Cost of Solar Panels Calculator (Australia)
Free Australian solar panel cost calculator. Estimate after-STC installed cost from your monthly kWh, peak sun hours, A$/W, and STC rebate. 2026 Clean Energy Council and SunWiz data.
Prepared by the Solar Calculator HQ editorial team. Review our formula, source and limitation standards.
Cost of Solar Panels Calculator
System size
4.68 kW
Out-of-pocket cost
$4,917
Net cost after rebate
$4,917
Typical range
$4,180 – $5,655
Near AU median (A$1.05/W after STCs)
Cost per kW: $1,050/kW
How to use this calculator
The calculator turns your usage into a kW system size, then prices it at Australian after-STC market rates. Five inputs:
- Monthly electricity use (kWh) — pull from your AGL, Origin, EnergyAustralia or local retailer bill or My Electricity Tracker. The 2026 AER residential average ranges from 380 kWh/month (apartments) to 700 kWh/month (4-bed detached with ducted A/C). Add 250 to 350 kWh/month for an EV; add 200 to 400 kWh/month if your hot water is electric instead of gas/heat-pump.
- Target offset (%) — 100% means a system sized to match annual usage. Most Australian homes should target 120 to 150% to maximise solar exports during high midday production, since residential FiTs (5 to 10c/kWh) are well below import tariffs (28 to 38c/kWh) — every exported kWh is worth less than every self-consumed kWh, but solar oversizing is still net-positive against zero-import alternatives.
- Peak sun hours/day — Australian annual averages: Brisbane 4.8, Sydney 4.3, Melbourne 3.9, Adelaide 4.4, Perth 4.7, Darwin 5.7, Hobart 3.6, Canberra 4.4. The Clean Energy Council and Bureau of Meteorology peak-sun-hour atlas is the reference.
- Installed cost per watt (after STCs) — the 2026 SunWiz median is A$1.05/W for 6 to 10 kW systems, dropping to A$0.95/W at 10 to 15 kW. Use your actual quoted figure when shopping — quotes below A$0.85/W usually flag inferior panels (Tier-2 brands like Risen, Longi non-Hi-MO) or string inverters with no rapid shutdown.
- Additional rebate (%) — leave at 0 since STCs are baked into the after-STC price field. Add state rebates: Solar Victoria Solar Homes (A$1,400 panel rebate, means-tested), NSW Empowering Homes (interest-free loan up to A$14,000), ACT Sustainable Household Scheme (zero-interest loan up to A$15,000), or SA Home Battery Scheme.
How the math works
annual_target_kWh = monthly_kWh × 12 × (offset% / 100)
system_kW = annual_target_kWh / (peak_sun_hours × 365 × 0.78)
gross_cost = system_kW × 1000 × A$/W (already net of STCs)
range_low/high = gross_cost × 0.85 / 1.15Worked example for a Sydney home using 600 kWh/month:
- Annual target: 600 × 12 × 1.0 = 7,200 kWh
- System size: 7,200 / (4.3 × 365 × 0.78) = 5.88 kW
- After-STC cost at A$1.05/W: 5,880 × A$1.05 = A$6,174
- Typical range: A$5,248 to A$7,100
Australian cost-per-watt by capital city (2026)
SunWiz and Clean Energy Council market data, median CEC-installed price, after STC rebate:
| Capital | A$/W after STCs | 6.6 kW typical | 10 kW typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | A$1.10 | A$7,260 | A$11,000 |
| Melbourne | A$1.05 | A$6,930 | A$10,500 |
| Brisbane | A$1.00 | A$6,600 | A$10,000 |
| Adelaide | A$1.05 | A$6,930 | A$10,500 |
| Perth | A$1.00 | A$6,600 | A$10,000 |
| Hobart | A$1.20 | A$7,920 | A$12,000 |
| Darwin | A$1.30 | A$8,580 | A$13,000 |
| Canberra | A$1.10 | A$7,260 | A$11,000 |
Sources: SunWiz Solar Insights H2 2025, Clean Energy Council quote aggregator, hipages.com.au tradesperson quote panel.
