The time it takes for solar panels to be profitable (if at all) also varies by geography, as some towns simply get more sun than others. Chicester is known to be one of the sunniest locations in the UK. Here, the data shows that solar panels can pay back in just 12 years under ideal conditions (south facing, less than 20% shade, home all day).
A solar panel payback period is the length of time it takes for the savings on electricity bills to equal the initial investment made in a solar energy system. Before we delve into the payback periods of solar panels, let's discuss how much you could expect to pay for a solar panel system in the UK.
Domestic solar panel systems in the UK typically have payback periods ranging from 5 to 7 years, though, as we've already covered, this can be shorter or longer depending on multiple factors. Commercial solar installations can see payback periods as short as 1 to 3 years, sometimes even less for larger systems.
Let’s consider a system size of 4.4 kWp, without a battery, to be installed in Glasgow: If we proceed to calculate the solar panel payback time based on these figures, we come to the conclusion it would take 9 years to recoup the costs. Now, let’s consider a system size of 5.2 kWp with battery included, also in Glasgow:
In several regions, the average figure is 8 years. In some other regions it takes less time. Several factors should be taken into consideration when predicting how long it will take to recoup your investment with photovoltaic installations, such as: What you would have paid for electricity without solar energy.
Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations. How many years do you have to pay back solar panels? What is the average break-even time for solar panels? Does solar pay for itself? What happens after I pay off my solar panels? Confused about the payback period for solar panels?