Average home solar system prices have fallen to the $ 0.93 per watt (USD / W) level this month due to various factors including changes in the makeup of the Solar Choice installation network and updated installer prices that we work with. We have now removed 1.5kW, 2kW and added 6kW to our price index as the popularity of 6kW has increased. This has also helped lower the average due to the strong 6kW prices on the market.
Meanwhile, the average prices for popular 5kW systems rose slightly to $ 0.87 / W, or around $ 4,350 out of pocket, compared to November. The Premium and Micro-Inverter options for systems of the same size are around $ 5,950 and $ 6,900, respectively.
Primary offerings are the standard (and most popular) system types that retailers and installers display in Solar Choice's Solar Quote comparisons (see screenshot). They are generally the most affordable offer from a particular installer.
The prices in the following table include both the upfront incentive for small systems via the Renewable Energy Target (STCs) and the GST – they represent the total cost of the system to the customer. We left blank fields where there were only a small number of price points available in our database (usually fewer than 3).
The prices for each system size are color-coded. (Dark red for the highest, dark green for the lowest, yellow / orange for in between).
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List of products used in primary offers
Please note that the following list is in alphabetical order and does not identify any panel-inverter pairings in installation offers.
| Products used in primary offerings | |
| Panels | Inverter |
| BYD | FIG |
| C sun | To bend |
| Canadian Solar | Goodwe |
| EGing | Growatt |
| ET | Huawei |
| To bend | opal |
| Hanwha | SMA |
| infinity | SolarEdge |
| YES solar | Solax |
| Jinko | Solos |
| LG | So far |
| Linuo | Sungrow |
| Phono | Zever Solar |
| QCells | |
| REC | |
| Risen | |
| Seraphim | |
| Suntech | |
| Talesun | |
| Trina | |
| extreme | |
| ZN Shine | |
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Solar system prices for December 2020: $ / W medians, highs and lows
This table contains data for primary, premium, and micro inverter systems. (Click to enlarge.)
The above prices are color-coded for all cities and system sizes across highs, lows and medians. (Dark red for the highest, dark green for the lowest, yellow for the middle. Cells are gray if only a small set of data points was available. Please note that premium and micro-inverter options are not color-coded.)
Premium solar system deals for December 2020
Solar installers and retailers also upload prices for premium solar system offerings on the Solar Choice portal. These offers can then be viewed by Solar Choice customers. The definition of premium is not fixed and quick and usually depends on the choice of components by the installer. Premium offerings often consist of the company's standard panel offering but a different brand of inverters. However, many installers may also offer a high-end brand of panels.
It is important to note that the range of products in these systems will be very different and that not all premium systems are the same in quality;; actually, One company's premium system may be another company's primary offering. Be sure to research the brands on offer before making your decision.
The prices in the tables below include both the upfront incentive for small systems via the Renewable Energy Target (STCs) and the GST – they represent the total cost of the system to the customer. We left blank fields where there were only a small number of price points available in our database (usually fewer than 3).
The prices for each system size are color-coded. (Dark red for the highest, dark green for the lowest, yellow / orange for in between).
List of products used in premium offers
Please note that the following list is in alphabetical order and does not identify any panel-inverter pairings in installation offers. Also note that a premium offer may differ from an installer's main offer in many ways – for example, by including a high-end inverter, high-end solar modules, or both.
| Products used in premium offerings | |
| Panels | Inverter |
| Canadian Solar | FIG |
| ET | Enphase |
| To bend | Fronius |
| YES solar | Goodwe |
| Jinko Solar | Huawei |
| LG | SMA |
| Longi | SolarEdge |
| Phono | Solax |
| Q cell | Sungrow |
| REC | Zeversolar |
| RISEN | |
| Seraphim | |
| Solar world | |
| Solar watt | |
| Solar power | |
| Suntech | |
| Trina | |
Offers for micro-inverter solar systems for December 2020
Micro-inverter systems are generally better equipped for shading problems and multiple roof orientations than standard central / string inverter systems. This article will teach you more about microinverters (and whether they are right for your home).
We also point out that microinverter systems sometimes compete with premium systems even if shade / roof orientations are not an issue, as microinverters are generally viewed as a high end product.
The prices in the tables below include both the upfront incentive for small systems via the Renewable Energy Target (STCs) and the GST – they represent the total cost of the system to the customer. We left blank fields where there were only a small number of price points available in our database (usually fewer than 3).
The prices for each system size are color-coded. (Dark red for the highest, dark green for the lowest, yellow / orange for in between).
List of products used in micro-inverter offerings
Please note that the following list is in alphabetical order and does not identify any panel-inverter pairings in installation offers. We also find that Enphase's microinverters make up the vast majority of its microinverter offerings (around 90%).
Also note that SolarEdge systems do not strictly contain microinverters, but rather power optimizers. However, they are often paired with micro-inverters because they are similarly able to mitigate the effects of shading and multiple roof orientations.
| Products used in micro-inverter offerings | |
| Panels | Inverter |
| Canadian Solar | Enphase |
| GCL | SolarEdge |
| Jinko | |
| LG | |
| Longi | |
| Q cell | |
| REC | |
| Risen | |
| Seraphim | |
| Solar Edge | |
| SolarWatt | |
| Trina | |
| Yingli | |
Historical prices for solar systems (since October 2012)
The historical prices in the tables below do not reflect Darwin, NT prices. See the "About This Data" footnote below for a more detailed description of where this data came from and what it represents.
Historical solar PV price index trend (all primary system sizes, $ / W)
The following graphic provides an overview of the price development for solar PV systems since September 2012. The data points are the average of the average US dollars per week for common system sizes (only 1.5 kW to 5 kW from August 2012 to November 2013, So also including 10 kW from December 2013, with 1.5 kW dropped from November 2017 and 7 kW added, and from June 2019 2 kW dropped and 6 kW added.)
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Since 2008, our knowledge and sophisticated software have enabled over 160,000 Australian households and businesses to make an informed decision about their solar and battery installer.
About this data
The tables and charts in this article are compiled from data from the Solar Choice installation network database, which contains regularly updated pricing and product details from over 100 solar installation companies across Australia. Prices usually do not include fees for installing the meter or additional costs for difficult installations. Darwin price data is not included in any of the charts showing historical trends.
© 2019 Solar Choice Pty Ltd.