What installers quote in Brisbane: 3 kW to 20 kW
We do not yet hold ten checked quotes for Brisbane, so the solar power (solar PV) system prices below are the Solar Choice standard and premium installer offers for Brisbane in October 2026, after the STC discount and GST inclusive. They are offers submitted by installers, not quotes received by homeowners. Submit the quote you have at the quote check; once ten or more Brisbane quotes exist we publish the median and quartiles here with the count.
| System | Standard offer | Premium offer | STC discount (Zone 3) | $ per watt | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 kW | $4,120 | $4,920 | 20 STCs, $780 | 1.37 to 1.64 | index |
| 5 kW | $5,550 | $6,600 | 34 STCs, $1,326 | 1.11 to 1.32 | index |
| 6.6 kW | $6,756 | $8,020 | 45 STCs, $1,755 | 1.02 to 1.22 | derived |
| 8 kW | $7,900 | $9,363 | 55 STCs, $2,145 | 0.99 to 1.17 | derived |
| 10 kW | $9,460 | $11,210 | 69 STCs, $2,691 | 0.95 to 1.12 | index |
| 13 kW | $11,985 | $14,202 | 89 STCs, $3,471 | 0.92 to 1.09 | derived |
| 20 kW | $17,876 | $21,183 | 138 STCs, $5,382 | 0.89 to 1.06 | derived |
Source: Solar Choice Price Index, October 2026, standard and premium installer offers after STCs. Basis of each figure: 3, 5 and 10 kW cells are published by Solar Choice; 6.6 kW and 8 kW are interpolated and 13 kW and 20 kW scaled by Solar Scorecard at the same dollars per watt (derived); cities Solar Choice does not index use the nearest indexed capital. Where our own quotes series holds ten or more checks for a city and size, that cell is replaced by the quotes median and marked with its count.
Basis: "index" rows are published Solar Choice sizes; 6.6 kW and 8 kW are interpolated between 6, 7 and 10 kW; 13 kW and 20 kW are scaled from 10 kW with the Solar Choice commercial index. In full sentences: a standard 6.6 kW system in Brisbane is $6,756, or 1.02 dollars per watt, and a standard 10 kW system is $9,460, or 0.95 dollars per watt, in October 2026.
Sizes between the rows, such as 15 kW, sit between the 13 kW and 20 kW figures. The residential index stops at 20 kW; for 25 kW and larger, mostly business sites, see commercial solar prices in Brisbane.
Local facts for solar in Brisbane
- Network. Energex allows up to 10 kVA of inverter and 5 kW of export on a single-phase home, and 30 kVA and 15 kW on three phase.
- STC zone. Zone 3: a 6.6 kW system earns 45 certificates, $1,755 off the price at $39 each.
- Output. 1,533 kWh per kW a year at the Brisbane Bureau of Meteorology station, about 10,118 kWh a year from 6.6 kW.
- Grid and feed-in. 30c per kWh from the grid in Queensland against 5.0c for export, so power used at home is worth more than power sold.
- Installs. 11,427 small-scale solar systems went in across the 31 Brisbane suburb postcodes on this page between October 2025 and September 2026, averaging 10.3 kW.
What the add-ons cost in Brisbane: four worked quotes
One range hides the add-ons. These four worked quotes start from the Brisbane standard 6.6 kW offer of $6,756 and add each extra as a line item, using typical ranges. A quote that bundles these into one number is the one to question.
| Scenario | Base system | Add-ons (line items) | Expected total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single storey, tin roof, single phase, no shading | $6,756 | none | $6,756 to $8,020 |
| Two storey, tile roof | $6,756 | edge protection or scaffold $1,000 to $3,500; tile roof labour $200 to $600 | $7,956 to $12,120 |
| Three-phase home, single storey tin | $6,756 | three-phase inverter $375 to $1,500 | $7,131 to $9,520 |
| Shaded roof, optimisers or microinverters | $6,756 | optimisers or micros $1,500 to $2,000 | $8,256 to $10,020 |
Price index: Brisbane, October 2026
The Solar Scorecard Price Index reading for Brisbane in October 2026 is $6,756 for a standard 6.6 kW offer and $8,020 for a premium offer, installed after STCs at $39 per certificate. October 2026 is the baseline month; from the next reading this section shows the change month on month and against the baseline. Next review 24 November 2026.
The national headline is $6,774 (standard) and $8,084 (premium), or 1.03 to 1.22 dollars per watt. The series is public at /data/pricing-history.json and explained on the price history page.
