Solar Panel Payback Calculator Australia
Find out how quickly your solar panels will pay for themselves. Enter your state, system size, and usage patterns to see your payback period, annual savings, and long-term return.
Solar system costs and payback by size (2026)
| System size | Installed cost* | Annual generation | Typical payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 kW | $4,500 | ~4,000 kWh | 5–7 years |
| 5 kW | $7,000 | ~6,700 kWh | 5–7 years |
| 6.6 kW | $8,500 | ~8,800 kWh | 4–6 years |
| 10 kW | $12,000 | ~13,500 kWh | 5–8 years |
*After STC rebate. Based on Sydney conditions (~4.5 peak solar hours/day). Costs vary by installer, panel quality, and roof access.
Self-consumption: the key variable
How much of your solar generation you consume directly (vs export to the grid) dramatically affects your savings. Because feed-in tariffs are around 5–10 cents/kWh but electricity costs 25–42 cents/kWh to buy, using solar directly is worth 3–8× more than exporting it.
Households that are home during the day typically self-consume 40–60% of generation. Empty houses during working hours may self-consume only 20–30%. Shifting discretionary loads (dishwasher, pool pump, washing machine) to solar hours improves self-consumption significantly.