System sizes
10kW solar systems in Melbourne
A 10kW solar system in Melbourne makes about 14,194 kWh a year on a north-facing roof, around 38.9 kWh a day (PVGIS model). It takes 22 or 23 panels and runs on a single phase home within the 10 kW of inverter every Melbourne network pre-approves, with nothing lost to the inverter.
10kW isn’t one of our solar packages, which step from 6.6kW to 15kW on single phase. For scale, Melbourne’s market average for a 10 kW system was $8,920 in October 2026, solar only, after STCs (market data, not our price).
Updated
How much power does a 10kW solar system make in Melbourne?
About 14,194 kWh a year, and about 2.1 times as much on an average summer day as in winter. The table shows the average a day in each season for a north-facing roof in Mount Waverley. Our solar and battery size calculators use the same figures for 10 kW.
| Season | Average a day | Season total |
|---|---|---|
| Summer (December to February) | About 52.1 kWh | About 4,702 kWh |
| Autumn (March to May) | About 33.6 kWh | About 3,096 kWh |
| Winter (June to August) | About 25.1 kWh | About 2,305 kWh |
| Spring (September to November) | About 45.0 kWh | About 4,091 kWh |
| Year | About 38.9 kWh | About 14,194 kWh |
East and west roofs still work: in the same model, 10 kW facing east makes about 12,302 kWh a year (13% less than north), facing west about 12,205 kWh (14% less), and split half east, half west about 12,253 kWh. Shade and pitch change these again; the design for your roof shows its own estimate. The solar calculator compares 10 kW with your use and roof direction.
10kW solar system price in Melbourne
A 10kW system is quoted installed, with the federal STC rebate already taken off. Compare quotes like for like: panels, inverter, mounting, installation, network approval and the rebate paperwork should all be in the price.
| Offer | 10 kW system, installed |
|---|---|
| Standard | $8,920 |
| Premium | $10,410 |
The STC rebate on 10kW, by install year
The index prices already have the STCs taken off. The rebate shrinks every 1 January until the scheme ends in 2030, so the year you install changes the price.
| Installed in | Zone 4 | Zone 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 59 STCs, about $2,200 | 69 STCs, about $2,600 |
| 2027 | 47 STCs, about $1,800 | 55 STCs, about $2,100 |
| 2028 | 35 STCs, about $1,300 | 41 STCs, about $1,600 |
| 2029 | 23 STCs, about $900 | 27 STCs, about $1,000 |
| 2030 | 11 STCs, about $400 | 13 STCs, about $500 |
10kW isn’t one of our packages: on single phase they go 6.6kW, 15kW and 19.8kW, and on three phase 15kW, 21kW and 28kW. We inspect your roof and switchboard and give you a fixed price, in writing, for the package that suits your home, with every federal rebate your home qualifies for already taken off.
How much is a 10kW solar system with a battery?
The market indexes price solar and batteries separately, and adding two of them together gives a wrong figure: they come from different months, areas and groups of installers. So here they are side by side: 10 kW of solar averaged $8,920 in Melbourne in October 2026, installed after the STC rebate (Solar Choice Price Index, October 2026), and the battery figures below are national averages, installed after the federal battery rebate.
| Usable capacity | Battery only | With an inverter |
|---|---|---|
| 10 kWh | $7,784 | $8,284 |
| 20 kWh | $14,972 | $15,772 |
Battery prices depend on the size, the brand and your switchboard, so we don’t publish a list price. We give you a fixed installed price for solar and battery together, with every federal rebate your home qualifies for already taken off.
The solar STCs for 10kW are in the price table above and the battery rebate for each size in thebattery table below.
Can you put a 10kW system on single phase power?
Yes. All five of Melbourne’s networks pre-approve up to 10 kW of inverter on a single phase connection and 30 kW across three phases, so 10 kW of panels fits single phase on one inverter. AusNet Services counts solar and battery inverters together toward that limit, so a battery with its own inverter adds to the total; a hybrid inverter runs both through one. Beyond 10 kW of inverter, a single phase home falls outside the pre-approved connection.
