Rooftop solar power system prices in Sydney, NSW: How much does a system cost?

Sydney, NSW is home to some of the lowest solar power system prices in Australia. This article takes a look at solar PV prices and how to get the most out of having a system in Sydney.

Solar panel costs have come down for Sydney and the rest of the world

In the past 4-5 years, solar PV system prices have fallen dramatically around the world, making solar power at long last an economically viable energy option for homes, businesses and utilities everywhere from China to the USA to Australia. A huge number of Sydney homes have made an investment in solar power – and even the Sydney City government has got in on the action, with its own plans for a massive, multi-roof solar project.

Before: Solar incentives were key

While the business case for going solar once rested heavily on government incentives, these have been steadily decreased. Most NSW residents who took an interest (or even just read the newspapers) are probably aware of the fact that the state had a generous solar feed-in tariff incentive scheme. For NSW, this scheme could arguably be called the main driver of the state’s solar PV installation boom, which ended abruptly with the state government announcing that the scheme would be scrapped with only a few hours’ notice. Since then, solar installations in NSW have continued steadily but without the hype created by a high-profile incentive scheme, fewer people seem to be aware that solar is still a worthwhile investment.

Now: Incentives for solar still important, but less so

These days, the homes and businesses in Sydney generally make the decision to go solar because solar systems are more affordable than ever. On the other side of the equation is the fact that grid electricity prices are sky-high. The relatively low cost of solar panels for Sydney homes & businesses means that in many cases it’s cheaper to get solar power than it is to continue purchasing power from the grid. This is especially the case if the home or business in question can manage to use a good proportion of its electricity during the daytime.

Of the government incentives that still exist, the federal government’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) remains the most important in keeping solar system prices down. In Sydney, the RET’s contribution to a system’s cost typically works out to be about $0.70 per watt (W).

How much does a solar system cost in Sydney?

Every month Solar Choice publishes data about solar system prices for all of Australia’s major cities–including Sydney–based on figures from our network of installers. Below is a table including system prices for Sydney from March 2014. (The most recent solar PV price index can be found here.)

Instantly compare current prices for a range of installers & system sizes in Sydney: Request a Solar Quote Comparison by entering your details into the form to the right of this page.

 

What size solar system should I buy in Sydney?

The above prices might not mean a lot to you if you’re not sure which system size would be best for you. The best first step for those thinking about installing a system size is to look at a recent power bill. Your bill will show your monthly usage (in kilowatt-hours, kWh) and average daily usage, but the thing it will not tell you is how you use that electricity throughout the day, so some educated guessing is necessary.

The  most common solar system sizes for a home are 1.5 kilowatt (kW), 2kW, 3kW, 4kW, 5kW and sometimes 10kW. As a rule of thumb, 1kW of installed solar capacity will generate about 3.5 kilowatt-hours (kWh, the same unit you’ll see on your power bill) on average throughout the year–so more in the summertime and less in the winter. A 2kW system would therefore produce about 7kWh of power a day on average, while a 10kW solar system would produce about 35kWh of power per day.

As an example: If your power bill says you used around 20kWh per day during the last billing period, and you think you use about 40% of your power at when the sun is down, you can assume that you use around (20kWh x .4 =) 8kWh per day. A properly-installed, tilted & orientated 2kW solar system would produce just about this much power and could be a good choice.

Ready to shop for solar? Compare solar quotes from installers in your area.

Find out what sort of solar installation prices are available from installers who operate in Sydney by filling your details into the Solar Quote Comparison form to the right of this page.

© 2014 Solar Choice Pty Ltd 

Comments

  1. clean or not , yes but only with water NO Chemicals at all. Chemicals will destroy the coting on the panel, if you have heavy bird poop on the panel then just a wet rag and water to remove, do not lean hard on panel it can be damaged. Now water and roof is really slippery so carful because that first step off the roof hurts bad.

  2. Just wondering if there is a certain hat i should or shouldn’t clean the panels on my roof. I have both electricity and water.
    Then you for your help.

  3. Hi,
    Is there a possibility of portable rather than fixed instillation of solar panels. I am currently renting a home and intend to continue to rent houses in the future.

    1. Hi Chris,

      That’s a great question – would be great to have a solar option for renters!

      The only type of system that we’re aware of similar to the one you’re talking about is Plugged Solar in the US – although there are surely other companies out there.

      Another option for renter is community solar gardens – where you own a share of a larger solar farm and receive credits on your electricity bill. This sort of thing is not readily available in Australia, although there are definitely attempts to get such projects up and running.

      Hope you find something that works for you (and definitely let us know if you do!)

  4. Hi,
    I am in the process of designing a new home and looking at using solar power to lower my CO2 footprint.

    When a solar system is installed can this then be used across all three phases of power for maximum savings?

    If it cannot and it must be on a single power phases, what is the limiting factor in what and how much can be put onto this phase?

    Regards
    Nick

    1. Hi Nick,

      There are 3-phase inverters for this purpose which should be accepted by your utility. If you’re considering a solar installation with a single phase inverter to be hooked up to only one of the phases, you’ll need to consult with your utility about whether that is acceptable.

      Best of luck on your project!

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