Reading and Berkshire are in the South-East zone — 5% more irradiance than the UK average. Thames Valley properties often have good roof orientations, and Reading's commuter belt demographic means many households are high electricity users — exactly the profile that benefits most from solar. A 4kW system generates around 3,570 kWh a year.
Select all that apply if your panels will span multiple roof faces.
Already have a battery or thinking of adding one? Include it to see how it affects your payback.
Generation uses a UK baseline of 850 kWh per kWp installed, adjusted for your region's solar irradiance, roof orientation, pitch and shading. South-facing roofs at 30–45° hit the baseline; east/west takes a 15% hit; north loses a third.
Self-consumption defaults to 40% without a battery — the rest exports to the grid. A battery raises self-consumption progressively up to 80% at ~15 kWh capacity.
Savings = self-consumed kWh × your import rate, plus exported kWh × your SEG rate. Apply 0.5% panel degradation per year over the 25-year warranty.
Install cost reflects 2026 UK ranges with 0% VAT (in force until April 2027). Battery cost: roughly £350/kWh installed plus a £2k base.
This is an estimate. Actual generation and quotes vary — get a site survey from an MCS-certified installer before committing.
Use the official MCS register to find certified solar installers in your area. MCS certification is required for SEG payments and grant eligibility.
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