Is solar worth it? What Australian homeowners say in 2026

Three in four solar owners don't regret going solar. Here's what the 2026 data says about savings, batteries, costs and the pitfalls to avoid.

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Key takeaways

  • 3 in 4 of Australian solar owners don't regret going solar, with 45% saying they're saving big on power bills.
  • Australia now has 4.5 million rooftop solar systems, boasting 30.3GW of capacity.
  • According to Finder research, the average quarterly electricity bill is $408.30.

"Reckon it's worth it?" It's the question many Aussies may think when driving past a home with solar panels. And in 2026, homeowners who took the plunge have weighed in.

According to Finder's 2026 Energy Report, 74% of Aussies say they don't regret going solar. Almost half (45%) say they're saving heaps of money by switching to solar, which might explain the rapid uptake across the country.

So whether you're thinking about taking the plunge or curious about what kind of results you can expect from your system, we've got the data on what they cost, expected savings and what Aussies would change about their set-up.

How many Australians have solar?

According to July figures from the Clean Energy Regulator, Australia now has 4.5 million rooftop solar systems and 30.3GW of installed capacity. Batteries are also catching up fast, with battery installs tripling in 2025, according to the Clean Energy Council.

The Clean Energy Council puts rooftop PV capacity at 28.3GW, which is now larger than Australia's entire coal fleet at 22.5GW, and supplies 14.2% of the country's electricity, up from just 7.2% in 2020.

Finder's own survey found South Australia leads adoption among the solar owners it surveyed at 60%, with New South Wales the lowest at 31%.

Did you know?

Australia's rooftop solar (28.3GW) is now bigger than the country's entire coal fleet (22.5GW), and it supplies 14.2% of national electricity, double its 7.2% share back in 2020.

The battery gap: the one thing owners would change

If solar owners did share a single regret, it's not adding a battery during their panel installation, a shared feeling among 30% of Aussies. But the market is racing to close that gap: 221,000 batteries were installed in 2025, three times the 2024 figure, at an attach rate of roughly 28% on new installs.

What a battery actually saves you

A solar battery lets you store the solar you generate during the day and use it at night, cutting how much you draw from the grid. Finder's own analysis puts that reduction at 70% to 90%, saving a Sydney household anywhere between $2,000 and $3,200 or more a year on an $11,000 to $15,000 system.

The ACCC's Electricity Market Inquiry Report found that solar-plus-battery households pay between $329 and $909 a year less than grid-only households, a saving of 20% to 52%. Households that join a virtual power plant (VPP) save even more, between $762 and $1,093 a year, or 57% to 63%.

What solar and battery systems cost in 2026

One of the major roadblocks homeowners face when weighing up solar installation is the upfront investment. As of 2026, here is what the average Aussie could look at spending for a panel and battery installation.

SystemTypical installed price
6.6kW solar$5,000 to $8,200 after rebate
10kW solar$8,000 to $13,500 after rebate
10kWh battery$8,000 to $12,000 before rebate; $5,500 to $9,500 after
13.5kWh battery (e.g. Powerwall 3)About $14,900 installed; about $11,500 after rebate
Source: Solar Choice, Gridly, SolarCalculator and 1Komma5.

How to cut the cost of solar: rebates available in 2026

There's been nation-wide encouragement for solar adoption to reduce heavy reliance on power grids. To ease the transition to solar and make installation more accessible, several rebates and incentives have been introduced.

Depending on your state, you could qualify for a discount on your battery, an interest-free loan or even cashback.

ProgramStateCoversWhat you getKey details
PDRS VPP incentive (BESS2)NSWBatteriesUp to $1,100 for batteries connected to a virtual power plant (VPP)Battery up to 50kWh, but the incentive is only calculated on the first 28kWh.
PDRS apartment and business batteries (BESS3–5)NSWBatteriesCertificate-based upfront discountStarted 1 September 2026. BESS3 covers apartment buildings with 4 or more dwellings sharing one battery.
Solar Homes solar panel rebateVICSolar panelsUp to $1,400, plus the option of an equivalent interest-free loanHousehold income cap of $150,000 from 1 July 2026. The address can’t have received a previous Solar Homes rebate.
Solar for ApartmentsVICShared solarUp to $2,800 per apartment, capped at $140,000 per buildingFor owners corporations. Applications are open until 4 December 2026.
Supercharged Solar for RentersQLDSolar panels (landlords)$2,500 for 3–4kW, $3,000 for 4–5kW, $3,500 for 5kW or moreRent of $1,000 a week or less, individually metered, no existing solar and tenant consent required. First in, first served.
WA Residential Battery SchemeWABatteries$130/kWh up to $1,300 (Synergy) or $380/kWh up to $3,800 (Horizon Power)Stacks with the federal discount. The battery must be enrolled in an approved VPP. No-interest loans up to $10,000 for households earning under $210,000.
REPS VPP incentiveSABatteriesCashback of up to around $2,000, depending on battery sizeNot means-tested, capped at around 28kWh and stacks with the federal rebate.
City of Adelaide Sustainability IncentivesSASolar panels and batteriesCouncil discountsCity of Adelaide council area only. Funding resets each financial year.
Sustainable Household SchemeACTLoan for solar, batteries and moreLoans of $2,000 to $20,000 at 3% interest over up to 10 years, with no upfront feesPrevious applicants are capped at $15,000. Concession card holders can also get up to $5,000 in rebates through the Home Energy Support Program.

How long until solar pays for itself?

Buyback or payback periods are terms that refer to solar panels and batteries "paying themselves off" with the level of generation and savings they provide.

Payback periods have shortened considerably in recent years, as panel prices have fallen and bills have risen. Solar-only systems now typically pay for themselves in 3 to 5 years, down from a historical 7 to 10, while solar and battery systems pay back in roughly 5 to 10 years.

Did you know?

30% of solar owners wish they'd added a battery at install time.

The complaints nobody talks about, and how to avoid them

Not every solar and battery experience has been smooth. The ACCC's Electricity Market Inquiry Report found battery-related consumer complaints were up 107%, mostly relating to unsuitable systems, faulty installs, poor performance and difficulty getting repairs or switching providers.

Finder's own finding revealed a similar dissatisfaction with 25% of solar owners regretting their decision.

While there's no way to 100% guarantee a smooth and positive solar experience, there are ways to minimise dissatisfaction down the line, such as:

  1. Get at least three quotes from accredited installers, not just one.
  2. Check the installer's ratings, independent reviews and confirm they're Clean Energy Council accredited.
  3. Decide on a battery upfront. 30% of owners wish they'd added one and retrofitting one later costs more.
  4. Confirm which rebates apply in your state and what you qualify for.

The verdict

Despite critiques, the majority of solar owners are winning. Solar rebates make the proposition cheaper, plus payback periods are the fastest they've ever been.

Not to mention shared complaints among homeowners can be traced back to bad installs rather than bad technology.

If you're weighing up the overall value of switching to solar power, the first place to start would be to compare solar and battery quotes side by side to get a rough idea of whether it's the right move for you.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Ceyda Erem's headshot

Ceyda Erem is Finder’s senior writer for insurance and has almost 10 years of experience writing about personal finance. Formerly a copywriter for several business and finance clients, Ceyda has written hundreds of articles, guides, blogs and more to ensure Australians stay in the loop about how to best manage their money. She has a Bachelor of Arts, Majoring in Writing from Macquarie University. See full bio

Ceyda's expertise
Ceyda has written 217 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Insurance

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