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Annual Savings Breakdown
25-Year Projection
How to Improve Your Payback
Increase Self-Consumption
Run appliances during the day when your solar is producing. Use timers for dishwashers, washing machines, and pool pumps.
Add a Battery
Store excess solar for evening use. This increases self-consumption to 70-80% and reduces reliance on grid electricity.
Time-of-Use Tariffs
Switch to a time-of-use plan. Solar offsets the most expensive peak rates, maximising your savings per kWh.
Compare Retailers
Shop around for the best feed-in tariff and electricity rates. Even small differences add up over 25 years.
Ready to Start Saving?
Get accurate quotes from SAA-accredited installers in your area and see your real payback period.
Get Free Quotesarrow_forwardHow This Payback Calculator Works
Enter your system size, installed cost (after STC rebate), state, and self-consumption percentage. The calculator uses state-specific sun hours, electricity rates, and feed-in tariffs to project your annual savings and cumulative return over 25 years.
The payback period is when your cumulative savings exceed your system cost. After that point, your solar system is generating pure profit. Most Australian systems reach payback in 3 to 5 years, with 20+ years of savings remaining.
Common Questions
How long does solar take to pay for itself in Australia?
Most residential solar systems pay for themselves in 3 to 5 years in Australia. South Australia averages the fastest payback (under 3 years) due to high electricity prices. Victoria and Tasmania tend to be slower (4-6 years) due to lower sun hours. System cost, self-consumption rate, and electricity tariff are the biggest factors.
What is a good ROI on solar panels?
A typical 6.6kW solar system in Australia delivers a 20-30% annual return on investment, far exceeding term deposits or shares. Over 25 years, a system costing $6,000-$7,000 can save $40,000-$70,000 in electricity costs, depending on tariff inflation and self-consumption.
Does self-consumption affect payback period?
Yes, significantly. Every kWh you use directly from your panels saves you the full retail tariff (28-42c/kWh), while exporting only earns the feed-in tariff (3-10c/kWh). Increasing self-consumption from 30% to 60% can cut your payback period by 1-2 years.