Solar power Darwin: Solar panel installers and costs

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Fortunately, with plenty of sun, Darwin is one of the best cities in Australia to install solar. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, Darwin receives an average of 8-10 hours of sunshine daily. This makes installing solar panels in Darwin a great investment and an environmentally friendly choice. 

Read this Canstar Blue guide to answer any questions you may have about installing solar in Darwin. 

How much do solar panels cost in Darwin?

Purchasing and installing solar panels in Darwin generally costs between $4,700 and $13,000. See the table below to determine which size solar system is in your price range. 

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Source: Solar Choice – March 2025 solar price index. Prices are applied after STC discounts and GST.

Solar panels in Darwin are typically more expensive than the national average. A range of factors influence this such as system size, roof slope, installation complexity and household location in Darwin. Ensure you get quotes from multiple solar installers in Darwin to gain the most accurate price estimate.

Solar panels installers in Darwin

The following list offers some examples of solar installers available in the wider Darwin area:

• Arafura Electrical
• Country Solar NT
• Darwin Solar
• Eco Sparks Solar and Electrical Contractors
• Eco Tech Electrical
• Florence Electrical
• Oneroof Solar
• Origin Energy
• Rimfire Energy Darwin
• SEM Darwin
• Solahart Top End
• SolarCity NT
• Territory Solar Solutions: Solar Darwin
• Top End Solar – Solar Panels Darwin
• Your Green Planet

Darwin solar panel installation rebates and incentives

At the time of writing, the Northern Territory Government currently offers several rebates and incentives to Darwin homeowners, including the Federal STC rebate and the NT Home and Business Battery Scheme.

STCs in the Northern Territory

Available to Darwin and other NT households is an incentive known as Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs). This federal scheme rewards homeowners who install solar by reducing the upfront cost of installing solar panels or hot water systems.

The government allocates a certain number of certificates to each household, which is determined by system size and where in Australia you live. Your solar installer will then use these certificates—capped at $38 per STC according to Solar Choice—to subsidise installation costs.

NT households are in a good position to receive many STCs thanks to Darwin’s significant amount of sun.

Australia is split into four STC zones and Darwin households are in Zone 1, receiving more STCs than those in Zones 2, 3 and 4. This means that solar installation in Darwin is subsidised more than in other major cities like Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.

Home and Business Battery Scheme Northern Territory

Darwin households looking to install a solar battery may be eligible for a grant of $400 per kilowatt-hour of battery capacity, up to a maximum of $12,000, claims the NT Government. Eligible homeowners must be in the NT and install a battery that is virtual power plant capable and on the government list of eligible batteries. The funding can be used for either a simultaneous solar panel and battery installation or a battery on its own for households with solar already installed.

Solar for Multi Dwellings Grant Scheme

Under the Solar for Multi Dwellings Grant Scheme, owners of multi-unit/apartment complexes interested in installing a shared rooftop solar system may be eligible for up to $7,500 per dwelling (or up to 50% of total installation costs). The scheme provides partial cover for the solar components below:

• Shared solar system
• Solar sharing technology
• Smart meters and battery storage systems (if relevant)

Darwin solar feed-in tariffs

Unlike Australia’s eastern states and territories, the NT’s energy market isn’t competitive, meaning households will have their electricity accounts with either Jacana Energy or Rimfire Energy.

The below table compares Jacana Energy’s feed-in tariff with Rimfire Energy.
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Prices sourced from respective retailer’s websites, March 2025
~The NT Government is removing the premium FiT for those receiving this tariff for over four years
*Must install solar system with Rimfire Energy to be eligible

Do I need permission to install solar in Darwin?

Due to the prevalence of cyclones in Darwin and surrounds, the NT Government requires a few conditions to be met before solar can be installed. They are:

• Solar systems certified for high-wind conditions
• Network Connection Agreement and Power Purchase Agreement forms
• A building permit for the solar PV frames and panels

How many solar panels do I need?

The amount and size of solar panels you will need will be dependent on the primary use of your solar panel system. If you plan on self-consuming the energy your solar system generates, you will require enough solar panels to meet your energy needs. Solar Choice have a solar panel calculator that will give you an idea of how many panels you will need as well as estimate the payback period of your system. It’s a good idea to research your energy needs prior to speaking with solar installers, as they may try to upsell you a solar system size that you don’t need.

Another reason people invest in solar panels is to sell unused energy back to the electricity grid. Refer back to the previous Jacana Energy and Rimfire Energy FiTs table to give yourself an idea of what you could get for the excess energy of your household, and keep in mind that the minimum FiT could decrease in time.

Is it worth installing solar panels in Darwin?

While the initial solar investment in Darwin is comparatively costly, there’s still relief in the form of federal incentives, battery rebates and payback estimates.

It’s worth considering that payback periods will vary substantially depending on your household’s energy consumption and how much you’re exporting back into the grid. Installation costs may be more or less than what estimates suggest. Before undertaking any work, it’s important that you collect multiple quotes and look into all of your options to ensure that you get the best deal and solar system for your needs.

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Original reporting by Jared Mullane
Image Source: PBasnet/Shutterstock.com