Most Aussies find out after talking to a salesperson. Get an honest answer first, before anyone tries to sell you anything. Takes 60 seconds, completely free, covers every state.
Real rebates and feed-in tariffs for your state, not generic national averages.
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No jargon. No upsell. Just an honest look at whether solar makes financial sense for your home.
Eight quick questions about your electricity usage, roof, and location. Takes about 60 seconds.
Get an instant, realistic view of whether solar pencils out: payback period, savings estimate, and what actually matters for your home.
If it does make sense, we'll connect you with a vetted installer. 30 reviewed companies in Victoria today, expanding to other states. You pick who to contact. No one calls you out of the blue.
Find out in 60 seconds whether solar's actually worth it for your home, before any salesperson gets involved.
I've done the research so you don't have to. No company has paid to be listed here.
The stuff that actually affects your ROI, but rarely gets explained clearly.
Australia is one of the best countries on earth for solar. Most states get 4.5–6 peak sun hours per day, enough for a 6.6kW system to generate 26–35+ kWh daily depending on where you are.
Solar panels are tested at 25°C. On a Melbourne summer day your roof can hit 60–70°C. Every degree above 25°C reduces output, typically 0.35–0.45% per °C. At 65°C that's a 14–18% reduction on your hottest days.
Feed-in tariffs, what the grid pays for your excess solar, have collapsed almost everywhere in Australia. In Victoria, for example, rates have dropped to as low as $0.01–$0.03/kWh. You're paying ~30¢ to buy power but only getting 1–3¢ when you sell it back. Your state's exact rate is in your free report.
Things to watch for when talking to installers:
One of the most important decisions in your solar setup, and most homeowners don't know it exists.
All panels connect to one central inverter. If one panel underperforms, it drags the whole string down.
Each panel gets its own small inverter. One shaded or faulty panel doesn't affect the others.
In Australia's hot climate, string inverters on a west-facing garage wall can get extremely hot in summer, reducing output. Many Aussie homes also have panels facing multiple directions. A string inverter treats the whole system as one unit, meaning the weakest panel limits the rest. If your roof has any shading or multiple orientations, micro-inverters are worth the extra cost.
Federal rebates apply Australia-wide. State-specific rebates and loans vary. VIC shown below as a worked example. Find your state's rebates →
Applied automatically by your installer at the point of sale, in every state. On a standard 6.6kW system, typically saves ~$1,500 in 2026. Reduces every year until 2030, so earlier is better.
Up to $1,400 rebate plus an optional $1,400 interest-free loan for eligible VIC owner-occupiers. Every state has its own scheme. Check yours.
The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program applies Australia-wide, roughly ~$2,700 off a 10kWh battery. Important: you must have solar panels (existing or new) to qualify. A standalone battery with no solar gets no rebate at all, and makes little financial sense anyway since you'd just be charging it from the grid at full price.
Stack all rebates together in VIC: panel rebate ($1,400) + federal STC (~$1,500) + federal battery rebate (~$2,700) = over $5,600 off a typical solar + battery system upfront. Your free report calculates the equivalent for your own state.
These retailers operate nationally but rates vary by state. Check your state's typical rate →
| Retailer | Feed-In Rate (2026) | Time-of-Use? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AGL | $0.01–$0.03/kWh | Yes | Higher rates during evening peak |
| Origin Energy | $0.01–$0.02/kWh | No | Flat rate, easy to understand |
| Energy Australia | $0.02–$0.03/kWh | Yes | Solar Boost plan available |
| Amber Electric | $0.08–$0.35/kWh | Yes (wholesale) | Variable, can earn more during peaks |
| Tango Energy | $0.02/kWh | No | Competitive flat rate |
| PowerShop | $0.01–$0.02/kWh | No | Popular with solar owners |
| 1st Energy | $0.03/kWh | No | Good flat rate |
Rates indicative only. Last updated May 2026.
Honest articles on the stuff that actually affects your decision.
Victoria has some of the highest electricity prices in Australia, but the maths has changed significantly. Feed-in tariffs have collapsed from 60¢/kWh in 2012 to as low as 1–3¢ today. Solar ROI now depends almost entirely on self-consumption.
"Victoria's Default Feed-in Tariff for 2024–25 has been set at 3.3¢/kWh… significantly lower than retail electricity prices of around 30¢/kWh."
