How much do solar panels cost in 2026?
The short answer: a 6.6kW solar system, the most common size in Australia, costs $4,500 to $7,000 fully installed after the federal STC discount is applied. That covers panels, inverter, mounting, labour, electrical work and grid paperwork from a CEC-accredited installer.
Step up to a 10kW system and you are looking at $7,000 to $11,000 installed. A large 13.2kW system, popular with bigger households and EV owners, runs $9,500 to $14,000. These are net prices, meaning the Small-scale Technology Certificate (STC) discount has already been taken off the sticker.
Solar panel prices by system size (after STC discount, 2026)
| System Size | Approx. Panels | Installed Price (after STC) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3kW | 7–8 panels | $3,500–$5,000 | Apartments, small low-use homes |
| 5kW | 11–13 panels | $4,000–$6,000 | Couples, smaller households |
| 6.6kW ★ Most Popular | 15–17 panels | $4,500–$7,000 | Average 3–4 bed home |
| 10kW | 23–25 panels | $7,000–$11,000 | Large homes, high daytime use |
| 13.2kW | 30–33 panels | $9,500–$14,000 | Big homes, EV owners, pre-battery |
Indicative ranges for CEC-accredited supply and installation in metro areas. Premium panels, microinverters, optimisers, rural locations and tricky roofs push prices higher. Correct as at June 2026.
Why is 6.6kW so common? It pairs neatly with a 5kW inverter (panels are usually oversized about 1.3 times the inverter), it fits most rooftops, and it sits in the sweet spot for the STC discount. For most families it is the size that pays itself off fastest. We break the sizing decision down in our 5kW vs 10kW guide.
Prices, sunlight and output by state
Two identical systems in Darwin and Hobart do not produce the same power or pay back at the same speed. Northern states get far more peak sun hours, so the same panels generate more and the bill savings stack up faster. Here is roughly what a 6.6kW system does around the country:
| State (Capital) | Peak Sun Hrs/Day | 6.6kW Yearly Output | Typical Yearly Saving | Realistic Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW (Sydney) | 4.4 | ~9,000 | $1,200–$1,700 | 3.5–5 yrs |
| VIC (Melbourne) | 3.6 | ~7,400 | $1,050–$1,500 | 4–6 yrs |
| QLD (Brisbane) ★ | 5.2 | ~10,500 | $1,300–$1,800 | 3–4.5 yrs |
| SA (Adelaide) | 4.6 | ~9,400 | $1,300–$1,900 | 3–4.5 yrs |
| WA (Perth) | 5.0 | ~10,200 | $1,100–$1,500 | 4–5.5 yrs |
| TAS (Hobart) | 3.5 | ~7,200 | $1,050–$1,450 | 4.5–6 yrs |
| ACT (Canberra) | 4.6 | ~9,400 | $1,200–$1,650 | 3.5–5 yrs |
| NT (Darwin) | 5.9 | ~12,000 | $1,300–$1,800 | 4–5.5 yrs |
Indicative figures for a quality 6.6kW system without a battery, assuming 30–40% daytime self-consumption, grid power around 28–45c/kWh and feed-in tariffs of 3–10c/kWh. Your roof, shading, usage pattern and retailer change the result. Correct as at June 2026.
Installed prices are fairly consistent between the capital cities because hardware and labour markets are national. The bigger swing is in output and savings, driven by sunlight and by your state's electricity prices and feed-in tariff. South Australians, for example, pay some of the highest grid prices in the country, so every kWh of solar they use themselves is worth more. Regional and rural installs usually add a travel premium of a few hundred dollars on top of the metro figures above.
Cost per watt: the number that cuts through marketing
The cleanest way to compare quotes is dollars per watt. Take the total installed price and divide by the system size in watts. A 6.6kW system at $5,940 works out to $0.90 per watt.
- ✓$0.90 to $1.30 per watt: the healthy range in 2026 for tier-one panels and a reputable inverter with real warranties.
- ✓$1.30 to $1.80 per watt: premium gear (high-efficiency panels, microinverters or optimisers) or a difficult roof.
- ✗Under $0.80 per watt: a red flag. It usually means budget panels, a budget string inverter, or a warranty that will not be honoured in ten years.
What actually changes the price
Two homes on the same street can get very different quotes. The big drivers are:
- ✓Panel brand and efficiency. Tier-one names cost more upfront but degrade slower and hold warranty value.
- ✓Inverter type. A single string inverter is cheapest. Microinverters and optimisers cost more but handle shade and complex roofs better.
- ✓Roof complexity. Two-storey, tile, steep pitch or multiple roof faces all add labour and rail.
- ✓Location and STC zone. Your zone changes the discount, and rural installs carry a travel premium.
