Estimate how much solar generation could reduce electricity bills, earn through export payments and offset installation cost.
Electricity used while the panels are generating can replace power bought at the retail unit rate. Surplus electricity can be exported, but the export rate may be lower than the price paid for imported electricity.
Generation depends on roof direction, pitch, shading, location and system performance. Use a property-specific annual generation estimate rather than calculating output from system size alone.
Enter the installer forecast, the share expected to be used at home, current import and export rates, and installation cost to see a simple payback estimate.
Annual generation is split between electricity used at home and electricity exported.
Self-used electricity is valued at the entered import unit rate and exported electricity at the entered export rate.
Simple payback divides installation cost by annual benefit. It does not model panel degradation, finance, maintenance, tariff changes or inflation.
Not necessarily. Appliance behaviour, tariff changes, standby use, household habits and billing periods can make the real figure different.
It is a scheme under which eligible small-scale generators can be paid by participating electricity suppliers for exported power.
It may increase the share of solar electricity used at home, but battery purchase cost, efficiency and lifespan also need to be considered.
Home & Bills
Compare solar panels with buying electricity from the grid.
Read comparisonSolar panels can reduce your electricity bills and give some protection from future price rises, but the upfront cost and payback period matter. Grid electricity has no installation cost and works for every household, but you keep paying full unit rates indefinitely.
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