Exports are the tighter limit for a system this size. What each network lets a single phase home send to the grid, as it publishes it (checked October 2026):
- AusNet Services (outer northern and eastern suburbs and eastern Victoria): 5 kW per phase (15 kW across three phases); 3.5 kW on SWER lines. Source
- CitiPower (city and inner suburbs): Set at pre-approval; the fixed limit is to fall to 1.5 kW per phase during 2026–31, with flexible exports of up to 10 kW per phase. Source
- Jemena (northern and north-western suburbs): 5 kVA per phase (15 kVA across three phases). Source
- Powercor (western suburbs and western Victoria): Set at pre-approval; the fixed limit is to fall to 1.5 kW per phase during 2026–31, with flexible exports up to the inverter’s capacity (10 kW maximum). Source
- United Energy (southern suburbs and Mornington Peninsula): Set at pre-approval; the fixed limit is to fall to 1.5 kW per phase during 2026–31, with flexible exports instead. Source
Which inverter suits 10kW of panels?
Without a battery, the SAA Technical Requirements (version 1.9, February 2026) require an inverter whose output is at least 75% of the panels’ peak power: 7.5 kW for 10 kW of panels. Panels on a roof seldom reach their rating. In PVGIS’s hourly model for Melbourne, 10 kW of panels never made more than 9.1 kW in any of the 166,536 hours from 2005 to 2023, so even the smallest allowed inverter loses very little.
| Inverter | Output a year | Lost to the limit |
|---|---|---|
| 10 kW (the largest inverter networks pre-approve on single phase) | About 14,194 kWh | Nothing |
| 8 kW (between the two) | About 14,173 kWh | About 0.1% |
| 7.5 kW (the smallest the SAA allows for 10 kW of panels without a battery) | About 14,105 kWh | About 0.6% |
What a 10kW inverter can run
A 10 kW inverter is the largest the networks pre-approve on single phase. Without a battery it can take up to about 13.3 kW of panels under the 75% rule; with a battery connected the panels can go further. Either way they must stay within the inverter maker’s maximum array size. Our single phase 15kW and 19.8kW packages pair a 10 kW hybrid inverter with more panels this way, subject to the final design. Your quote names the exact inverter model and its maximum array size.
What size battery for a 10kW solar system?
Solar Victoria says homes with solar panels only use around 25% of the power they generate, and homes with a battery around 50 to 60%. On a 10kW system the solar left over after daytime use fills the battery, and with export limits capping what goes to the grid, the battery keeps more of it for the evening. The right size follows your evening use, not the panels.
| Daily use | Suggested battery | Winter evenings covered | Refills on an average day | Federal rebate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 kWh (9 after dark) | 10 kWh | 100% (98% on 6.6kW) | All year | 68 STCs, about $2,600 |
| 20 kWh (12 after dark) | 12.8 kWh | 100% (71% on 6.6kW) | All year | 87 STCs, about $3,300 |
| 25 kWh (15 after dark) | 16 kWh | 90% (44% on 6.6kW) | From August to May | 103 STCs, about $3,900 |
| 30 kWh (18 after dark) | 20 kWh | 73% (25% on 6.6kW) | From September to April | 119 STCs, about $4,500 |
| 40 kWh (24 after dark) | 25 kWh | 38% (5% on 6.6kW) | From October to March | 140 STCs, about $5,300 |
For the calculator’s own example, 20 kWh a day, the suggested 12.8 kWh battery refills all year on 10kW; on 6.6kW the same battery refills only from September to April. That winter margin is what the extra panels buy. Bigger batteries earn less rebate per kWh: the full rate applies to the first 14 kWh and 60% of it from 14 to 28 kWh.
How many solar panels in a 10kW system?
Divide 10,000 W by the panel’s rating and round up. The current ranges on our panels page are rated 435 to 475 W, so a 10kW system takes 22 or 23 panels.
- At 475 W a panel: 22 panels.
- At 435 W a panel: 23 panels.
- Roof space: each panel is about 1.95 to 2.08 m², so the panels cover about 44 to 48 m², before the gaps and access space the layout needs.
Lower-rated panels mean more of them for the same 10 kW, so check the model and wattage on every quote. A roof that won’t take 23 panels facing north can split them across two faces, at the lower east or west output shown above.
