Price of Solar System in Perth: Everything you need to know

One of the best locations in the nation (and the globe) to install a solar power system is Perth, WA. Perth's retail electricity rates are growing along with the rest of Australia's, while the cost of solar installation has decreased dramatically in recent years.

How much power do solar panels produce in Perth?

It's helpful to know what to expect when owning solar panels in Perth, because more sunlight translates into greater savings. Perth is one of Australia's top solar cities, receiving an average of 5.8 hours of "peak sunshine" per square meter per day annually, according to PV Watts. (Australia's own Bureau of Meteorology has a slightly lower figure of 5.3.)

The "fuel" for a solar system is these 5.3-5.8 hours of sunshine. More of this fuel can be captured by the system and converted into usable energy as it gets bigger. In Perth, typical energy output for solar PV systems of various sizes is shown in the table below (assuming a system efficiency of 75%, which is on the low side, to be conservative/safe).

• The angle and tilt at which the solar panels are installed will affect the amount of solar energy produced.

• Because we used historical average data, there may be variations from year to year.

• System performance and efficiency will differ based on the type of solar equipment installed and how well it is installed.

Also Read: Top 10 Most Efficient Solar Panels in Australia

How solar panels can save money for Perth customers

There are two ways that solar power can help households save energy on their electricity bills:

• Solar self-consumption: Using the solar energy directly as it is produced can help you use less energy from the grid (which, in the case of Perth & surrounds, is run by Synergy). This is the major way solar energy in Perth may help you save money.
  

• Solar feed-in tariffs: the amount that you are compensated for any "extra" solar energy you supply to the grid. Because more solar systems have been installed recently, the pricing has changed. Synergy now charges 10 cents per kWh for electricity exported from 3 pm to 9 pm and 2.75 cents per kWh for energy exported at all other times.

The feed-in rate is substantially lower (2.75c-10c/kWh) than the price you pay for power from the grid (29.33c/kWh). Using your solar energy yourself is much more valuable to you than selling it back to the grid. Perth is one of the greatest locations in the nation for installing battery storage because of this disparity and the low cost of solar energy in the city.

In a nutshell, having a solar system on your roof is basically like owning your own power station: 

You can use energy from the solar panels to power your home's appliances, allowing you to forgo your electricity retailer for a portion of your energy requirements. Naturally, you don't use all of your electricity during the day (when your solar panels generate power), therefore, you will occasionally need to "import" energy from the grid after the sun has set or when your usage exceeds what your solar panels can provide.

How much energy does my home use?

The amount of energy used by a household varies depending on the number of people living there, the appliances they use, and how often they are used, but as a "base case," a three-person household uses, on average, 20 to 25 kWh per day over the course of a year. Your home's electricity use habits will determine how much solar energy you consume; however,' however we advise trying to use at least 30% of the energy generated by the sun.x

Government rebates for solar panels for Perth customers

Households and companies installing systems up to 100kW are eligible to earn what is essentially an upfront "discount" off the cost of installing a system under the federal government's small-scale technology certificate (STC) programme. This is a fantastic incentive for anybody wishing to install solar panels in Perth. The beauty of the programme is that you don't have to claim the incentive for yourself – it is passed through to you by the company that sells you your system, so all you have to do is compare the prices they are offering you. The precise amount of this discount depends on a number of factors, including the system location, system size, and certificate price.

This reduction typically covers about 30% of the system's initial cost in Perth. Using the Clean Energy Regulator's calculator as an illustration, we can see that a typical 6.6kW system would provide 82 STCs, or small-scale technology certificates. And at the present certificate price of $36.9, that would result in a refund of $3,025. The quantity of certificates that a solar system will produce decreases year by year. On January 1st, there is an incentive to install solar as soon as possible. 

How much do solar panels cost in Perth?

Since 2020, Solar 365 has published the national average solar prices broken down by cities and system sizes in the Solar 365 Price Index. The network of prescreened solar installers that are included on our free solar quotation comparison tool is what this average is based on.

Using this information, we can determine that, after the STC refund, the typical cost for a 6.6kW solar panel installation in Perth is $4,900.

The price of installing a solar system in Australia has evolved over the past ten years, as can be seen in the table below. Especially noteworthy is the fact that Perth has consistently tracked at a lower average price than the rest of Australia, indicating intense competition for residential solar installations. 

What is the financial return for solar panels in Perth?

For homes and companies all throughout Australia, rooftop solar has become a no-brainer. However, based on our data, Perth is unquestionably one of the finest places for going solar. This is a result of the mix of expensive grid electricity, inexpensive solar systems, and lots of sunshine.

As was already mentioned, using solar energy inside your home or place of business is the key to financial savings with solar in Perth. You can save a lot of money by using solar energy yourself instead of purchasing it from the grid. Your energy bill will be reduced the more solar energy you can use on your own. If you are home during the day, this may be simple to accomplish, but it may also be beneficial to invest in a home energy management system to automate some tasks for you.

Some typical Perth solar installation scenarios are shown in the table below. Please be aware that you might only be able to use a 5kVA inverter, which can support up to 6.6kW of solar panels, if you don't have 3-phase power. 6.6kW of solar panels is hence by far the most typical size for household systems installed in Perth.

Please keep in mind that we've used conservative average pricing figures in the examples below; even greater results might be possible if you can locate a better deal and raise your solar self-consumption rate.

• Assumes energy price of 29.33c / kWh, which is Synergy’s A1 home tariff

• Assumes an average received feed-in-tariff of 5c / kWh

• Average costs used in the analysis come from the Solar 365 Price Index for March 2022

• Your self-consumption rate will vary depending on how you use power in your home. At a higher rate, it means less power is exported to the grid, which improves your financial return

Perth is one of the best places in Australia to install a solar battery

Batteries still cost a lot more than solar panel technology, and Perth residents cannot take advantage of any discounts. In spite of the high cost, installing a battery makes sense in Perth because of the high cost of electricity, especially if you are a larger energy consumer and on a Time of Use (TOU) rate.

In our article titled "Are solar batteries worth it?", we assessed the return on investment for the last five years across all Australian cities using our own proprietary algorithm. The results of the three typical use cases we created are shown in the table below for Perth.

Solar 365 can help you compare solar quotes in Perth

Solar 365 connects solar PV clients with installers who serve their region as Australia's free Solar Energy Brokering and consultation service. We offer thorough quote comparisons for solar energy installations around the nation, including in Perth. You may instantly receive an apples-to-apples comparison of solar quotes (including pricing, product & warranty information) from many businesses that operate in the Perth area by requesting a Quote Comparison through our system by filling out the form on this page. Use the comparison tool below if you're seeking the best solar panels in Perth