5kW
Perfect for High Daytime Consumption
A 5kW solar system is ideal for homes in Adelaide that use 21-24kWh of electricity per day with high daytime energy consumption. This system allows you to power most of your home’s needs during the day, helping you reduce reliance on grid electricity and minimise energy costs.
Why Shift Energy to the Day?
By shifting energy usage to daylight hours when your solar system is generating power, you can make the most of your solar energy and avoid the high cost of buying electricity from the grid at $0.40 per kWh. Appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, and pool pumps can easily be scheduled for daytime use, allowing you to significantly increase your solar self-consumption.
Solar 2.0 in Adelaide: Self-Consumption is Key
With feed-in tariffs now as low as $0.05 per kWh, exporting excess solar power to the grid is not nearly as profitable as it used to be. The real savings come from self-consumption—using the energy you produce during the day to power your home. A 5kW solar system is designed to cover most of your daytime needs, ensuring that you’re reducing your reliance on expensive grid electricity.
Detailed Savings Analysis for a 5kW Solar System in Adelaide
Let’s break down the potential savings for a typical Adelaide household using 21-24kWh per day with high daytime consumption (around 70% of energy used during the day and 30% at night). We’ll compare grid electricity costs at $0.40 per kWh and feed-in tariffs at $0.05 per kWh.
1. Without Solar (100% Grid Electricity)
- Daily Electricity Usage: 24kWh
- Cost per Day: 24kWh x $0.40 = $9.60/day
- Annual Cost: $9.60 x 365 = $3,504/year
2. 5kW Solar System Only (High Daytime Usage)
- Solar Generation: A 5kW system generates approximately 20-22kWh per day on average in Adelaide.
- Daytime Self-Consumption (70%): 70% of 24kWh = 16.8kWh/day (covered by solar)
- Excess Exported to Grid (30%): 3.2-5.2kWh/day exported at $0.05 = $0.16-0.26/day
- Savings from Self-Consumption: 16.8kWh x $0.40 = $6.72/day
- Feed-In Tariff Earnings: $0.16-0.26/day
- Total Daily Savings: $6.72 + $0.20 = $6.92/day
- Annual Savings: $6.92 x 365 = $2,525.80/year
Importance of Shifting More Energy to Daytime
If your household can shift more energy consumption to daylight hours—for example, using 80% of your energy during the day—you can further increase your savings. For households with high daytime consumption, this strategy is key to maximising your return on investment from solar.
For example, if you shift an additional 10% of your energy usage to the daytime, your savings would increase significantly:
- Daytime Self-Consumption (80%): 80% of 24kWh = 19.2kWh/day
- Savings from Self-Consumption: 19.2kWh x $0.40 = $7.68/day
- Total Daily Savings: $7.68/day
- Annual Savings: $7.68 x 365 = $2,803.20/year
Total Benefit Over Grid-Only Use:
- Without Solar: $3,504/year
- 5kW Solar System (70% Daytime Usage): $2,525.80/year saved
- 5kW Solar System (80% Daytime Usage): $2,803.20/year saved
By installing a 5kW solar system and shifting more of your energy consumption to the daytime, households in Adelaide using 21-24kWh per day can save up to $2,803.20 per year. The more you use solar energy during daylight hours, the less you rely on the grid, maximising your savings and reducing your electricity bills.
Ready to Maximise Your Daytime Solar Savings?
Shifting your energy use to daytime is the key to unlocking the full potential of your solar system. To find out how much you could save and get a personalised recommendation based on your household’s energy usage, try our AI Home Energy Analyser. It’ll provide you with tailored insights to optimise your solar investment.
Click here to get your free, personalised solar quote.