How Much Does Solar Power Installation Cost? Installation Cost and Required Equipment, Energy, and Environment?

When introducing a solar power generation system, it is necessary to install solar power generation panels and power conditioners. However, if you do not know how much it will cost to install, you may feel uneasy about installing a solar power system.

Here, we will explain the installation cost and necessary equipment for those who introduce a Solar energy in Australia. We will also introduce the maintenance cost of the system, so please use it to prepare the necessary funds.

Facilities Required for Solar Power Generation:

Solar Panel in Australia converts the energy of the sun into electricity. In addition to the power generation equipment, if you install a system for power storage, you can use the photovoltaic power generation system more effectively. Here, we introduce the equipment necessary for a solar power generation system.

Photovoltaic Panel:

Photovoltaic panels that generate electricity through the photoelectric effect are also known as solar modules or solar panels.

A unit price is set for each solar panel, and the more panels you install, the higher the installation cost. The unit price of solar panels varies depending on the manufacturer and installed capacity.

More than half of the cost of installing a solar power system is the cost of solar panels. Therefore, to keep the installation cost of the solar power generation system low, it is necessary to decide the manufacturer of the solar power generation panel and the number of installations without excess or deficiency.

When deciding the manufacturer and the number of solar panels to be installed, ask a professional to look at the area and angle of the roof of your home, the material of the roof, etc. It's also important to consider your home's electricity usage.

Power Conditioner:

A power conditioner is a facility that converts the direct current obtained from solar panels into alternating current that can be used at home. A power conditioner is essential for using a solar power generation system. Please note that the inverter model will change depending on whether the installation location is outdoors or indoors.

A junction box is a device that unifies multiple wires from a photovoltaic panel and sends them to a power conditioner. If the power conditioner does not have a junction box, prepare a separate junction box.

Installing inverters is the second most expensive option after solar panels. The larger the installed capacity of the solar power generation system, the larger the required capacity of the power conditioner.

Pedestal:

A frame is a component for fixing a solar panel. The more sunlight a solar panel receives, the more efficient it will be. Adjust the height and angle of the stand appropriately to increase power generation efficiency.

The most used materials for pedestals are stainless steel and aluminum. The stainless-steel frame is solid, but the cost of the frame tends to be relatively high. On the other hand, aluminum mounts are easy to process and light, but you need to choose one that has sufficient strength.

There are two types of fixing methods for the pedestal: a type in which holes are drilled in the roof to install, and a type in which holes are not drilled.

Depending on the type and shape of the roof of your home, and the region and area where it is installed, special mounts and attachments are required. Also, in areas where there is a lot of snow, a high mounting system may be required as a countermeasure against snow accumulation. Please understand that installation costs may vary depending on the situation.

Power Generation Monitor:

A power generation monitor is a facility that allows you to check the status of power generation and power sales, how much electricity you are using, etc. Some manufacturers have a lineup of HEMS (Home Energy Management System) as one of the power generation monitors. HEMS is a system that can "visualize" energy consumption by measuring the amount of electricity used for each hour.

The price of a power generation monitor is about tens of thousands of yen. Compared to solar power generation panels and power conditioners, the percentage of the installation cost of the solar power generation system is not large.

Electricity Meter:

A watt-hour meter is a device for measuring the amount of power sold to a power company and the amount of power purchased from a power company. There are two watt-hour meters, one for selling electricity and one for buying electricity. When the electricity meter for selling electricity is read, the electricity selling price for that month is determined. Install a power meter with sufficient capacity to prevent measurement errors.

To prevent measurement errors, it is important to consult an expert when deciding where to install the power meter. The watt hour meter will not start up normally in places with high temperatures, strong magnetic fields, or electric fields.

Storage Battery:

A storage battery is a facility that stores the power obtained from a solar power generation system. Some households do not install storage batteries when introducing solar power generation systems. However, to use the electricity generated in-house efficiently, it is recommended to install a storage battery.

Storage batteries are becoming more and more common in households. With a storage battery, the electricity generated by solar power during the day can be used at night, leading to savings on electricity bills. In addition, it is possible to secure electricity even in the event of a power outage due to a disaster.

Initial Cost of Installing Solar Power:

The initial Solar Panel Price in Australia includes the cost of purchasing photovoltaic panels and power conditioners, as well as construction costs such as installation of the mounting frame and wiring, and miscellaneous costs such as subsidy application procedures.

According to data calculated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the market price for installing a 5kW solar power generation system in 2021 is 1,375,000 yen, and the converted price per 1kW is 275,000 yen/kW.

According to the opinion on procurement prices, etc. after FY2021, the initial cost per 1 kW of installing a photovoltaic power generation system is as follows.

Market Price of Photovoltaic Panels:

The amount of power generated by solar panels varies depending on the manufacturer and product. The smaller the amount of power generated, the more panels you need to install to earn the total amount of power generated. Therefore, the number of solar panels required, and the cost will change depending on which product you choose.

Although there are some fluctuations from year to year, the average cost of solar panels in 2020 was 17.4 yen/kW.

In the case of the same product, the market kW unit price becomes cheaper as the number of installed solar panels increases.

Factors That Greatly Fluctuate Installation Costs:

If the number of roofs to be installed is large, the Solar manufacturer in Australia process will increase by the number of roofs, so the installation cost will be expensive. Installation costs will also increase if scaffolding is required at the installation location. If you install it in the garden, you don't need scaffolding. However, scaffolding is essential for construction work on high places such as roofs. Please note that the cost will change depending on how the solar panels are fixed. Installation methods include the anchor method, support tile method, and support metal fitting method.

In the anchor method, holes are drilled in the roof to fix the panels, while in the support tile method, fixtures are installed under the roof tiles. In addition, in the support bracket construction method, it is replaced with a dedicated panel for fixing.