Solar payback calculator

Got a solar quote? Enter the price after rebates and the numbers from your quote and bill to estimate yearly savings and how many years until it pays for itself. The example numbers are placeholders — use your own.

Disclosure: SavySaver does not sell or switch solar systems and is not an accredited comparator. We have no solar affiliate partners on this page, so nothing here earns us a commission. If we add a partner link later, it will be labelled and we may earn a commission — see Disclosures. This is not a whole-of-market comparison.

Your quoteSystem price after rebates and STCs (A$)System size (kW)Expected output (kWh per kW per day) Your installer's quote should state this; it varies by location and roof.

Your billShare of solar you use yourself (%) Higher if you are home in the day or move loads to midday.Usage rate you pay (cents/kWh)Feed-in tariff (cents/kWh)

Estimated yearly saving

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How it works

Yearly output = size × daily output per kW × 365. Saving = output used yourself × your usage rate + exported output × feed-in tariff. Payback = price ÷ yearly saving. It ignores panel degradation, price changes, battery storage and the Solar Sharer free hours, which can reduce the value of daytime self-use.

Before you sign

Get more than one quote from a Clean Energy Council approved retailer and accredited installer.
Check your retailer's current feed-in tariff; many have fallen.
Ask the installer for expected output for your roof, not a generic figure.

Sources

Clean Energy Regulator, Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (STCs).
Clean Energy Council, approved solar retailers and accredited installers.
energy.gov.au, solar guidance for households.

Electricity plan calculator · Solar Sharer

Questions

How is solar payback worked out?

Divide the system price after rebates by the yearly saving. The saving comes from solar you use yourself (at your usage rate) plus solar you export (at your feed-in tariff).

Why does self-use matter so much?

Your usage rate is usually far higher than your feed-in tariff, so each kWh you use yourself saves more than one you export.

Is this a quote?

No. It is arithmetic on numbers you enter. Get written quotes from approved retailers.

General information only, not financial advice. The calculator runs in your browser and doesn't store or send what you enter. SavySaver is an independent, anonymous Australian site.