Solar savings & payback in Wales
South Wales fares better than the wetter, hillier north; south-facing roofs are key.
Enter your bill for a payback estimate tuned to Wales's sun, with 0% VAT already in the price, your bill savings, and Smart Export Guarantee earnings all counted. For a typical £90/month bill, we estimate around 9.3 years.
- Solar generation
- ~2.55 kWh/kW/day
- Annual yield
- ~931 kWh/kW/yr
- Typical import rate
- ~27p/kWh
- VAT on install
- 0% (until 2027)
Your export earnings depend on the SEG tariff you pick, not your region. Compare SEG rates
Where your money goes
Your 25-year money curve
What the planet gets
There's no net metering in the UK. You save the retail rate on power you use as it's generated, and earn the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) rate on what you export.
Enter a valid monthly bill and tariff greater than zero to see your results.
How Wales compares to the UK average
UK electricity prices are broadly uniform under the price cap, so sun is the regional variable that moves your payback.
Solar generation
~2.55 kWh/kW/day
UK average: ~2.6 kWh/kW/day
Less sun than the UK average, high power prices still carry the maths
Annual yield per kW
~931 kWh
UK average: ~949 kWh
What one installed kW produces across a typical year
Typical payback
9.3 years
UK average: 9.1 years
Slower than the UK average on a £90 bill
Solar cost & savings by system size in Wales
Computed with Wales's generation (~2.55 kWh/kW/day), a ~27p/kWh import rate, ~50% self-consumption, and an average SEG export rate, 0% VAT included.
| System size | Installed cost (0% VAT) | Generation/yr | Annual savings | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3kW | ~£5,100 | ~2,754 kWh | ~£551 | ~9.3 yrs |
| 4kW | ~£6,800 | ~3,672 kWh | ~£734 | ~9.3 yrs |
| 5kW | ~£8,500 | ~4,590 kWh | ~£918 | ~9.3 yrs |
| 6kW | ~£10,200 | ~5,508 kWh | ~£1,102 | ~9.3 yrs |
Savings assume a home large enough to use this output. Figures last reviewed July 2026,size a system from your actual bill instead.
How solar pays in Wales
There's no net metering in the UK, so your system pays you two ways: you save your import rate (~27p/kWh) on every unit you use as it's generated, and you earn your Smart Export Guarantee rate on everything you send back to the grid. Using more of your own power, daytime appliance use, or a battery, is worth more than exporting it, especially on lower SEG tariffs.
Generation figures are regional averages; your roof's pitch, orientation, and shading will move them.
Wales solar FAQs
Are solar panels worth it in Wales?
For a typical £90/month bill, we estimate a system in Wales pays for itself in about 9.3 years, then generates largely free power for another 15+ years. South Wales fares better than the wetter, hillier north; south-facing roofs are key.
How much do solar panels cost in Wales?
Prices don't vary much by region, expect roughly £1,700 per kW installed with 0% VAT already applied, so a 4kW system runs about £6,800. What varies regionally is generation: in Wales each kW produces around 931 kWh a year.
How much electricity will solar generate in Wales?
Around 2.55 kWh per kW per day averaged across the year, so a 4kW system produces roughly 3,723 kWh annually. Summer output is several times winter output, and orientation and shading move the total.
Do I get paid for exported power?
Yes, through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). Rates vary hugely by supplier, from about 6p to 25p/kWh, and the tariff you pick matters as much as your region's sun. There's no net metering in the UK: you save ~27p on each unit you use yourself but earn only your SEG rate on exports.
Does Wales get enough sun for solar?
Yes. South Wales fares better than the wetter, hillier north; south-facing roofs are key. Even the cloudiest UK regions generate enough for a workable return because grid electricity is expensive, the maths runs on the ~27p/kWh you avoid buying, not on wall-to-wall sunshine.