Get next month's reading by email
The Solar Scorecard Price Index is read once a month. One email on the review date, 24 November 2026 next, with the new 6.6 kW and 10 kW figures for Brisbane and the other capitals, the change on the month and anything that moved in the state schemes or the STC price. No installer calls, no other mail, unsubscribe in one click.
Lifetime cost per kWh in Brisbane
Divide the installed price by what the system makes over 25 years and Brisbane solar costs 2.8 cents per kWh at the standard 6.6 kW offer, against a Queensland grid rate of 30 cents. The 25-year figure uses 1,533 kWh per kW a year from Bureau of Meteorology exposure at Brisbane and 0.5 per cent a year degradation, which gives 238,334 kWh from 6.6 kW.
| System | 25-year generation | Standard offer | Premium offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 kW | 180,556 kWh | 3.1 c | 3.7 c |
| 6.6 kW | 238,334 kWh | 2.8 c | 3.4 c |
| 10 kW | 361,113 kWh | 2.6 c | 3.1 c |
| 13 kW | 469,447 kWh | 2.6 c | 3.0 c |
Network rules in Brisbane: Energex
Homes in Brisbane (4000) connect to the Energex network, and Energex sets the limits that decide which system size is worth paying for.
| Rule | Value |
|---|---|
| Largest inverter on single phase | 10 kVA |
| Export limit on single phase | 5 kW |
| Largest inverter on three phase | 30 kVA |
| Export limit on three phase | 15 kW |
| Flexible (dynamic) export | Yes, up to 10 kW per phase |
Energex did not allow its connection standard to be read automatically on 27 October 2026; the limits above are as reported in published installer guides of 2026 and will be replaced with the standard's own wording at the next review. Ask the installer to write the export limit they applied for on the quote.
On a single-phase connection the export cap is 5 kW, so the extra $2,704 that a 10 kW system costs over 6.6 kW in Brisbane buys panels whose midday output you cannot sell. It only pays if you use that power at home: a battery, an EV charger, a pool pump or daytime hot water. Ask the installer which limit applies to your meter before you choose the size.
Month by month output in Brisbane
A 6.6 kW north-facing system in Brisbane makes about 10,118 kWh a year: 1,116 kWh in Dec and 535 kWh in Jun, from mean daily solar exposure of 5.13 kWh per square metre at Brisbane (Bureau of Meteorology, 1990-2026).
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| kWh | 1,088 | 890 | 860 | 733 | 618 | 535 | 609 | 744 | 873 | 995 | 1,057 | 1,116 |
Roof and climate in Brisbane
Hail. South-east Queensland sees large hail. Ask for the panel's hail rating (the IEC 61215 standard test uses 25 mm ice balls at 23 m/s; some panels are tested to 35 mm or more) and check how the manufacturer's warranty treats hail damage.
Local price drivers in Brisbane
The Brisbane standard offer of $6,756 assumes a single-storey tin roof on single phase with no shading. Each line below is what moves a Brisbane quote off that base, with a typical range. A quote should show them as separate lines; if it does not, ask for them.
| Driver | Typical add-on | Why it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Two storeys (edge protection or scaffold) | $1,000 to $3,500 | Work-at-heights rules require edge protection above the fall threshold; this is a per-job cost, not a per-panel one |
| Tile roof instead of tin | $200 to $600 | Tile hooks and more time on the roof |
| Three-phase inverter | $375 to $1,500 | Needed where the home is three phase and the system is over the single-phase limit |
| Switchboard upgrade | $500 to $2,500 | Old boards without RCDs or space for the solar breaker |
| Export limiter or dynamic export device | $200 to $500 | Where the network caps exports below the inverter size |
| Tilt frames | $75 to $250 per kW | Flat roofs, to lift panels toward north |
| Optimisers or microinverters | $1,500 to $2,000 per system | Shaded or multi-aspect roofs |
Rebates and the STC line in Brisbane
STC Zone 3 ×1.382 certificates per kW
$1,755 off a 6.6kW system in Brisbane: the federal discount your installer deducts at point of sale. Zone 1 (inland far north areas such as Alice Springs) earns the most certificates per kW; Zone 4 (Melbourne, Hobart and southern Victoria) the fewest. Zones follow the Clean Energy Regulator postcode table, not state borders.
