# Are solar panels worth it in Birmingham? | Eco Solar > Are solar panels worth it in Birmingham? Local generation figures, today's electricity price, what you save, payback examples and when a battery helps. URL: https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/are-solar-panels-worth-it/ 1. [Home](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/) 2. [Guides](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/) 3. Are solar panels worth it in Birmingham? Decision Guide # Are solar panels worth it in Birmingham? [Eco Solar Panel Installation Company](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/) worked these examples from PVGIS generation data for Birmingham, Ofgem's current price cap and published local prices, so you can run the numbers for your own home. Published 29 September 2026 · Updated 29 September 2026 · By Eco Solar Panel Installation Company **Short answer:** For most Birmingham homes with a south, east or west-facing roof and little shade, yes. A 4 kWp south-facing system makes about 3,880 kWh a year here. The Energy Saving Trust says surveyed owners cut their bills by around £750 a year. How much you save depends mostly on how much of the power you use yourself. ## How much a Birmingham roof generates [PVGIS](https://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvg_tools/en/), the European Commission’s solar model, puts Birmingham at about 969 kWh a year for every kWp of panels on a south-facing roof at a 35 degree pitch. Facing east or west, the figure is about 777 kWh. The [Energy Saving Trust](https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/solar-panels/) says the average home system is about 4.5 kWp. System South-facing East or west-facing 3 kWp about 2,910 kWh a year about 2,330 kWh a year 4 kWp about 3,880 kWh a year about 3,110 kWh a year 5 kWp about 4,850 kWh a year about 3,890 kWh a year Generation follows the seasons. PVGIS gives a south-facing roof about 119 kWh per kWp in July and 34 kWh in December, so most of the year’s output comes between April and September. ## What that power is worth Each unit you use yourself is a unit you don’t buy. [Ofgem’s price cap](https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/your-energy-supply/your-energy-bill/energy-price-cap-unit-rates-and-standing-charges) for October to December 2026 is 26.32p per kWh on average for electricity paid by Direct Debit. The share of the power you use yourself is the number that decides the saving: 4 kWp south-facing, about 3,880 kWh a year Used at home Worth at 26.32p Out most of the day, no battery about 30% (1,160 kWh) about £310 a year Someone home, or loads moved into daylight about 50% (1,940 kWh) about £510 a year With a battery about 70% (2,710 kWh) about £710 a year The percentages are examples, not measurements of your home. The power you don’t use is exported, and an export tariff pays for it. Rates vary by supplier, and you usually need MCS certification to get one. [Can you get SEG payments without MCS?](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/seg-without-mcs/) explains the rules. The Energy Saving Trust’s own survey found owners said panels lowered their bills by around £750 a year. That is above every row in the table, which leaves out export income, bigger systems and changes in how people use power once they have panels. ## What it costs [Checkatrade lists](https://www.checkatrade.com/Search/Solar-Panel-Installation/in/Birmingham) installed solar in Birmingham at £7,305 to £11,929, with an average of £9,299. The Energy Saving Trust puts a typical system at around £7,600. Installation in homes is [VAT-free until 31 March 2027](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-on-energy-saving-materials-and-heating-equipment-notice-7086). [How much do solar panels cost in Birmingham?](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/solar-panel-cost-birmingham/) has the full breakdown. ## Payback: a worked example Take the Birmingham average price of £9,299 and the Energy Saving Trust’s saving of around £750 a year. That pays back in a little over 12 years. With the lower £510 figure and no export income, it would be nearer 18. The Energy Saving Trust says panels should last 25 years or more, so in both cases the system keeps working long after it has paid for itself. Budget for an inverter replacement along the way, which the Energy Saving Trust says is needed after around 12 years. ## When solar is less worth it - **A heavily shaded roof.** Trees, a taller building or a chimney that shades the panels for much of the day cuts output. Optimisers help, but can’t fix deep shade. - **A north-facing roof only.** Output drops well below the east and west figures above. - **A roof that needs replacing soon.** Re-roof first, or the panels will have to come off and go back on. [Solar panel removal and refit](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-panel-removal/) covers that. - **Very low daytime use and no plan for a battery.** Most of the value then comes from export. ## Where a battery fits A battery stores daytime power for the evening. The [Energy Saving Trust](https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/battery-storage/) says a typical home battery might be 10 kWh, and a 5 kWh system costs around £4,600. It is cheaper to fit one at the same time as the panels. [Solar battery storage](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/solar-battery-storage/) explains how batteries are sized. ## Bottom line Solar panels usually pay off in Birmingham on a roof that faces south, east or west and isn't heavily shaded, and they pay off fastest when you use the power in the day or add a battery. Get a survey that works from your own electricity use. Our quotes are free. Call 0121 330 1151 (+441213301151), 9am to 7pm, 7 days. ## Questions people also ask ### Is it worth getting solar panels without a battery? Often, yes, if someone is home in the day or you can move washing, dishwasher and car charging into daylight hours. Without a battery, power you don't use is exported, and export usually earns less than you pay for electricity. A battery raises the share you use yourself, but adds £4,240 to £7,207 in Birmingham, according to Checkatrade. ### How long do solar panels take to pay for themselves? Using the Energy Saving Trust's figure of around £750 a year saved and Checkatrade's Birmingham average of £9,299, the payback would be about 12 years. Your own figure depends on your roof, your usage and your export tariff. The Energy Saving Trust says panels last 25 years or more. ### Do solar panels work in winter in Birmingham? Yes, but they make much less. PVGIS gives a south-facing Birmingham roof about 34 kWh per kWp in December against about 119 kWh in July. Most of a year's generation comes between April and September. Related service [Solar panels in Birmingham](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/) Installation, batteries and after-care across Birmingham and the West Midlands. [View service](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/) Talk it through Lines open Monday to Sunday, 9am to 7pm. 0121 330 1151 (+441213301151) ## More guides - [Decision Guide How much do solar panels cost in Birmingham?](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/solar-panel-cost-birmingham/) - [Learn Can you get SEG payments without MCS?](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/seg-without-mcs/) - [Learn Does adding a battery affect your Feed-in Tariff?](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/battery-feed-in-tariff/) - [Learn Are there solar panel grants in Birmingham?](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/solar-panel-grants-birmingham/) - [Learn Can you put solar panels on a terraced house?](https://ecosolarpanelsbirmingham.co.uk/guide/solar-panels-terraced-house/)