Compare Solar Plans

How to choose the best solar plan

When choosing the right solar plan for your household there are three main factors you’ll need to consider; the feed-in tariff you are after, the size of your solar system and whether or not you’ll have battery storage.  

To find out more on each of these points, click on the tiles below. 

Find the best solar feed-in tariff

The bread and butter of any good solar plan is its solar feed-in tariff (FiT). This is a credit that can be earned on energy bills for exporting excess solar power back into the grid. FiTs are calculated in cents per kilowatt hour (kWh), with most rates falling between seven cents and 16 cents per kWh. 

Most plans these days offer some kind of FiT for solar customers to cash in on, but these can vary drastically between energy providers and plans, so if you’re planning to export unused solar energy to the grid you’ll want to consider this feature when comparing deals. 

Compare solar feed-in tariffs in each state:

• Solar FiTs in NSW
• Solar FiTs in VIC 
• Solar FiTs in QLD 
• Solar FiTs in SA

Should I get a solar-specific electricity plan?

Some electricity providers offer specialty solar electricity plans for customers with solar panels. These plans generally offer higher-than-average FiTs, with some awarding additional credits or discounts to customers that also installed their solar system through the provider’s preferred installer. 

It should be noted, though, that sometimes solar-specific plans can have with higher usage and supply rates, which could cancel out any savings made via credits earned through the FiT if your household’s energy usage is not monitored carefully. 

Can you still get a good solar feed-in tariff?

While there are still decent solar FiTs available, customers should be aware that feed-in tariffs are declining overall, and a new two-way ‘sun tax’ is set to come into effect in 2025. This will involve not only offering customer rebates for sending electricity back into the grid when needed, but also charging customers for exporting energy during low demand/high supply periods. 

Consider your system size

A plan with a high feed-in tariff isn’t the only way to get a return on your solar investment. This is especially the case if you have a larger system size installed – you may even find in some instances that you could be locked out of certain offers or plans. This is where considering your system size becomes vital when comparing solar plans. 

Residential solar power system sizes in Australia generally range from 2 kilowatts (kW) up to 15kW, although most homes only need between 5kW and 7kW. Not all energy providers however, will accommodate their electricity or solar-specific plans to every size rooftop system. 

It may be the case that some retailers cap their highest feed-in tariff to systems less than 10kW or 15kW, while others may only offer their best deals to those that installed solar through their preferred installer. This means that some households won’t be able to receive as large a credit on their bills for the solar energy they send back to the grid. 

My system is too big for a premium feed-in tariff, what should I do?

If you find yourself locked out of high feed-in tariff plans due to the size of your system, then it may be better instead to focus on shifting your energy usage so that you are utilising more self-generated energy in the home, as opposed to sending it back to the grid for a credit. With this approach, households may benefit most from picking a plan with peak and off-peak times, such as a time of use tariff, or a single rate plan with a lower daily supply or usage charges, instead of one with the highest feed-in tariff. This way, the savings can be accumulated through a reduction in grid energy usage, not just from the credits for exporting solar energy. 

What’s your solar battery storage situation?

The final element of picking the right solar plan for your home is considering your solar energy storage situation – as in, whether you have a solar battery or hope to install one in the future. Adding a solar battery to your system can help extend the usage and value of your solar panel system, as it will allow you to store excess solar power for use during the evening hours. 

While solar batteries can still be used to export energy to the grid in exchange for a solar feed-in tariff, the primary reason to purchase storage should be to facilitate your own energy usage. Selling the excess can bring in extra revenue, but ideally a battery should be there to help you reduce reliance on grid energy, which in turn can help to lower your power bill. 

If you are yet to install a battery, you’ll want to weigh up the way you use energy, how much you’re willing to spend upfront, and how it could impact your existing energy plan. This is important if you’re currently earning a higher government solar feed-in tariff, as modifying your system may make you ineligible for the bigger discount before your official cutoff date.

Can a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) network help me earn more on my solar and battery?

If you have a solar battery, you may also want to consider joining a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) network, which can provide cheaper bills in exchange for allowing a provider to control your battery system. They can be a great way to earn credits on your power bills for sharing your solar energy with those in your local network, however, it should be cautioned that households may lose a certain level of control when it comes to where their solar energy goes. 

The best solar installers in Australia

If you’re thinking about installing solar, our expert installer guides are a great place to start. Here we list some of the top solar installers available in each capital city, as well as a brief overview of their services and their primary contact details so you can jump straight into the quoting process. 

See which installers are available in your local area below:

• Solar Installers in Sydney
• Solar Installers in Melbourne
• Solar Installers in Brisbane 
• Solar Installers in Adelaide 
• Solar Installers in Perth 

Most Satisfied Customers – Solar Installers

Canstar Blue’s Most Satisfied Customers – Solar Installers award is based on the responses of more than 1,300 households with solar. In 2023, our best-rated solar panel installer was Solahart, which was awarded a full five stars for overall satisfaction, customer service and advice, installation process, performance of solar system, set-up cost and durability. 

How do you install solar panels?

In Australia, you’ll need to contact an accredited solar company to install solar panels. Due to government legislation and industry standards, solar installation needs to be carried out by a licenced professional. There are thousands of accredited solar installers across the country where customers can request a quote specific to their circumstances.

