Free Tool
Balcony Solar Savings Calculator
Enter your details below to see how much a plug-in balcony solar system could generate and save — based on real PVGIS irradiance data for your region.
Solar irradiance varies significantly across the UK — the South West gets roughly 25% more sun than Scotland.
2. Balcony Orientation
Which direction does your balcony railing face? Stand on your balcony and face outward — that direction is your orientation.
Most UK balcony systems are 400–800W. 600W is the most common.
Panel watts and inverter watts are two different limits: a plug-in device may only push 800 VA into the socket, but it can legally carry up to 2,000 W of DC panels behind that inverter — on the brightest days the inverter simply caps its output, which is normal and perfectly legal.
IPS v2 permits one device per power circuit, but that is not the only rule that applies. Engineering Recommendation G98 Issue 2 Amendment 1 2026 still restricts connections to one device per household, and the tighter rule wins — so today the answer is one kit, whatever your consumer unit looks like.
Find this on your energy bill. As of Q1 2026, the Ofgem price cap sets the typical rate at around 24p/kWh.
This is your budget per kit — the totals on the right are multiplied by the number of kits you chose.
Your Estimated Results
Annual Generation
432kWh/yr
1 kit × 600W of panels
Annual Saving
£62/yr
at 24p/kWh
Estimated Payback
15.3years
Based on EcoFlow STREAM at £949
Recommended System
EcoFlow STREAM
£949
All-in-one system with smart app control and optional battery storage
Best all-rounder with smart features
Battery storage is excluded from the plug-in specification, so this one is fitted by a qualified electrician and notified under G98 — the route that already exists. The two routes explained
Estimates based on PVGIS solar irradiance data, adjusted for a typical angled balcony mount (~45–60°). Actual output varies with mounting angle, shading, dust, and system efficiency.
Related reading
Where these numbers come from, and what to check before you spend anything.
- What balcony solar really saves in the UKThe assumptions behind these figures, and how they hold up in real installs.
- How much does balcony solar cost?Kit prices, mounting hardware and the extras the headline price leaves out.
- Best direction for balcony solarWhy south wins, what east or west costs you, and whether north is ever worth it.
- Self-consumption explainedThis calculator assumes 60%. See what your household type actually achieves.
- Plug-in solar compliance checkerCheck a kit against the IPS v2 limits before you spend anything.
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