- ✓Switchboard upgrades. Older boards sometimes need work before solar can be safely connected.
How the STC discount works (the federal solar rebate)
The Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) is the federal incentive behind almost every solar quote. Your system earns Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) based on its size and expected generation where you live. Your installer sells those certificates and takes the value off your price upfront.
For a 6.6kW system the STC discount is worth roughly $2,500 to $3,500 in 2026, depending on your zone and the certificate market price. There is no paperwork for you. The catch worth knowing: the scheme winds down a step every year and ends in 2030, so the discount shrinks slightly each January. Read the full breakdown in our solar rebates and incentives guide.
What installers won't tell you about the price
The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest system. Here is what gets buried in the sales pitch.
- ✗"Free solar" and "$0 upfront" are marketing, not gifts. They are finance deals or hard-sell hooks. You still pay, often more, once interest or inflated pricing is baked in.
- ✗The rock-bottom $/W quote usually swaps in budget panels and a no-name inverter. The inverter is the part most likely to fail first. A cheap one failing out of warranty can cost $1,500+ to replace.
- ✗Savings estimates assume you use most of your solar during the day. If the house is empty 9 to 5, your real self-consumption is closer to 30%, the payback is longer than quoted, and that is precisely why a battery gets pushed at you.
- ✗A 25-year panel warranty is only as good as the company behind it. Plenty of installers that sold cheap systems a decade ago no longer exist. Warranty claims die with the business.
None of this means solar is a bad deal. It is one of the best home investments available in Australia. It means you should compare on total installed price, component quality and the installer's track record, not on the headline number alone.
What a fair quote should include
A legitimate, fully installed quote from a CEC-accredited installer should always cover:
- ✓Panels, mounting rails and roof attachments
- ✓Inverter (string, micro or hybrid if battery-ready)
- ✓All cabling, isolators and electrical work
- ✓Installation labour by CEC-accredited installers
- ✓Grid connection application and meter configuration
- ✓STC discount applied at the point of sale
- ✓Monitoring app and a proper handover
Quotes that strip out the meter change, switchboard upgrade or grid paperwork to look cheaper. Always ask for an all-inclusive installed price. Our installer vetting checklist lists the exact questions to ask before you sign, and our guide on how to choose a solar installer covers the red flags.
Regional, rural and how to read a quote line by line
The prices above are metro benchmarks. If you live outside the capital cities, expect a regional premium. Installers travel further, may stay overnight, and freight on panels and racking costs more the further you are from a distribution hub. As a rough guide, regional installs add a few hundred dollars, and remote or very rural jobs can add more again. The trade-off is that regional and rural homes often have larger roofs, more sun and bigger bills, so the payback usually still stacks up well.
When a quote lands in your inbox, do not just look at the bottom number. A genuine quote breaks down into parts you can sanity-check:
- ✓Panels: exact make, model and wattage, and how many. Multiply wattage by count to confirm the system size matches what you asked for.
- ✓Inverter: make, model and rating. Check the panel-to-inverter ratio is sensible (commonly up to about 133%).
- ✓Mounting and extras: tilt frames, optimisers or extra rail for a complex roof should be itemised, not hidden.
- ✓STC discount: shown as a clear deduction, with the net price stated.
- ✓Inclusions: meter change, grid application, switchboard work and any travel, all spelled out.
If two quotes differ by a thousand dollars, the breakdown almost always explains why: a better inverter, tier-one panels, included switchboard work, or simply a more established installer who stands behind the job. Comparing line by line, rather than bottom line to bottom line, is how you avoid paying for a cheap system twice.
Frequently asked questions
How much do solar panels cost in Australia in 2026?
A typical 6.6kW system costs $4,500 to $7,000 fully installed after the federal STC discount. Larger 10kW systems run $7,000 to $11,000, and 13.2kW systems run $9,500 to $14,000. Brand, roof and location move the figure within those ranges.
What is the average cost per watt for solar?
Around $0.90 to $1.30 per watt for a quality install after the STC discount. Anything under $0.80 per watt usually means budget components or weak warranties that may not be honoured.
Is the STC rebate already included in solar quotes?
Almost always. Most Australian installers show the net price with the STC discount already applied, so you never claim it yourself. Just confirm the figure you are comparing is the after-discount price.
How much does a 6.6kW solar system cost?
Roughly $4,500 to $7,000 fully installed after the STC discount. It is the most popular size in Australia because it fits most roofs, suits a 5kW inverter and pays back fastest.
Will solar get cheaper if I wait?
Hardware prices are fairly flat while the STC discount shrinks a little every January until the scheme ends in 2030. Waiting usually costs more in lost bill savings than you gain, so the maths favours acting sooner rather than later.