10kW vs 6.6kW vs 15kW
| System | Panels | Roof area | Output a year | Winter day | Solar STCs | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.6kW (Our package) | 14–16 | 28–31 m² | About 9,319 kWh (on its 5 kW inverter) | About 16.5 kWh | 39, about $1,500 | Single phase, 5 kW hybrid inverter |
| 10kW (Not a package) | 22–23 | 44–48 m² | About 14,194 kWh (on a 10 kW inverter) | About 25.1 kWh | 59, about $2,200 | Single phase, 7.5 to 10 kW inverter |
| 15kW (Our package) | 32–35 | 64–71 m² | About 20,750 kWh (on its 10 kW inverter) | About 37.6 kWh | 88, about $3,300 | Single phase with a battery (10 kW hybrid), or three phase |
10kW sits between our 6.6kW and 15kW packages. It suits a roof with room for about 23 panels but not 35, or a home whose daily use is above what 6.6kW makes in winter. Step up to 15kW if you are adding an electric car or electric heating, or want a battery that fills on more winter days; stay at 6.6kW if your use is low and most of it is in the evening, where a battery matters more than extra panels.
10kW solar: your questions
How many panels are in a 10kW solar system?
22 or 23 panels of 435 to 475 W, the ratings of the current ranges on our panels page: divide 10,000 W by the panel’s rating and round up. They cover about 44 to 48 m² of roof before the gaps the layout needs. Lower-rated panels mean more of them, so check the wattage on any 10kW quote. Compare panel sizes
How much does a 10kW solar system cost in Melbourne?
Melbourne’s market average for a 10 kW system was $8,920 for a standard offer and $10,410 for a premium one in October 2026, installed with GST and after the STC rebate, solar only (Solar Choice Price Index, October 2026; market data, not our price). 10kW isn’t one of our packages: we give a fixed price for the package that suits your home after a free inspection. Get a fixed price
How much does a 10kW solar system with a battery cost?
The market indexes price them separately. Solar Choice’s indexes give $8,920 for a 10 kW system in Melbourne (October 2026, after STCs) and $7,784 for a 10 kWh battery added to a battery-ready system, nationally (August 2026, after the battery rebate). They come from different months, areas and installers, so adding them doesn’t give a real price; a quote prices the whole system. Solar and battery figures
How much power does a 10kW solar system produce per day?
About 38.9 kWh a day averaged over the year on a north-facing Melbourne roof, or 14,194 kWh a year in the PVGIS model: about 52.1 kWh on an average summer day and 25.1 kWh in winter. East and west-facing roofs make about 13 to 14% less over the year.
Can a single phase home have a 10kW solar system?
Yes. All five of Melbourne’s networks pre-approve up to 10 kW of inverter on a single phase connection, and 10 kW of panels runs on an inverter of 7.5 to 10 kW. What you can send to the grid is usually less, because each network sets its own export limit and some are lowering it. A battery stores the solar you can’t use or export. Network limits for 10kW
What size inverter does a 10kW solar system need?
Without a battery, at least 7.5 kW: the SAA Technical Requirements (version 1.9, February 2026) require the inverter’s output to be at least 75% of the panels’ peak power. In the PVGIS hourly model for Melbourne, 10 kW of panels never made more than 9.1 kW in any hour from 2005 to 2023, so a 10 kW inverter trims nothing and a 7.5 kW one about 0.6% of the year’s output.
Is 10kW right for your Melbourne home?
On a north-facing Melbourne roof, 10 kW of panels reaches about 9.1 kW in its best hours, so what you can send to the grid depends on your street’s network, not the panels. If your street is on CitiPower, Powercor or United Energy, the fixed export limit is to fall to 1.5 kW per phase during 2026–31, with flexible exports as the alternative; AusNet Services publishes 5 kW per phase and Jemena publishes 5 kVA per phase. Under the lower limit, most of a sunny midday’s output on a single phase home must be used or stored at home or is held back, so self-use and a battery decide what 10kW saves. Not sure which network you are on? The Victorian Government’s distributor finder tells you. 10kW isn’t one of our packages: our Mount Waverley team checks your roof and switchboard, then quotes the 6.6kW or 15kW package that fits.
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Talk to us about system sizes
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- 8/41 Ricketts Road,
Mount Waverley, VIC 3149