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Solar Power in Northern Rivers NSW
Solar Generation
A solar panel system in Northern Rivers region, including Tweed Heads, Byron Bay, Ballina, Kyogle, Lismore, Casino and Grafton, which is installed with good access to the sun, can get around 4.36 kWh of solar energy per kW installed on average per day throughout the year.
Average daily solar output estimate*
This data assumes an optimal 29° pitch for the Norther Rivers, see next section for details on optimal panel angles.
Northern Rivers receives a very even amount of sun from the start of spring (September), right through to the end of Summer (February). The sunshine starts to decline a little in Autumn and then into winter, with the worst months being May to June.
The best months for solar production in the Northern Rivers are September thru January, which all should produce a little under 5 kWh on average with a well installed system.
Per kW installed
Full year average: 4.36 kWh
Summer (Jan): 4.84 kWh
Winter (Jul): 3.64 kWh
For a 5kW system
Full year average: 21.8 kWh
Summer (Jan): 24.2 kWh
Winter (Jul): 18.2 kWh
Estimated Daily Solar Production | Per kW installed
Optimal panel angle
The optimal panel angle in the Northern Rivers for year round solar production is 29° from the horizontal, and facing due North (0° azimuth). This allows for the most total production throughout the year. However, depending on when you use the most electricity, you may want to consider optimising your installation for different times in the year.
Bear in mind that roofs typically have a pitch of between 15 - 30°, and it usually makes sense if you are installing on a house, to simply lie the panels flat on the roof without changing the angle. This is due to cost, fixing and aesthetics. Installs look nicer when they are flat against the roof, they are more secure, and there is extra costs involved in changing the angle, both in parts and labour.
Here is a guide to the different production you will get throughout the year with different panel angles:
Winter optimised production | 44° pitch*
Per kW installed
Full year average: 4.19 kWh
Summer (Jan): 4.27 kWh
Winter (Jul): 3.89 kWh
Summer optimised production | 14° pitch*
Per kW installed
Full year average: 4.3 kWh
Summer (Jan): 5.2 kWh
Winter (Jul): 3.2 kWh
* This data is purely theoretical, based on solar irradiance and a 12% derating, every installation is different and should expect different outputs.
Battery Systems
For details about installing offgrid and hybrid solar energy storage systems in Northern Rivers, visit our Battery Systems page.
Solar Installers in Northern Rivers
Some of the top ranking installers in Northern Rivers on Google are:
Rainbow Power Company | Nimbin NSW
Northern Rivers Solar & Electrical | North Lismore NSW
Neal Nugent Electrical & Solar | Kyogle NSW
Keen 2B Green | Burleigh Heads QLD
Visit our Solar Installer page to see more solar professionals that have provided great insight on our forum.
Cost of Solar in Northern Rivers
Solar Rebates
Northern Rivers is in zone 3 for the federal STC rebate scheme. This means that for a 5kW system, in 2019 you are eligible for 96 certificates, which at the current price of around $30, you will receive a very handy $2880 off the upfront cost of your system. See our Solar Price Calculator for up to date calculations of STCs on your specific system size, and for a quote on the total cost of a system.
Take a look at the What financial incentives are available? chapter in our Guide to Buying solar for further details.
Solar Quotes & Prices
If you have a quote for a solar installation in Northern Rivers, visit our solar forum and you can have your quote reviewed by our team and community.
Examples of some pricing that we have seen for quotes in NSW STC zone 3 areas:
Panels: 11.1 kW, 30 x 370W Longi | Inverter: Goodwe GW10KL-DT 10kW | Price: AUD$12600 gross ($1.26 per W - based on inverter output). Minus $6000 federal STC rebate = $6600 net
Panels: 9.3 kW, 30 x 310W Trina Honey M Plus | Inverter: Fronius Primo 8.2kW | Price: AUD$12100 gross ($1.51 per W - based on inverter output). Minus $5000 federal STC rebate = $7100 net
Option with LG Neon 2 panels = $11000 net ($2 per W gross)
Panels: 8.64 kW, 27 x 320W REC N | Inverter: SolarEdge HD 8kW | Price: AUD$15500 gross ($1.94 per W - based on inverter output). Minus $5000 federal STC rebate = $10500 net
Includes SolarEdge optimisers and Smartmeter
Checkout Ch 5. How much will a solar power system cost? in our Guide to Buying Solar, for more information on cost, and importantly how much you should spend on a solar system.
Latest solar product reviews and information
We review the best solar panels for your home from the world’s leading brands, including SunPower, REC, Panasonic, Q cells, Trina, and more. These manufacturers offer the highest performance, efficiency, and longest warranties, and they have a proven track record of reliability based on experience and independent testing by PVEL.