- Zone 1 ×1.622
- Zone 2 ×1.536
- Zone 3 ×1.382
- Zone 4 ×1.185
Brisbane is in STC Zone 3. A 6.6 kW system earns 45 certificates (6.6 x 1.382 x 5 years, rounded down), worth $1,755 at $39 per STC; 10 kW earns 69, worth $2,691. Compare these with the STC line on your quote. If the installer values the certificates 10 per cent or more below ours, they are pricing them under the market and recovering the gap elsewhere; ask where. The deeming period falls to 4 years on 1 January 2027, which trims the discount by about 20 per cent.
Battery discount. The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program pays 6.8 STCs per usable kWh on the first 14 kWh, 60 per cent of that from 14 to 28 kWh and 15 per cent from 28 to 50 kWh, about $265 per kWh up to the 14 kWh step at $39 per STC.
| Usable capacity | Eligible kWh | Certificates | Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 kWh | 10 kWh | 68 | $2,652 |
| 14 kWh | 14 kWh | 95 | $3,705 |
| 20 kWh | 17.6 kWh | 119 | $4,641 |
The factor steps down to 5.7 on 1 January 2027.
State support in Queensland. Queensland has no state rebate for owner-occupiers installing solar panels. The Battery Booster rebate closed on 8 May 2024 and has not reopened. Landlords can claim up to $3,500 per rental property under Supercharged Solar for Renters, open since December 2025. Everyone else relies on the federal STC discount and the federal battery discount. Checked at qld.gov.au on 27 October 2026. Full detail on the QLD solar rebates page.
How much a solar battery costs in Brisbane
$6,848 to $9,848 is what a typical 10 kWh battery costs in Brisbane after the $2,652 federal discount in October 2026, from $9,500 to $12,500 installed before it; a 13.5 kWh battery is $8,451 to $11,451 after a $3,549 discount. Battery hardware is priced nationally and the federal discount is the same in every state, so what changes in Brisbane is the solar system beside it and the Queensland support in the rebates section above.
| Battery | Installed, before discount | Federal discount | After discount | With 6.6 kW solar ($6,756) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 kWh | $9,500 to $12,500 | $2,652 | $6,848 to $9,848 | $13,604 to $16,604 |
| 13.5 kWh | $12,000 to $15,000 | $3,549 | $8,451 to $11,451 | $15,207 to $18,207 |
Prices by brand and model are on battery prices 2026, and whether a battery pays for itself is worked on solar and battery cost.
Solar deals and specials in Brisbane: what a real special includes
Specials, solar and battery promotions and deals in Brisbane are worth comparing against the Brisbane index: $6,756 for a standard 6.6 kW system and $8,020 for a premium one after STCs in October 2026. $3,222 is the floor for 6.6 kW in Zone 3: the lowest sourced hardware, award labour and compliance, less the STC discount, before any installer overhead, warranty provision or margin, so a price below it has left something out.
A real special names the panel and inverter models, the mounting, the STC line and the warranty terms, so each line can be checked. Run any offer through the quote check, see what a too-cheap system leaves out in cheap solar, and compare this month's offers on solar deals in Brisbane.
When solar pays for itself in Brisbane
At the standard offer of $6,756 a 6.6 kW system saving $1,391 a year pays back in about 4.9 years; at the premium offer of $8,020 it takes 5.8 years. The saving assumes 35 per cent of the 10,118 kWh is used at home at 30c/kWh and the rest exported at 5.0c. More daytime use shortens it; a feed-in cut lengthens it.
Solar in Brisbane: what is different here
Distribution networks (DNSPs): Energex covers all of metro Brisbane and the broader South-East Queensland triangle (including the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast). The far western fringes of Greater Brisbane edge into Ergon Energy territory.
Brisbane's strong peak sun hours (~5.0/day) and low system cost make for some of the fastest payback periods of any Australian capital, typically 2.8–3.5 years for a sensibly-sized 6.6–10kW system. The Queensland Uniform Tariff Policy means metro Brisbane households pay similar rates to regional QLD even though grid maintenance costs differ.
Energex is one of the most installer-friendly DNSPs in Australia. Standard approvals run 2–3 weeks. Dynamic export (>5kW) is increasingly available in denser metro postcodes, your installer should check rather than defaulting to the static cap.
Queensland weather considerations affect panel choice but not pricing materially. Subtropical humidity and the wet season (December–March) can slow generation but don't damage mainstream-brand panels. Cyclone-rated mounting only becomes mandatory north of about Bundaberg; metro Brisbane sits in standard Wind Region A.
Brisbane's subtropical climate means solar panels produce well even in winter, expect only a 25–30% drop vs summer, compared to 40–50% in southern states.
