NSW receives an average of 3 to 5 peak sun hours per day, with inland and northern regions such as Dubbo, Tamworth, Broken Hill, and Armidale enjoying the strongest solar performance.

Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, and the Central Coast also achieve excellent results, averaging around 3.9kWh per day per 1kW of installed capacity. That means a standard 6.6kW system can generate about 9,400kWh per year in these areas.

Across regional NSW, locations including Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Wagga Wagga, Orange, Bathurst, and Byron Bay consistently perform well thanks to high annual sunlight levels.

While sunshine hours vary slightly by location, roof orientation, tilt, and shading have a much greater impact on performance than postcode. No matter where you live in NSW, from the South Coast to the Northern Rivers, solar delivers strong energy returns year round.

Quality solar panels typically last 25–30 years. Most come with warranties guaranteeing at least 80% of original output after 25 years.

Panels degrade at around 0.5–0.8% per year, meaning they’ll still generate roughly 92% of their original output after two decades.

Other system parts may need earlier replacement such as inverters which usually last 10–12 years, and batteries around 10 years.

With proper maintenance, solar panels can deliver decades of reliable, low-cost clean energy in NSW.

Yes. Solar panels still generate power on cloudy days, usually producing 10–25% of their normal output depending on cloud density.

Modern panels capture both direct and diffused sunlight, meaning energy production continues even without full sun.

A standard 6.6kW system in NSW can still produce around 50% of maximum output on an overcast day, sometimes more in mild winter conditions.

Rain can even help by washing away dust and debris, improving efficiency once the weather clears.

In most cases, council approval isn’t required for standard solar systems in NSW. Under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2021, systems under 10kW are considered “exempt development.”

Larger systems between 10kW and 100kW need a Complying Development Certificate (CDC) from the local council or a private certifier.

Approval is required if your property is heritage-listed or in a Heritage Conservation Area.
If you live in a strata building, you’ll also need owners corporation approval.

Smart Energy is a CEC-accredited installer that will guide you through any required steps.

Most residential solar installations in NSW take 1–3 days once on site, depending on system size and roof layout.

After installation, you’ll typically wait 1–2 weeks for Permission to Operate (PTO) from your electricity distributor.

Simple, single-storey homes with standard roof layouts can often be completed in a single day.

The NSW battery rebate ended on June 30, 2025, and was replaced by the federal Solar Battery Rebate under the Cheaper Home Batteries Program.

Homeowners and small businesses can now receive up to $8,000 off a new home battery system. In addition, the Virtual Power Plant (VPP) incentive provides $250–$400 (up to $1,500 upfront) for connecting your battery to a VPP.

Together, these incentives can reduce battery installation costs by about 30%, helping NSW households make the most of solar energy storage.

What is the feed-in tariff in NSW?
For 2025–26, the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) recommends a benchmark range of 4.8–7.3 cents per kWh for flat-rate feed-in tariffs in NSW.

Many retailers, including Engie, EnergyAustralia, Alinta Energy and GloBird Energy, offer up to 10c per kWh, with typical rates ranging from 5c–10c.

From July 2025, Ausgrid introduced two-way tariffs, adding a 1.2c/kWh export charge during low-demand hours but offering rewards during high-demand periods.

While feed-in tariffs provide some savings, the greatest value comes from using your solar power directly, since retail electricity rates are much higher than export rates.

To qualify for solar rebates in NSW, you must:

• Have a household income under $180,000 per year.
  
  
• Install Solar Accreditation Australia-approved systems using an accredited installer like Smart Energy.
  
  
• Use Clean Energy Council (CEC)-approved solar panels and inverters which Smart Energy provides.

Low-income households may access interest-free loans or the Rebate Swap for Solar program, which allows eligible residents to exchange their annual energy rebate for a solar system.

All NSW homeowners installing CEC-approved systems with accredited installers automatically receive the federal STC rebate.