What is and is not included in A$/W
A typical A$1.05/W after-STC turnkey quote includes:
- Tier-1 panels CEC-listed (Trina Solar, Q CELLS, JA Solar, Longi Hi-MO, REC, Jinko)
- CEC-listed inverter (Fronius, Sungrow, Goodwe, Solis, SMA)
- Compliance with AS/NZS 5033 (PV array installation) and AS/NZS 4777.2 (grid connection)
- Distributor application (Form A or A+) and meter reconfiguration
- Clean Energy Regulator STC creation and assignment
- DC isolator (mid-2024 onward: rooftop isolator removed under AS/NZS 5033:2021), AC isolator
- Standard tile or tin roof mounting (Schletter, Sun Wedge, Fast Pak)
- 10-year manufacturer panel warranty (Tier-1 minimum), 10-year inverter warranty
- 5-year workmanship warranty under CEC retailer code
What it does not include:
- Switchboard upgrade — A$800 to A$2,000 (common in pre-2000 homes)
- Three-phase upgrade — A$3,500 to A$6,500 (sometimes required for over-10kW systems)
- Tile-roof premium — A$500 to A$1,200 (Bramac, Monier extra labour)
- Two-storey height premium — A$400 to A$1,000 (scaffolding/EWP hire)
- Battery — A$8,000 to A$12,000 for 10-13.5 kWh after Cheaper Home Batteries discount
- Smart meter if not already installed — A$0 to A$300 (usually free in NEM jurisdictions)
Solar feed-in tariffs by state (2026)
Most state regulators have abolished mandated minimum FiTs, but typical retailer offers in 2026:
- NSW — 4.0 to 8.0c/kWh (deregulated; AGL, Origin, Engie, Red Energy)
- VIC — 3.3c/kWh (Essential Services Commission single rate); 8 to 12c on premium retailer plans
- QLD — 4.5 to 12c/kWh (Energex/Ergon Regional FiT plus retailer top-up)
- SA — 4.0 to 8.5c/kWh (deregulated)
- WA — 2.25c/kWh peak / 10c/kWh peak (Synergy DEBS time-of-export)
- TAS — 8.74c/kWh (Aurora Energy regulated)
- ACT — 6.0 to 10c/kWh (deregulated)
FiTs have declined steadily since 2017 — the math now strongly favours self-consumption. A 13.5 kWh battery shifts 5 to 7 kWh/day from 4c export to 30c+ self-consumption, often turning the battery cash-positive over its 10-year warranty.
Pair this with the payback calculator, ROI calculator, and savings calculator
Cost gives you the up-front outlay; payback tells you when you break even (typically 4 to 7 years in Australia — fastest in the OECD); ROI gives you the lifetime return; savings shows you the year-over-year cash flow.
Sources
- Clean Energy Council retailer code — accredited installer database
- SunWiz Solar Insights H2 2025 — installed pricing trends by state
- AER Default Market Offer 2025-26 — retail electricity rate benchmarks
- Clean Energy Regulator — STC scheme — STC pricing and deeming rules
- DCCEEW Cheaper Home Batteries Program — federal battery rebate
- Bureau of Meteorology solar exposure — peak sun hours by region
- hipages solar cost guide — adder pricing data
Frequently asked questions
How much do solar panels cost in Australia in 2026?
The 2026 Australian median installed cost is A$1.05/W after STC rebate or about A$6,800 for a typical 6.6 kW system, per SunWiz Solar Insights and Clean Energy Council market data. A 10 kW system runs A$10,500 to A$13,500 after STCs. Quotes are normally presented after-STC because the rebate is point-of-sale (assigned to the installer). Adding a 10 to 13 kWh battery costs an additional A$8,000 to A$12,000 after the federal Cheaper Home Batteries discount of A$370/kWh launched July 2025.
How does the STC rebate work?
STCs are tradeable certificates; the clearing-house price is capped at A$40, while open-market and assigned values vary. The official 2026 solar-PV deeming period is 5 years. A 6.6 kW Sydney system in Zone 3 therefore creates about floor(6.6 × 1.382 × 5) = 45 STCs, worth roughly A$1,575-A$1,800 at an illustrative A$35-A$40 each before agent fees. Most retailers show the assigned STC value as a point-of-sale discount. The period falls to 4 years in 2027 and 1 year in 2030.
What is a typical 6.6 kW solar system price in Australia?
A 6.6 kW system fully installed in 2026 typically costs A$6,000 to A$8,500 after STC rebate via a CEC-approved installer. That covers 16 to 18 panels (370-440 W each), a string inverter (Fronius, Sungrow, Goodwe), CEC-listed mounting, distributor application (Form A or A+), Clean Energy Regulator submission, and grid connection. Premium kit (Trina Vertex S+ + Sungrow SG Hybrid, or Q CELLS + Fronius GEN24) runs A$9,000 to A$12,000.
Are CEC-approved installers worth the extra cost?
Yes — required, in fact. Only CEC-approved retailers and accredited installers can claim STCs on your behalf, so a non-CEC installation forfeits roughly A$2,000 to A$3,500 of rebate value on a 6.6 kW system. CEC accreditation also unlocks state rebates (Solar Victoria Solar Homes, NSW Empowering Homes, ACT Sustainable Household Scheme, SA Home Battery Scheme), state-mandated quality standards under AS/NZS 5033, and the federal NCC Section J energy compliance audit trail.
How does the Cheaper Home Batteries Program affect total cost?
The Cheaper Home Batteries Program (federal, started 1 July 2025) discounts approved batteries at A$370/kWh of usable capacity at point of sale, declining to A$330/kWh in 2026 and A$295/kWh in 2027. A 13.5 kWh Tesla Powerwall 3 receives roughly A$4,460 in 2026 (vs. A$5,000 launch year). The discount applies whether the battery is paired with new solar or retrofitted to existing systems, and stacks with state battery rebates in NSW and VIC.