All about solar energy in NSW

Solar energy is booming at full tilt in New South Wales. With many households shifting to renewable sources of power, the state is set to go all green in the coming few decades. The NSW government aims to achieve net-zero emissions by the year 2050. 

Solar incentives in NSW

In order to promote the usage of solar and other renewable sources of power, the government has set two financial incentives for their people to go green and save more:

1. Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) in NSW: On the installation of a renewable power generation system, the Australian government awards STCs to the customers which can be claimed for a rebate (or a refund). This rebate depends on the installation year and the location at which it is being installed.
2. Feed-in Tariffs (FiT): In case of excess electricity production, the unused electricity can be sent to the main electricity grid. Your electricity retailer will then give you ‘Feed-in tariffs’. It is a payment that your electricity provider will give you with a small subtraction from your power bills for every kWh of the excess power exported. This is about 7-12 cents per kWh.

Solar Panel costs in NSW

Costs of solar panel systems largely depend on the capacity and size of the systems. The cost usually varies between $3400 and $7700 for standard solar energy systems in NSW. Prices of solar power systems in NSW are noticeably cheaper than the national average. You can compare the estimated cost of solar panels in NSW with the rest of the nation below:

*These are estimated prices in Sydney. The actual cost depends on your location in Australia and the year of installation.

Present Solar Scenario in NSW

NSW has approximately 6,39,000 rooftop solar photovoltaic installations contributing to about 24.6% of households. About 296,000 households and small-scale businesses have solar hot water. NSW is the second-largest solar state in Australia after Queensland.