Skip to main content
Choosing a solar system

What to look for in a solar company and solar system, rebates, getting value for money.

Use the free SunSPOT solar calculator to find the sunniest place on your roof for solar, estimate the best sized system for your home and see your estimated savings with solar and/or a battery.

The premium version of SunSPOT includes shading data and is available to all homes and businesses in Yarra.

The not-for-profit SunSPOT solar calculator was built by the solar engineers at UNSW for the Australian PV Institute.

Solar Savers can provide you with free advice and quotes for quality, affordable solar.

Yarra Council has partnered with Solar Savers, a not-for-profit organisation, to make solar installation easy, affordable and reliable for residents and businesses. 

A qualified solar retailer will look at your bills and your roof and recommend an appropriately sized system. For many homes in Yarra, a system size of approximately 3-4kW may be a suitable size. 

You may want to consider a larger system if you expect an increase in the number of people at home, the time you spend at home, or you’re thinking of adding a battery or electric vehicle.

In general, if you are deciding between two system sizes, it is more cost-effective to install a bigger system upfront.

Choosing system components 

Solar systems have two main components: solar panels and an inverter.

The inverter converts the DC current generated by your solar panels into AC current that is used in your house.

A string inverter is connected to all the solar panels in the system, or string. This is the most common and least costly type of inverter.

With microinverters, each solar panel has its own small inverter, and is not affected if other panels are shaded.

Power optimisers achieve a similar result by splitting a string inverter into separate sections.  

A hybrid inverter is often used for solar systems with batteries. Many hybrid inverters can also enable a battery to power your house during a power outage.  

Solar Victoria's Solar Panel Buying Guide and CHOICE have more information on choosing an inverter.

To be eligible for a Solar Victoria rebate, choose a Solar Victoria authorised retailer. These companies are New Energy Tech (NET) Approved Sellers.

You may want to look at reviews of a company’s customer service and its track record of installing solar in Australia, or seek recommendations from friends and neighbours. 

Beware of high-pressure sales tactics, door knocking, and cold calling.

Make sure you receive a professional, written quote that includes the details of the offer.

Solar Victoria recommends:

  • Compare multiple quotes for the same sized system
  • Make sure you understand the total purchase price, whether any rebates are included, and when any deposit is required
  • Look for performance specifications, construction quality, and appearance of the panels and mounting system, if this is important to you
  • Find out the average daily and yearly kWh (kilowatt-hours) production of the system
  • Look for long warranties. Solar panels can last more than 25 years and inverters 10-15 years. Many companies now offer longer warranties, but these systems can be costlier. 
  • Find out if someone will inspect the property first to check if extra installation costs might apply
  • Ask how long the wait time is before installation
  • Find out what the installer will be responsible for (e.g. applying the Federal Government STC subsidy, organising metering and switchboard modifications, inspection and paperwork)
  • Ask how long the company has been installing solar PV systems and if they can provide contact details of someone who was happy with their service 
     

Compare multiple quotes before making a decision. Look closely at the details of the offers and compare the features that are important to you. 

Yarra Council subsidies 

Eligible concession card holders can now receive a subsidy up to $3,000 to install solar, electrify or improve thermal comfort through the Yarra Home Energy Upgrades pilot program.

Residents who also receive support services for a health condition that puts them at risk from extreme temperatures may be eligible for up to $10,000 in energy upgrades through Yarra's Climate Safe Rooms pilot program, to upgrade a room in their home so it stays a comfortable temperature on hot and cold days. 

Both these programs have limited places available. 

Solar Victoria rebates

If your household income is less than $210,000 and your home is valued at under $3 million, you may be eligible for a State Government rebate. The Solar Victoria rebate is currently up to $1,400.

If you are eligible for a Solar Victoria rebate, you are also eligible to apply for an interest-free loan from Solar Victoria, up to the value of the rebate.

Eligible rental providers can receive up to two solar rebates per year for solar on rental properties. 

Solar Victoria also offers interest-free loans of up to $8,800 to eligible households to install a solar battery. 

Visit Solar Victoria to find out more about rebates and interest free loans.

STCs

You will also receive a point-of-sale discount on your solar system called STCs, or small-scale technology certificates. This will appear on your quote as a reduction in the total cost.

STCs are a Federal Government incentive available to all small-scale solar systems (under 100kW).

STCs are calculated based on the size of your system, a rating given to your location in Australia, and the number of years remaining until 2030, when the STC scheme is phased out.

For more information on STCs visit the Clean Energy Regulator.

Other costs

There may be other costs associated with installing solar. Some common reasons are:

  • Your electrical switchboard needs upgrading. This is more common in older houses where the original switchboard is still in use.
  • Your roof is difficult to access, for example, because your home is multiple storeys, or attached to other buildings.
  • Your roof is very flat or very steep, and requires tilt frames.
  • Your panels need to be located far from your switchboard or on multiple roof faces, and require additional cabling. 

Solar panels can last more than 25 years and inverters 10-15 years. Some panels come with a 25 year warranty. Inverters may have warranties from 2 to 10 years. Solar Victoria suggests choosing an inverter with a minimum 5-year warranty.

A product warranty, construction warranty or materials warranty covers any manufacturing defects of the panels and inverter. Many companies offer these warranties for around 10 years, with some up to 25 years.

A performance warranty guarantees the output of the system up to a percentage of the output at installation. This indicates the quality of the panels’ performance over time. A typical example of this warranty is a guarantee of 90% output after 10 years, and 80% after 25 years. 

A workmanship or installation warranty covers any problems occurring due to workmanship during installation of the system. 

Some companies also offer optional extra insurance in addition to warranties. Remember to read the fine print on any insurance policies, including excesses.