5kW Solar systems: Prices output and payback
5kW Solar system prices and costs
The 5kW solar system is the most popular system in Australia with the sheer demand for systems driving down the cost in comparison to smaller system sizes. The cost of a 5kW solar system varies depending on where you reside as there are three major price variables:
- Retail competition in your local market
- The solar rebate applicable to your geographic location
- The quality of the system you wish to install
The table below shows the average price of a 5kW system in major capital cities:
| Adelaide | $5,638 |
| Brisbane | $5,688 |
| Melbourne | $5,689 |
| Perth | $5,488 |
| Sydney | $5,538 |
The prices above are for the full cost of installation of a 5kW system and include GST, the federal solar rebate and assume the system is comprised of good quality components.
5kW solar inverter cost
The prices shown above include the cost of the inverter for a 5kW system. The quality of the inverter is one of the variants in prices between different systems.
Cheap 5kW systems: Beware!
You will often see ads for cheap 5kW systems showing prices below those we use. Do not compare solar power systems on price alone. The reason for the price difference can be explained by:
- Lower quality components
- Shorter or non-existent warranties
- Quality of installation
- After sales service
Value over cost
The prices we use reflect the average cost of a decent 5kW system. We recommend that you consider the value of the system as opposed to the cost.
Buy with confidence
Daily output of a 5kW solar system
The average annual daily output of a 5kW solar power system varies according to sunlight conditions in your geographic location. The table below shows the average daily output of 5kW solar systems in different locations around Australia:
| Adelaide | 21.0kWh |
| Brisbane | 21.0kWh |
| Melbourne | 18.0kWh |
| Perth | 22.0kWh |
| Sydney | 19.5kWh |
Solar output for your property
The total amount of power a 5kW system can produce depends on your location, roof orientation, roof pitch and any shading issues on your rooftop. You can use our calculator for accurate measurement of the solar power output potential according to your site-specific conditions.
Output varies with the season
The output of a 5kW system varies according to the season. You should consider your power consumption during all seasons to ensure that you select the most suitable system size for your needs.
5kW Systems: Savings and payback figures
Both the prices and output of 5kW systems vary according to location and so too do the payback and savings figures. A 5kW system in Melbourne, for example, can payback within six years while in Brisbane it can be less than five years. Below is a snapshot from our calculator which shows the savings and payback results for a 5kW system in Sydney:
Savings vs payback
We recommend considering lifetime savings of a 5kW solar system in conjunction with the payback period. The payback calculation tends to favour lower cost systems that may pay back faster, but do not necessarily generate greater savings over the long term. A better quality 5kW system will perform better and not deteriorate at the rate of a lower cost system.
5kW Solar system calculator
For a more accurate measurement of payback, savings and solar power output of a 5kW system on your rooftop, try our solar calculator. It displays results according to your electricity consumption, rooftop angle and orientation and solar radiation data for your postcode.
How many panels in a 5kW system?
A 5kW solar system will comprise of anywhere between 15 and 20 panels depending on the type of panels you buy. If you buy better quality panels you need less of them. Each panel has dimensions of roughly 1m x 1.7m, so the total rooftop area required to house a 5kW system is between 25.5m2 to 34m2.
If you have room for 20 panels, you may consider upsizing to a 6.6kW solar system with more efficient modules.
