5kW solar Systems
5 kilowatt (5kW) solar systems have become one of the most popular sizes in Australia, thanks to the combination of high energy yields and great value-for-money that they deliver. What are the price ranges, electricity yields and financial returns that a household can expect from a 5kW solar PV system? This article takes a look.
How many panels & how much roof space for a 5kW solar system?
A modern-day 5kW solar system will be comprised of between about 15-20 panels and will require about 20-40 m2 of roof space, depending on the wattage of the panels. You can explore your own roof’s solar potential here.
5kW solar systems: Pricing
Australia is home to some of the lowest solar PV system prices in the world, thanks to a broad combination of global and local factors. According to Solar Choice’s own data, the average 5kW solar system price in Australia as of is about $1.26 per watt – or about $6, 800, with a low of under $1/W ($3, 500) and a high of about $2.10/W ($10, 500). The table below, from April 2017, provides a snapshot of price trends for 5kW solar systems in capital cities around the country.
5kW solar PV system prices from across the country from August 2012 to April 2017.
Typical power output 5kW solar system
Depending a number of factors, the actual power output of a 5kW solar power system will vary. These factors include:
-Geographical location of the system and the expected daily and annual solar irradiation and cloud cover levels there
-Actual operating temperature of the panels
-The performance of the individual components (e.g. the panels and the inverter)
As mentioned in the first point above, different areas receive different amounts of sunlight. The amount of sunshine falling on a solar panel array has a direct impact on the system’s output. As a rough figure, a rooftop in Australia can expect to receive around an annual average of 4.5 hours of ‘peak sun’ (peak sun hours, or PSH) per day, although this number may range as high as 5.8 PSH per day in places like Darwin or as low as 4.2 PSH per day in Tasmania. This is only the annual average per day, and it is important to keep in mind that there will be more sun in the summer and less in the winter months.
Example: An optimally tilted, 85% efficient, north-facing 5kW solar system in Sydney, for example, would produce about (3.5 PSH x 5kW x 85% =) ~15kWh of power on a day in the peak of winter, whereas in the summer output from the same 5kW solar system would be around (6.2 PSH x 5kW x 85% =) ~26kWh. (Figures are only to be taken as rough estimates.)