Brisbane against the other capitals
Perth is the cheapest indexed capital and Darwin the dearest in October 2026; the spread comes from installer density, freight and the STC zone, not panel prices, which are national.
| City | Standard | Premium | STC zone | $/W standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | $5,812 | $7,126 | Zone 3 | 0.88 |
| Brisbane | $6,756 | $8,020 | Zone 3 | 1.02 |
| Canberra | $6,144 | $7,310 | Zone 3 | 0.93 |
| Darwin | $10,250 | $12,260 | Zone 2 | 1.55 |
| Hobart | $7,544 | $8,886 | Zone 4 | 1.14 |
| Melbourne | $6,218 | $7,234 | Zone 4 | 0.94 |
| Sydney | $6,170 | $7,284 | Zone 3 | 0.93 |
| Perth | $5,294 | $6,522 | Zone 3 | 0.80 |
Source: Solar Choice Price Index, October 2026, standard and premium installer offers after STCs. Basis of each figure: 3, 5 and 10 kW cells are published by Solar Choice; 6.6 kW and 8 kW are interpolated and 13 kW and 20 kW scaled by Solar Scorecard at the same dollars per watt (derived); cities Solar Choice does not index use the nearest indexed capital. Where our own quotes series holds ten or more checks for a city and size, that cell is replaced by the quotes median and marked with its count.
Solar panel prices by Brisbane suburb
35 suburb pages carry the postcode installation counts, the council area, the 2021 Census housing mix and the local network limits.
Across the 35 Brisbane suburbs with postcode data, the most active postcode in the last 12 months was Caboolture with 1,062 registered systems and the least active New Farm with 60. Separate houses range from 16.6% of homes in South Brisbane to 94.6% in Ferny Grove; flats peak at 79.7% in South Brisbane. Every listed suburb connects to Energex, so one set of export limits applies.
| Suburb | Council area | Separate houses | Flats | Installs, 12 months | Average size | Systems per 100 dwellings | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caboolture 4510 | Moreton Bay | 83% | 2.6% | 1,062 | 9.1 kW | 80.1 | Energex |
| Ferny Grove 4055 | Brisbane | 94.6% | 3.1% | 788 | 9.2 kW | 82.2 | Energex |
| Carindale 4152 | Brisbane | 72.4% | 6.2% | 641 | 10.7 kW | 55.4 | Energex |
| Everton Park 4053 | Brisbane | 76.6% | 11.3% | 587 | 10.2 kW | 49.5 | Energex |
| Stafford 4053 * | Brisbane | 76.6% | 11.3% | 587 | 10.2 kW | 49.5 | Energex |
| Keperra 4054 | Brisbane | 85.6% | 2.8% | 549 | 8.0 kW | 64.4 | Energex |
| Capalaba 4157 | Redland | 79.3% | 2.4% | 544 | 9.9 kW | 78.7 | Energex |
| Wynnum 4178 | Brisbane | 73.5% | 11.1% | 543 | 10.1 kW | 57.8 | Energex |
| Aspley 4034 | Brisbane | 72.4% | 7.7% | 542 | 10.8 kW | 52.8 | Energex |
| Zillmere 4034 * | Brisbane | 72.4% | 7.7% | 542 | 10.8 kW | 52.8 | Energex |
| Mount Gravatt 4122 | Brisbane | 71.8% | 16% | 525 | 10.7 kW | 50.5 | Energex |
| Sunnybank 4109 | Brisbane | 83.3% | 2.9% | 522 | 11.4 kW | 74.7 | Energex |
| North Lakes 4509 | Moreton Bay | 79.3% | 2.6% | 488 | 10.8 kW | 68.3 | Energex |
| Calamvale 4116 | Brisbane | 74.1% | 0.2% | 386 | 11.1 kW | 78.7 | Energex |
| Acacia Ridge 4110 | Brisbane | 90% | 1.7% | 368 | 11.4 kW | 98.6 | Energex |
| Forest Lake 4078 | Brisbane | 90.6% | 1.6% | 363 | 10.5 kW | 70.7 | Energex |
| Inala 4077 | Brisbane | 70.9% | 1.8% | 359 | 10.0 kW | 52.4 | Energex |
| Eight Mile Plains 4113 | Brisbane | 66.7% | 1.8% | 356 | 10.2 kW | 63.3 | Energex |
| Runcorn 4113 * | Brisbane | 66.7% | 1.8% | 356 | 10.2 kW | 63.3 | Energex |
| Holland Park 4121 | Brisbane | 84.5% | 11.4% | 343 | 10.9 kW | 53.4 | Energex |
| Tarragindi 4121 * | Brisbane | 84.5% | 11.4% | 343 | 10.9 kW | 53.4 | Energex |
