfront
Standing-Charge Drag Rank #2543 of 2997
28.0% (UK avg 21.7%) drag on savings
£193 fixed • ~£690 /yr value

Your Area at a Glance

Your Electricity Rate
25.64p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
53.00p/day
Local Sunshine
927kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~927 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: 12% • Bungalows: 14% Based on 9,471 properties

Coverage

Cannock Chase (93%)|South Staffordshire (7%)

Areas Covered

Hednesford Hills & Rawnsley, Cannock Park & Old Fallow, Heath Hayes & Wimblebury, Hednesford Pye Green, Hednesford Green Heath, Huntington & Hatherton, Hawks Green with Rumer Hill, Chadsmoor + 3 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 Midlands

WS11 (Cannock Chase)
≈2.0 km away
Local sunshine: ~929 kWh/kWp · +0% vs WS12
WS6 (South Staffordshire)
≈5.2 km away
Local sunshine: ~930 kWh/kWp · +0% vs WS12
WS7 (Lichfield)
≈5.6 km away
Local sunshine: ~938 kWh/kWp · +1% vs WS12
WS8 (Walsall)
≈7.8 km away
Local sunshine: ~938 kWh/kWp · +1% vs WS12
WS15 (Cannock Chase)
≈7.9 km away
Local sunshine: ~945 kWh/kWp · +2% vs WS12
ST19 (South Staffordshire)
≈8.4 km away
Local sunshine: ~937 kWh/kWp · +1% vs WS12

Similar sunshine across the UK

NE9 (Gateshead)
~927 kWh/kWp · -0% vs WS12
DD7 (Angus)
~927 kWh/kWp · -0% vs WS12
DH9 (County Durham)
~927 kWh/kWp · +0% vs WS12