In Australia between roughly 2010 and mid-2013 1.5kW solar power systems were prevalent, these days the 3.5kW system has become more frequently installed.
The reason for the popularity of the 1.5kW system was due to the way the solar rebate system was set up. The "solar multiplier" component of the solar rebate system meant that solar owners would get twice the rebate for the first 1.5kW's of a solar power system compared to the remaining kW's, so this made installing a 1.5kW system the best value.
The "solar multiplier" part of the rebate scheme is no longer active however this has been replaced, and the system now offers around $700 for every kW of solar generation installed.
How many solar panels does a 1.5kW solar power system have?
A 1.5kW solar power system usually has about 6 250W solar panels sized at 1.6m x 1m taking up approximately 10m² of roof surface area. The image below can indicate the size of a 1.5kW system.
A diagram of the size of a 1.5kW system to scale.
A typical roof-mounted 1.5kW solar power system with 6 x 250W solar panels.
How much power can a 1.5kW solar power system generate?
A 1.5kW solar power system can make between 5.5kWh and 6.5kWh of electricity each day. This amount of electricity can supply 33% of an average Australian homes use, however for a highly efficient home; this size system may provide 100% of the electricity required.
How much money can a 1.5kW solar power system generate?
The amount of cash your system can generate depends on the rate at which you are paid and the actual amount of electricity you feed back into the system. Most states in Australia have a feed-in tariff of 8c per kWh for exported power. Most consumers are paying 30c per kWh for grid power. So there are three possibilities:
- 1. You use 100% of the electricity generated by your solar power system, and this would be a saving of about $700 for the first year and about $20,000 for 20 years.
- 2. 50% of solar electricity is exported saving you about $350 for the first year.
- 3. You sell 100% of your solar power saving $150 for the first year.
How much does a 1.5kW solar power system cost?
The price of a solar power system is ever-changing, the best way to get a realistic idea of cost is to get a Solar Quote from your local solar panel installer.
How long will a 1.5kW system take to pay for itself?
There are many variables associated with performing this calculation. Luckily there is an excellent online solar payback calculator to help you work this out click on the button below to get started.
