How we help you to go solar

Solar Calculator is your resource for going solar. Our quote service helps you find the right system from the best solar companies.

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Run the calculator

Our calculator displays: system size, panel cost, solar production, financial savings and payback period results.

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Getting started guide

Learn about generating solar power at your property. See what rebates and incentives are available to you.

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Get 3 quotes

We organise three quotes from the best solar installers in your area. Compare companies and buy with confidence.

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Panel buying guide

How to buy solar panels well. Information on the best panels, warranties you must know about, comparing prices and companies.

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SOLAR POWER CALCULATOR

Fill in the details about your property and the type of solar power system you are seeking.

1

Household Details

Location is one of the most important variables in calculating solar performance. We use this to apply the sunlight radiation that your system will receive. Your address will also affect the size of the solar rebate you will receive when you purchase your system.
Enter your average bill amount. This helps us determine how much you might be able to save with your solar system purchase.
Select your retailer from the drop-down list.
Tell us if you receive your bill monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly.
2

Solar System Details

1.5kW
20kW
4
Use the toggle to see the effect of energy produced and cost vs savings for different system sizes. Alternatively, you can determine what size solar system is most appropriate for you by clicking here.
This is the average cost of solar panels for your selected system size. The cost includes: your government solar rebate, GST and the installation of your system. You can enter your own cost in the advanced options panel.

How much electricity is used between 8am - 6pm each day?

10%
100%
40%
Estimate the percentage of electricity you use during daylight hours. This is important, as it is more beneficial to directly use the solar power you generate during the day, rather than export it back to the grid. It’s also worth factoring in that your electricity consumption habits will likely change after installing power, to use more power during day. If you’re not at home at all during daylight hours, you may consider adding a solar storage battery to your system.
3

Battery storage options

Do you want to add a solar battery to your system?

Decide whether or not you want to add a solar battery to your system. There are now solar storage options available to consumers, including Tesla’s new Powerwall battery. They don’t come cheap but they can have a positive impact on your solar savings depending on your electricity usage patterns. As a general guide, the more power you use at night the more likely it is that a solar battery is going to be advantageous.
No storage $0 Yes, I want battery$
1.2kWh
28kWh
0kWh
Use the toggle to select your desired battery size. The average cost of the battery will be shown below. This figure can be changed in the advanced options section.
Battery cost
This is the average cost of your selected solar battery.
4

Property Details

Is your roof subject to shading or obstruction?

Estimate how many daylight hours your rooftop solar panels may be subject to shading or obstruction by external objects. Your panels will still likely produce energy during times of shading, unless they are fully obstructed, in what is termed ‘hard shading’. If there is still some exposure to sunlight, for example, overhanging branches, it is estimated solar generation capacity will decrease by 50% during these periods. For accuracy, shading is measured in half-hour increments. If your rooftop is fully obstructed during times of shading, double the amount of hours you select for shading.

0 hours

0.5 hours

1 hours

1.5 hours

2 hours

2.5 hours

Roof pitch

effect-of-sun-on-roof-pitch
0°
45°
25°
The angle or slope of your roof is another variable that will affect the performance of your solar panels. The ideal roof pitch depends on your location in relation to the equator as the angle of the sun differs. For Australian conditions, a roof pitch of 25% is considered ideal, panels can be installed on nearly any roof pitch though and still be effective.

Roof orientation

roof-orientation
N
N
N
The direction that your roof faces will have an impact on the potential performance of your solar power panels. A north-facing roof is ideal in Australia, but many systems will perform well on east, west or even south facing roofs.
5

Finance Options

Do you want to finance your solar system?

It’s possible to finance the purchase of your solar panels and pay nothing upfront. You can add the purchase cost to your home mortgage or take out a specific solar loan. Your choice of financing options will be factored into your solar calculation.
$0 UpfrontPay cash upfront $0 UpfrontAdd to mortgage $0 UpfrontGet a solar loan
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ADVANCED OPTIONS

