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

Solar Panels in YO41 (East Riding of Yorkshire)

See if solar pays off for you in East Riding of 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
13.4 years
After this, it's pure profit
Upfront Cost
£12,207
What you pay to get started
Annual Benefit
£912
What you save every year
Profit Over 25 Years
£10,593
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 942 kWh per year on a south-facing roof. We value self-used electricity at 25.3p and exported surplus at a baseline 10p via SEG. Use the calculator above for your exact tariff.

Unit rate
25.3p/kWh
Standing charge
58.6p/day
Sunshine yield (south)
942 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: £760, Upfront: £10,173, 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 1884 kWh 754 kWh 1131 kWh £191 £113 £304 £4,069 13.4 yrs £2,011
3 kW 2827 kWh 1131 kWh 1696 kWh £286 £170 £456 £6,104 13.4 yrs £3,017
4 kW 3769 kWh 1508 kWh 2261 kWh £382 £226 £608 £8,138 13.4 yrs £4,022
5 kW 4711 kWh 1884 kWh 2827 kWh £477 £283 £760 £10,173 13.4 yrs £5,028
6 kW 5653 kWh 2261 kWh 3392 kWh £573 £339 £912 £12,207 13.4 yrs £6,033
7 kW 6596 kWh 2638 kWh 3957 kWh £668 £396 £1,064 £14,242 13.4 yrs £7,039
8 kW 7538 kWh 3015 kWh 4523 kWh £764 £452 £1,216 £16,276 13.4 yrs £8,044

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: £904, Upfront: £12,273, 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 1884 kWh 1131 kWh 754 kWh £286 £75 £362 £6,169 17.1 yrs £1,067
3 kW 2827 kWh 1696 kWh 1131 kWh £430 £113 £543 £8,204 15.1 yrs £2,650
4 kW 3769 kWh 2261 kWh 1508 kWh £573 £151 £724 £10,238 14.1 yrs £4,233
5 kW 4711 kWh 2827 kWh 1884 kWh £716 £188 £904 £12,273 13.6 yrs £5,817
6 kW 5653 kWh 3392 kWh 2261 kWh £859 £226 £1,085 £14,307 13.2 yrs £7,400
7 kW 6596 kWh 3957 kWh 2638 kWh £1,002 £264 £1,266 £16,342 12.9 yrs £8,983
8 kW 7538 kWh 4523 kWh 3015 kWh £1,146 £302 £1,447 £18,376 12.7 yrs £10,567

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: £977, Upfront: £13,673, Break-even: 14.0 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1884 kWh 1319 kWh 565 kWh £334 £57 £391 £7,569 19.4 yrs £244
3 kW 2827 kWh 1979 kWh 848 kWh £501 £85 £586 £9,604 16.4 yrs £2,117
4 kW 3769 kWh 2638 kWh 1131 kWh £668 £113 £781 £11,638 14.9 yrs £3,989
5 kW 4711 kWh 3298 kWh 1413 kWh £835 £141 £977 £13,673 14.0 yrs £5,861
6 kW 5653 kWh 3957 kWh 1696 kWh £1,002 £170 £1,172 £15,707 13.4 yrs £7,733
7 kW 6596 kWh 4617 kWh 1979 kWh £1,169 £198 £1,367 £17,742 13.0 yrs £9,605
8 kW 7538 kWh 5277 kWh 2261 kWh £1,337 £226 £1,563 £19,776 12.7 yrs £11,478

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: £998, Upfront: £15,423, Break-even: 15.4 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1884 kWh 1376 kWh 509 kWh £348 £51 £399 £9,319 23.3 yrs £-1,332
3 kW 2827 kWh 2064 kWh 763 kWh £523 £76 £599 £11,354 19.0 yrs £627
4 kW 3769 kWh 2751 kWh 1018 kWh £697 £102 £799 £13,388 16.8 yrs £2,585
5 kW 4711 kWh 3439 kWh 1272 kWh £871 £127 £998 £15,423 15.4 yrs £4,544
6 kW 5653 kWh 4127 kWh 1526 kWh £1,045 £153 £1,198 £17,457 14.6 yrs £6,503
7 kW 6596 kWh 4815 kWh 1781 kWh £1,220 £178 £1,398 £19,492 13.9 yrs £8,462
8 kW 7538 kWh 5503 kWh 2035 kWh £1,394 £204 £1,597 £21,526 13.5 yrs £10,421

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: £1,013, 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 1884 kWh 1413 kWh 471 kWh £358 £47 £405 £11,069 27.3 yrs £-2,967
3 kW 2827 kWh 2120 kWh 707 kWh £537 £71 £608 £13,104 21.6 yrs £-950
4 kW 3769 kWh 2827 kWh 942 kWh £716 £94 £810 £15,138 18.7 yrs £1,067
5 kW 4711 kWh 3533 kWh 1178 kWh £895 £118 £1,013 £17,173 17.0 yrs £3,083
6 kW 5653 kWh 4240 kWh 1413 kWh £1,074 £141 £1,215 £19,207 15.8 yrs £5,100
7 kW 6596 kWh 4947 kWh 1649 kWh £1,253 £165 £1,418 £21,242 15.0 yrs £7,117
8 kW 7538 kWh 5653 kWh 1884 kWh £1,432 £188 £1,620 £23,276 14.4 yrs £9,133

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: £1,027, Upfront: £19,623, Break-even: 19.1 yrs
System Annual output Self-use Exported Bill saving Export income Annual benefit Upfront cost Break-even 20-year net
2 kW 1884 kWh 1451 kWh 433 kWh £368 £43 £411 £13,519 32.9 yrs £-5,301
3 kW 2827 kWh 2177 kWh 650 kWh £551 £65 £616 £15,554 25.2 yrs £-3,227
4 kW 3769 kWh 2902 kWh 867 kWh £735 £87 £822 £17,588 21.4 yrs £-1,152
5 kW 4711 kWh 3628 kWh 1084 kWh £919 £108 £1,027 £19,623 19.1 yrs £922
6 kW 5653 kWh 4353 kWh 1300 kWh £1,103 £130 £1,233 £21,657 17.6 yrs £2,997
7 kW 6596 kWh 5079 kWh 1517 kWh £1,286 £152 £1,438 £23,692 16.5 yrs £5,071
8 kW 7538 kWh 5804 kWh 1734 kWh £1,470 £173 £1,644 £25,726 15.7 yrs £7,145

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
25.33p/kWh
Daily Fixed Charge
58.65p/day
Local Sunshine
942kWh/kW
A 1 kW system generates ~942 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: 71% • Flats: 5% • Bungalows: 24% Based on 2,808 properties

Coverage

East Riding of Yorkshire (70%)|York (20%)|North Yorkshire (10%)

Areas Covered

Pocklington Provincial, Wolds Weighton, Wheldrake, Sheriff Hutton & Derwent, Micklegate, Osbaldwick & Derwent, Huntington & New Earswick, Thornton Dale & Wolds

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.