The answer, state by state
The saving is the output of the system times what each kilowatt-hour is worth to you. Power you use at home replaces grid power at your usage rate; power you export earns the feed-in tariff, which is a fraction of it. On this site every saving assumes 35 per cent self-consumption, the share a working household with daytime appliances typically manages without a battery, and holds tariffs flat. The table uses the standard installer offer for 6.6 kW in each capital from the October 2026 index, the Bureau of Meteorology yield for that city, and the state usage rate and feed-in in the data file.
| State (capital priced) | 6.6 kW price | Output a year | Saving a year | Simple payback | 25-year net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales (Sydney) | $6,170 | 9,398 kWh | $1,363 | 4.5 years | $25,931 |
| Victoria (Melbourne) | $6,218 | 8,672 kWh | $1,049 | 5.9 years | $18,501 |
| Queensland (Brisbane) | $6,756 | 10,118 kWh | $1,391 | 4.9 years | $26,015 |
| South Australia (Adelaide) | $5,812 | 10,118 kWh | $1,614 | 3.6 years | $32,202 |
| Western Australia (Perth) | $5,294 | 10,600 kWh | $1,414 | 3.7 years | $28,008 |
| Tasmania (Hobart) | $7,544 | 8,435 kWh | $1,394 | 5.4 years | $25,303 |
| ACT (Canberra) | $6,144 | 10,362 kWh | $1,383 | 4.4 years | $26,442 |
| Northern Territory (Darwin) | $10,250 | 10,600 kWh | $1,705 | 6.0 years | $29,910 |
Northern Territory saves the most because Darwin combines a 29c usage rate with 1,606 kWh per kW of sun. Victoria saves the least at $1,049, a yield of 1,314 kWh per kW against a 29c rate. The 25-year net is the saving compounded over the panel warranty period at 0.5 per cent output loss a year, minus the purchase price, with no allowance for tariff rises or an inverter replacement.
10 kW systems: more saving, slower payback
A 10 kW system makes about half as much again as 6.6 kW and, at the same 35 per cent self-consumption, exports more of it at the feed-in rate, so the saving per kilowatt is lower. The table prices the standard 10 kW offer in each capital.
| State | 10 kW price | Output a year | Saving a year | Simple payback | 25-year net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | $8,780 | 14,240 kWh | $2,065 | 4.3 years | $39,858 |
| Victoria | $8,920 | 13,140 kWh | $1,590 | 5.6 years | $28,533 |
| Queensland | $9,460 | 15,330 kWh | $2,108 | 4.5 years | $40,193 |
| South Australia | $8,360 | 15,330 kWh | $2,445 | 3.4 years | $49,237 |
| Western Australia | $8,240 | 16,060 kWh | $2,142 | 3.8 years | $42,217 |
| Tasmania | $11,460 | 12,780 kWh | $2,113 | 5.4 years | $38,309 |
| ACT | $8,340 | 15,700 kWh | $2,096 | 4.0 years | $41,032 |
| Northern Territory | $14,930 | 16,060 kWh | $2,583 | 5.8 years | $45,919 |
Where a household can use the midday output, through an electric hot water timer, a pool pump, air conditioning or an electric car charged in daylight, the 10 kW saving rises toward the 6.6 kW rate per kilowatt. The 10 kW size guide works through the export-limit question that comes with the larger inverter.
Self-consumption decides the saving
The single assumption that moves the figure most is how much of the output you use rather than export. In Sydney, at the standard 6.6 kW price of $6,170, the saving runs from $799 a year at 15 per cent self-consumption (a house empty all day) to $2,350 at 70 per cent (someone home, or loads shifted into daylight).
| Share used at home | Saving a year | Simple payback |
|---|---|---|
| 15 per cent | $799 | 7.7 years |
| 35 per cent | $1,363 | 4.5 years |
| 50 per cent | $1,786 | 3.5 years |
| 70 per cent | $2,350 | 2.6 years |
Shifting one load into daylight, usually hot water, is worth more than any other change to a quote. A battery lifts the share further; the battery guide prices whether that step pays for itself.
What the saving looks like on a bill
$1,363 a year in New South Wales is $26 a week or $114 a month; in Victoria $1,049 a year is $87 a month, and in South Australia $1,614 is $134 a month. A quarterly bill falls by about three months of that figure. Retailers show the export credit as a separate line, so the usage reduction and the credit together make up the saving; the daily supply charge does not change.
Two things push the real figure above the table: usage rates have risen most years, and the modelled 35 per cent is conservative for a household that adjusts its habits. Two push it below: shading or a poor roof aspect cuts the yield, and any export limit set by the network (common at 5 kW per phase) clips the midday peak on larger systems.
Solar savings questions
How much do solar panels save on electricity bills in Australia?
$1,049 to $1,705 a year for a 6.6 kW system in October 2026, depending on the state: Victoria is lowest and Northern Territory highest, at 35 per cent of the output used at home. A 10 kW system saves $1,590 to $2,583.
How much do you save with solar panels in Victoria?
$1,049 a year for 6.6 kW on the standard Melbourne offer of $6,218, which is 5.9 years to payback, using 29c usage and 3c feed-in. A 10 kW system saves $1,590.
How much do solar panels save in NSW?
$1,363 a year for 6.6 kW in Sydney at the standard offer of $6,170, paying back in 4.5 years; $2,065 a year for 10 kW.
How much will a 6.6 kW solar system save me?
$1,049 to $1,705 a year by state at 35 per cent self-consumption. In Sydney the same system saves $799 if the house is empty all day and $2,350 if most of the output is used at home.
Does solar pay for itself?
3.6 to 6.0 years is the simple payback on a 6.6 kW system by state in October 2026, against a 25-year panel warranty, so yes on every capital priced here. The 25-year net after the purchase price runs from $18,501 to $32,202.
How much can you save with solar panels and a battery?
$1,705 a year is the top solar-only figure here. A 10 kWh battery adds the value of the power it moves from export to home use, which the battery guide prices by state; the solar saving above does not include it.