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Calculator · Energy & Utilities

Solar Savings Calculator

Payback period and lifetime saving from a rooftop system after incentives.

Read the how-to
The formula

How this number is built

annual saving = generation × (self-use × retail rate + export share × export rate)
Step by step

Doing it by hand

Step 1

Size the system against your actual annual consumption, not roof area.

Step 2

Get installed cost per watt from at least three quotes.

Step 3

Use local peak sun hours rather than a national average.

Step 4

Apply the incentive you actually qualify for and check whether it is refundable.

Step 5

Model self-consumption honestly — a daytime-empty house exports far more than it uses.

Questions

What people ask next

Do batteries change the payback?

They raise self-consumption but add substantial cost. Model them as a separate decision after the panels pay back.

What happens after the panels degrade?

Most panels still produce around 85% of rated output at year 25, so generation continues well past payback.

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