Essential Services Commission Victoria, 2024If you're home during the day and using solar directly, you're saving 30¢ per kWh. If you're exporting, you're earning 1–3¢. That's a 10–30x difference, which is why daytime usage patterns matter more than almost anything else.
☀️ Bottom line: Solar in VIC can still be a great investment in 2026, but only for the right household.
Most people know there's "some kind of solar rebate." Few know exactly what they're entitled to or how much it actually reduces the cost. Here's the full picture for Australian homeowners, state by state.
Two rebates apply no matter where you live. The federal STC rebate saves roughly ~$1,500 on a standard 6.6kW system, applied automatically by your installer. The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program saves roughly ~$2,700 on a 10kWh battery, but only if you have solar panels (existing or new). A standalone battery with no solar gets no rebate and makes little financial sense, since you'd be charging it from the grid at full price with no offset.
VIC ONLY: on top of the above, Victoria's Solar Homes Program adds up to a further $1,400 rebate plus an optional $1,400 interest-free loan for eligible owner-occupiers.
"The Solar Homes Program has helped more than 250,000 Victorian households install solar panels, batteries and solar hot water systems since 2018."
Victorian Government, solar.vic.gov.auEvery state has its own scheme on top of the federal rebates. Find yours on the map above ↑.
🔋 Bottom line: Battery rebates only apply when paired with solar. Rebates reduce every 6 months until 2030, so sooner is better.
The Australian solar industry has had well-documented problems with predatory sales practices. Here are five things that should immediately raise concerns.
"The ACCC has received thousands of complaints about solar businesses... including misleading claims about savings, high-pressure door-to-door sales, and systems installed without adequate site assessments."
Australian Competition & Consumer CommissionWatch for: Same-day pressure to sign · No site inspection before quoting · "Free battery" offers · Unknown panel brands · No CEC accreditation. Get at least 3 quotes and verify installers at cleanenergycouncil.org.au.
⚠️ Bottom line: If you feel pressured, walk away. A good installer is never in a rush.
I spent time working across a few solar companies in Victoria. The product itself is great, but the way a lot of these businesses operate isn't. I watched elderly homeowners get pushed into $15,000–$20,000 systems where the ROI simply didn't stack up. High-pressure tactics. Inflated margins. Companies clearing $10,000 profit per sale on hardware that costs a fraction of that.
The people being sold to weren't stupid. They just didn't have access to honest, independent information before they sat down with a salesperson. By the time the numbers were in front of them, the pressure was already on.
So I built Aussie Solar Info to give everyday Australian homeowners what they should have had from the start: a straight answer on whether solar makes financial sense for their home, before they talk to anyone. If it does, I'll point them toward an installer I'd actually recommend. If it doesn't, I'll say that too.
No fluff, just straight answers.
Yes, completely. The assessment, the report, the installer comparison: all free. I make money only if I connect you with an installer and a job is completed. If solar doesn't make sense for you, I'll tell you that and there's nothing to pay.
No. I only pass your details to one installer, and only if you tick the consent box and confirm you're happy to be introduced. You won't hear from five companies at once. That's the whole point of this site.
I'm not an installer and I don't take money from companies to appear on this site. The 30 companies listed are based on ratings, accreditation, and service quality, not who pays me.
The estimates in your PDF are based on your answers and current rebate and feed-in tariff rates for your specific state. A realistic starting point, not a quote. Accurate figures need your actual bills and a site inspection. I'm upfront about that in every report.
Your personalised report includes an estimated system size, cost breakdown before and after rebates, estimated annual savings, payback period, and honest notes on anything specific to your roof or usage.
Absolutely not. The report is yours to use however you like. If you'd like an introduction to one of our vetted partners (strongest coverage currently in VIC, expanding nationally), that option is there. But there's no pressure and no obligation.
The assessment will tell you that honestly. If your bill is too low, your usage doesn't suit solar, or your roof has too much shading, I'll say so. That honesty is the whole point.
Yes, the free ROI calculator now covers every Australian state and territory, using each state's own feed-in tariff, rebate and loan scheme data. The vetted installer network currently has the deepest coverage in Victoria and is actively expanding to other states. If we don't have a matched installer in your area yet, you'll still get your full independent report.
Still have a question?
Email olly@aussiesolarinfo.comReal rebates and feed-in tariffs for your state, not generic national averages.