How much does solar cost to install?

The overall cost of installing solar in Australia will vary greatly depending on factors such as household size, products used, type of roof and the installation companies’ costs. On average, however, these costs can range anywhere from $3,000 to $12,000. 

Some states and territories may cop higher prices than others, due to the availability of installers and discounts from the Federal Government’s Small-scale Technology Certificate (STC) incentive as these are based on climate zones. 

Typically Western Australians pay the least for their solar installations, whilst those in the Northern Territory tend to fork out the most. 

Solar Providers in Australia

Some electricity providers are better known as players in the solar space than others. These kinds of retailers will typically offer additional services to solar customers, such as higher feed-in tariffs, speciality solar plans, VPP networks or even Buy Now Pay Later solar installations. These retailers may also offer speciality apps or monitoring services to help customers make the most out of their solar investment.

The big players in this space include the likes of: 

• Origin Energy 
• AGL
• EnergyAustralia
• Red Energy 
• Lumo Energy 
• Powershop
• Simply Energy 
• GloBird Energy 
• Nectr
• Energy Locals
• Amber Electric

Most Satisfied Customers – Solar Providers

Canstar Blue’s Most Satisfied Customers – Solar Providers award is based on the responses of more than 2,000 Australian solar customers. In 2023, our best-rated solar retailer was Red Energy, which was awarded a full five stars for overall satisfaction and customer service. 

Outstanding Value Solar Electricity Plans

Canstar Blue’s Outstanding Value Awards are based on our unique value rank methodology and highlights the electricity providers that offer superior prices, value and features for consumers in each eligible state or territory.

Our 2023 winners for solar electricity plans included Red Energy (NSW), CovaU (VIC), EnergyAustralia (QLD), OVO Energy (SA) and Origin Energy (ACT).

Solar Energy State and Territory Guides

As previously mentioned, there is no one-size-fits-all solar energy solution for households and the same goes for each state and territory in Australia. Depending on the climate of the state or territory you live in, the installation costs, discounts, solar feed-in tariffs and availability of solar products, installers and providers may vary significantly. That’s why it is important to ensure you research information relevant to your area or chat to one of your local installers before making a purchase decision. 

For a brief overview what you can expect in regards to household solar in each state or territory, check out our expert guides below:

• Guide to Solar Power in NSW
• Guide to Solar Power in VIC
• Guide to Solar Power in QLD
• Guide to Solar Power in SA
• Guide to Solar Power in ACT
• Guide to Solar Power in TAS
• Guide to Solar Power in NT

Why compare solar plans with Canstar Blue?

About our solar experts

Tara Donnelly, Utilities Editor

Tara Donnelly is Canstar Blue’s Utilities Editor, leading the team that focuses on energy, telecommunications and consumer technology, across news, reviews and how-tos. Tara has spent more than a decade covering these topics in Australia, the US and Canada, which means she’s written about countless product launches and industry changes, including the rise of 5G, Australia’s ongoing NBN rollout, the recent years of energy price volatility and the rise of renewable energy sources.

Tara also has long experience in writing within the comparison industry, giving her great insights into the information consumers want when determining which plan or device will best meet their needs, while time spent in the financial sector before turning her talent to content lets her crunch the numbers on price with ease. Tara leads the coverage of Canstar Blue’s ratings and awards for the internet and phone sectors and is an expert at advising consumers on how to use comparison tools to find the best power, internet or phone deal.

Her expertise has seen her appear in national media including 9 News, 7 News, Sunrise, the ABC, The New Daily and The Sydney Morning Herald.

Breanna Gream, Data Insights Team Lead

Bachelor of Business (Finance) with Distinction & Bachelor of Mathematics (Applied Computational Modelling) with Distinction, QUT

Breanna Gream is Canstar’s Data Insights Team Lead, responsible for developing the methodology and delivering Canstar Blue’s Value Ranking and determining Outstanding Value award winners for the energy and telecommunications sectors. Breanna completed a double Bachelor’s degree in Business, majoring in Finance, and Mathematics, majoring in Applied Computational Modelling, at the Queensland University of Technology.

Breanna enjoys using her skills to help consumers find more suitable utilities plans by transforming complex calculations into a Value Rank that provides a simpler way to compare different products. She most recently developed Value Ranking methodologies for wireless broadband plans and solar energy plans, to make it easier for households to identify plans that provide good value not just in terms of prices but also the features they offer. Breanna’s work on Value Ranking plays a key part in determining the winners of Canstar Blue’s Outstanding Value awards for electricity, gas, solar, phone and internet brands.

Many of the articles published by Canstar Blue feature calculations also undertaken by Breanna and her team, which converts pricing data into easy-to-understand cost forecasts and average price information for readers.

During her time at Canstar Blue, Breanna has developed an in-depth knowledge of product, market and regulatory changes across the electricity, solar, gas, internet and phone sectors, and particularly likes keeping Canstar Blue’s methodologies up to date and reflective of the ever-changing utilities environment. 

When Breanna’s not crunching data, she’s likely to be somewhere remote – two of her favourite things to do are hiking and mountain climbing.