We use the feed in tariff reported by your electricity retailer. Only change this value if your retailer is not listed, you believe it may change in the near future, or you have been told so otherwise by your retailer. More information on feed in tariffs can be found here. This field uses dollar units, eg. for a 15c feed in tariff, enter '0.15'.
Electricity cost is complex and varies between retailers and consumers. We have applied the rate we feel is most accurate based on the retailer you have selected. If you have the dollar rate per kWh from your recent bill you can enter it here and your results will be even more accurate. This field uses dollar units, eg. for 34c per kWh enter '0.34'.
If you plan on staying connected to the grid, you will have to pay a daily supply charge for the privilege! This important variable is often overlooked when estimating solar savings. Enter the total supply charge for the year.
If you have been quoted a price on the supply and installation of a solar panel system you can enter it here and the calculator will show you results based on that quoted price.
If you have been quoted a price on a solar battery from an installer, enter it into this field to get the relevant power advantages and financial results based on the quoted price.
We have used an inflation rate of 5%. Be aware that solar installers and other online calculators may use much higher inflation rates. Any increase in this rate will have a dramatic affect on your lifetime savings. For 6% inflation enter '6'.
We factor in system degradation of 0.30% annually in line with industry expectations. For a predicted system degradation of 0.60% enter '0.6'.
We have used 25 years as the lifetime of your solar system based on the typical warranty provided by solar panel manufacturers. In all likelihood, your solar system will last well beyond 25 years and continue to deliver great savings. Play around with this figure to see the effect it has on your solar savings eg. for 30 years enter '30'.
Based on current manufacturing expectations, most inverters will need replacing around the 15 year mark. We anticipate the cost of replacement will remain stable as a result of technological advancements. Enter the estimated cost of a new inverter in 15 years time.
Reset options
Calculate

YOUR SOLAR CALCULATOR RESULTS

$0

Annual Savings
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0

Payback Period
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$0

Solar System Cost
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0%

Return On Investment
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0 kW

Optimal
System
Size

0 kWh

Daily
electricity
use

0.0 kWh

Daily
solar
production

0.0tonnes of CO2

Lifetime
emissions
saved

Electricity bill comparison

bando
$0.0 Without solar
$0.0 With solar
$0.0 Lifetime savings

System / Costs / Savings

SOLAR SYSTEM DETAILS

  • Solar system capacity0kW

  • Number of panels (Area m2)0

  • Solar generated daily0.0kWh

  • Daily electricity use0.0kWh

  • Solar energy stored daily0.0kWh

  • Energy fed back into grid (daily)0.0kWh

System Cost & Incentives

  • Solar system cost$0

  • Solar rebate($0)

  • Net system cost$0

  • Cost of electricity per kWh$0.0

  • Feed in tariff incentive$0.0

  • Battery storage cost$0

Saving & Financials

  • Annual savings$0

  • Lifetime savings$0

  • Payback period0.0 years

  • Return on investment0.0%

  • New bill amount$0

  • Annual battery savings$0

Disclaimer

This solar power calculator is indicative only. It is provided to give an estimate only and general guide of the potential savings and benefits of installing and using solar panels and batteries. You can read our full solar calculator disclaimer here.

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Our website attracts the best solar companies in Australia. That means when you request free solar quotes from us, you get three highly reputable and accredited solar installers contacting you to provide a quote on a suitable system.

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How to maximise savingsusing solar power

The best way to make savings from solar power is to use as much electricity during the day when your panels are generating energy; we refer to this as self-consumption.

Unless you have a solar battery, any excess power that you don't use gets exported back to the grid. You will receive a feed-in tariff for each kilowatt-hour you export, but it is only roughly 40% of what you pay for electricity. Factor this in mind when using the calculator, the higher the percentage of electricity you use during the day, the higher your solar savings will be.

sun shining and person realising it's the best time to use solar electricity to maximise savings

Variables in calculatingsolar power output

The output of your solar power system will vary depending on several factors. These factors include weather and climate, roof pitch (angle of your roof), roof orientation, shading or obstruction, the system size you select and the quality of the installation. Each of these elements will affect your system's performance and your potential solar savings.

solar output variables
Location: Sunshine hours
Orientation: Roof direction
Roof pitch: Angle of your roof
Shading: Is sunlight blocked?
System size: More panels = more power

Financial variables

There are also financial variables that affect your solar savings. These include the Australian government solar rebate, any state rebates, your feed-in tariff, the cost of your solar panels and the rate that you pay for your electricity.

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Our calculator factors in all of these variables before displaying your solar results. You can find further information on each facet of generating solar power throughout our site.

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