Solar Savings Calculator
Step 1: Select your energy daily usage
You can get this information from your past energy bills.
Step 2: Choose your solar panel orientation
Step 3: Choose the Solar System size you plan to install
If you are not sure which solar system is right for your home, check it out here.
Step 4: Percentage of solar comsumption
Estimate the percentage of solar energy you plan to consume. The amount left can be sold back to the grid.
Step 5: Feed-in Tariff
Each state and company offers a different rate. The minimum average feed-in tariff in QLD is 7.50 cents.
Annual Comsumption
Annual Energy Expenses
Estimated Annual Solar Production
Estimated Annual Self-Consumption Savings*
Estimated Annual Feed-in Savings*
Estimated total Annual Savings*
* Based on an electricity rate of 25c/kWh.
Solar Savings Calculator
How much does Solar Energy can save you?
As an electrician and solar installer many people ask me, “How much can I save with solar?”, “Is it really worth it?”, “How long will it take to recover the money invested?”
It is evident that more and more people are making the switch to solar and that is because solar is a great option to save money and obtain energy from an inexhaustible source as is the sun.
The Solar Savings Calculator below will help you get an idea of what you can save with solar depending on your current consumption and the size of solar panel you want to put on your roof.
Once you have set the requested parameters, you will be able to find out:
- Estimated Annual Self-Consumption Savings.
- Estimated Annual Feed-in Savings.
- Estimated total Annual Savings.
If you are not sure about some of the steps from the Solar Savings Calculator, you can check the information below. Please bear in mind that these numbers are indicative and that each situation has to be evaluated individually by solar experts.
Energy Daily Usage
To determine how much you can save with Solar and which system is right for your home, one of the first steps is to look at your electricity bill. For example, an Australian family can consume 41 kWh per day. If you multiply that number by the QLD average electricity rate ($0.23545 per kWh), you’ll find that the typical Australian family is spending over $9 a day which will result in more than $3,000 per year on electricity alone. ($9/day x 365 days = $3,523.50/ year).
You can find your daily consumption on your electricity bills.
Solar Panel Orientation
What is the best direction to face solar panels in Australia? Do solar panels need direct sunlight? When solar took off around 10 years ago, we did the best with the information we had. One common conclusion that we were all told was that north-facing was the only way, but there is more than one way to skin a cat..
The sun rises from the east and sets in the west, so by having a system that has panels evenly split between east-west, we can achieve the same amount of daily production of a north facing roof. But sometimes, when there are no other options, having panels on a south facing roof can still yield results!
Solar System Size
There is no one size fits all when it comes to solar panels. Giving a closed answer to this question without a previous household energy assessment it’s complicated.
The power of the system you’ll need depends on several factors. You can read more about this on our article “Solar Panels: The Ultimate Guide To Get The Right Solar System For Your Home.”
I have created this table to give you an approximate idea of the number of solar panels and the size of the installation. Remember that these numbers are approximate and that there are several factors that can affect the actual size of your system.
| Size of the system | Number of panels | Power generated | Roof space |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3kWh | 10 | 13 kWh/day | 20-25 m2 |
| 4kWh | 13 | 18 kWh/day | 25-30 m2 |
| 5kWh | 17 | 22 kWh/day | 25-30 m2 |
| 6kWh | 20 | 26 kWh/day | 30-40 m2 |
| 7kWh | 23 | 31 kWh/day | 35-45 m2 |
| 8kWh | 27 | 35 kWh/day | 35-45 m2 |
| 9kWh | 30 | 40 kWh/day | 55-60 m2 |
| 10kWh | 33 | 44 kWh/day | 55-60 m2 |
Feed-in Tariff
As you may already know, you can sell the extra energy you produce to the Queensland electricity network. Queensland Government’s Solar Bonus Scheme pays a feed-in tariff for the extra electricity generated from Solar Power Systems. Each company has different Solar Feed-in tariff rates and conditions.
However, the average rate in Queensland is 7.5 per kWh. If you need help finding the best company to sell the extra energy that you produce, you can contact us and we will be happy to help you with any questions you have.
Solar Payback Period
The Payback Period is simply how long it takes for savings on electricity bills to equal the value of getting a solar energy system installed.
A frequently asked question when talking about payback periods is “how long does it take to recover the initial investment”. In other words, how long will it take for you to save on your electricity bill?
Well, I have to say that it depends on many factors and one of them is the geographic location where you live. If you take a look at the graph below you will see that the bigger the system you install is, the shorter the payback period, even though the initial investment it is higher. It seems unreal, right?
But…it is not. And, that it’s the reason why many people are now going solar. In fact, as you can see below, Queensland is one of the places with lower payback period time which makes it even better for Queenslanders to get their solar system.