| Redcliffe 4020 | Moreton Bay | 62.9% | 27.9% | 337 | 10.5 kW | 51.6 | Energex |
| Indooroopilly 4068 | Brisbane | 44.5% | 47.6% | 292 | 11.3 kW | 32.6 | Energex |
| Booval 4304 | Ipswich | 83.6% | 4.6% | 260 | 9.9 kW | 57.9 | Energex |
| Cleveland 4163 | Redland | 60.4% | 19.5% | 228 | 11.0 kW | 59 | Energex |
| Nundah 4012 | Brisbane | 48.7% | 40.3% | 221 | 11.1 kW | 33.2 | Energex |
| Bulimba 4171 | Brisbane | 54.1% | 31.6% | 211 | 11.7 kW | 43.6 | Energex |
| Moorooka 4105 | Brisbane | 58.7% | 25.1% | 143 | 9.7 kW | 41.1 | Energex |
| Tingalpa 4173 | Brisbane | 79.9% | 2.4% | 133 | 10.7 kW | 65.5 | Energex |
| Toowong 4066 | Brisbane | 32.4% | 64.7% | 125 | 11.0 kW | 21.5 | Energex |
| Chermside 4032 | Brisbane | 42.8% | 42.8% | 118 | 10.5 kW | 26.4 | Energex |
| Annerley 4103 | Brisbane | 45.1% | 38.4% | 113 | 9.8 kW | 31.4 | Energex |
| Paddington 4064 | Brisbane | 52.6% | 38.4% | 110 | 11.0 kW | 32.3 | Energex |
| South Brisbane 4101 | Brisbane | 16.6% | 79.7% | 110 | 10.7 kW | 12.4 | Energex |
| New Farm 4005 | Brisbane | 17.1% | 78.9% | 60 | 14.2 kW | 11.3 | Energex |
* shares a postcode with the suburb above it, so the postcode figures are the same.
Installs and average size are the Clean Energy Regulator postcode counts for the last 12 months; systems per 100 dwellings divides all registrations since 2001 by the 2021 Census count of occupied private dwellings, so it includes replacements. Housing shares are the 2021 Census dwelling structure for the postcode.
Size guides and the quote check for Brisbane
Size pages for this city: 6.6kW solar system in Brisbane, 10kW solar system in Brisbane and all sizes. If you have a quote, check it against the index; for the size your own roof takes and the price for it, read your roof from your address. Deals this month: Brisbane solar deals.
Brisbane solar cost questions
How much does a 6.6kW solar system cost in Brisbane?
$6,756 to $8,020 after the STC discount in October 2026, the standard and premium installer offers in the Solar Choice Brisbane index. That is 1.02 to 1.22 dollars per watt.
How much does a 10kW solar system cost in Brisbane?
$9,460 to $11,210 after STCs in October 2026. The STC discount on 10 kW in Zone 3 is $2,691 (69 certificates at $39).
How much is the STC rebate in Brisbane?
$1,755 on a 6.6 kW system and $2,691 on 10 kW at $39 per certificate: Brisbane is STC Zone 3 (rating 1.382) with a 5-year deeming period in 2026, dropping to 4 years on 1 January 2027.
What does solar cost per kWh in Brisbane over its life?
2.8 cents per kWh at the standard 6.6 kW offer and 3.4 cents at the premium offer, over 25 years at 0.5 per cent a year degradation, against a grid rate of 30 cents.
How long is the payback in Brisbane?
About 4.9 years at the standard offer and 5.8 years at the premium offer, assuming 35 per cent self-consumption, 30c/kWh grid power and a 5.0c feed-in tariff.
How much is a solar battery in Brisbane?
$6,848 to $9,848 for a typical 10 kWh battery after the $2,652 federal discount in October 2026, or $9,500 to $12,500 installed before it; 13.5 kWh is $8,451 to $11,451 after a $3,549 discount. With a standard 6.6 kW system in Brisbane, solar and a 10 kWh battery come to $13,604 to $16,604.
Is solar worth it in Queensland?
Yes at the Brisbane standard offer: $6,756 buys about 10,118 kWh a year and saves about $1,391, a 4.9-year payback on a 25-year panel warranty and 2.8 cents per kWh over its life against 30c from the grid. The full Queensland answer, with and without a battery, is on the Queensland worth-it page.