Executive summary
Rooftop solar remains one of the most effective ways to cut a UK electricity bill, but the economics have shifted. This report sets out realistic 2026 payback figures, the role of export tariffs, and how battery storage changes the return.
For most suitable homes solar still pays back within a sensible horizon — and self-consumption, not export, is where most of the value sits.
Key findings
- Self-consuming your own generation is worth far more than exporting it.
- SEG export rates vary widely between suppliers — shopping around matters.
- Adding a battery lifts self-consumption and can shorten payback for higher-usage homes.
- Roof orientation and shading materially affect generation and payback.
Where solar savings come from
The biggest saving comes from using the electricity you generate instead of buying it from the grid. Export payments via the Smart Export Guarantee add to this, but at lower value per unit.
Matching your usage pattern to daytime generation — or storing it in a battery — is the key to maximising return.
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Methodology
- Payback is modelled from typical UK generation by system size, current unit rates and SEG export rates.
- Battery pairing scenarios use representative storage costs and cycle life.
Sources & references
- Ofgem — Energy price cap — UK regulator's quarterly price cap announcements
- DESNZ — UK energy statistics — Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
- Ofgem — Typical Domestic Consumption Values — Standard usage assumptions for UK households
Figures are checked against primary sources before publication. See our methodology for details.
Editorial note
PowerGuardian publishes independent, UK-focused research, analysis and commentary on household energy costs. Confirmed data, our own estimates, forecasts and scenarios are labelled separately so you can see which is which.
This report is reviewed at each Ofgem price cap announcement and whenever a source dataset it relies on is revised. It was last reviewed on 4 July 2026.
We take no commission from energy suppliers for the rankings, scores or figures shown here.
Read our editorial policy and corrections policy.
