10kW Solar System Price Comparison

If you are looking for a 10kW solar system price in NZ and want to know more about solar system pricing, we can help.

But first:

There’s a big difference in price between a 10kW grid-tied solar system compared to a 10kW off-grid solar system.

And even then, the price of a 10kW grid-tied solar system varies considerably depending on whether it has battery storage included, or is simply ‘battery-ready’.

Battery-ready simply means the inverter is a hybrid inverter that can operate both with and without a battery bank.

In this article, we’ll explain the differences.

Of course, this information is intended for the New Zealand market. If you are looking for help outside of NZ, please contact a reputable solar company in your country.

We are designers and manufacturers of off-grid solar systems. However, we also design and supply grid tied solutions through our parent company, SolarKing.

All you need to do is reach out to us.

Let’s recap the different types of solar systems on the market today whether 5kW, 6kW or 10kW.

• Grid Tied Solar. A grid tied (or grid tie) system consists of a standard string inverter that does not have the capability to connect battery storage. They are becoming less popular nowadays because of this limitation. It may be worth considering if you are constrained by your budget and you do not intend to ever add battery storage.

  You can save between 40% to 50% off the power consumption portion of your monthly power bill with a grid tied system. This depends on your location and assumes the sizing (number of solar panels) is carefully considered based on your official regional sunshine hours.

• Hybrid Battery-Ready Solar (Grid-Tied). A battery-ready solar system consists of a hybrid inverter that is capable of connecting battery storage, but is set up initially without any battery bank. While the relative savings will be the same as a grid-tied solar system above, the owner has flexibility to increase savings by up to 80% and even higher in some instances, if desired. This can be done by adding a suitably sized battery bank.

  Clients building a new home will often choose this setup, especially if the home’s future power consumption is an unknown quantity. After six or 12 months, the correctly sized battery bank can be added once actual power usage is recorded. This can prevent over or under-capitalisation.

• Hybrid Battery Storage (Grid Tied).  This system comes with a hybrid inverter (as above) plus a battery bank connected. The battery bank will be accessed after dark or during low-light conditions. Depending on the size, you could save 70% to 80% off the power component of your power bill – sometimes even more.

  Some hybrid inverters allow you to run some emergency circuits in the event of a power outage. This may be useful if you live in a rural area that is subject to power outages.

  It requires experience and expertise to correctly size a battery-storage system. Typically there is a ‘sweet spot’ that dictates the number of solar panels required (for your region) that matches the size of your battery bank. It’s easy to over-spend, especially if the return on investment (ROI) is a driving factor for you. That’s why we offer a free design service.

• Full off grid solar system.  A fully off the grid system allows you total independence and no power bill. There are advantages and disadvantages to off grid solar, but if the cost to get connected is the same or more than the cost to go off grid, it makes financial sense.

  You can learn about sizing and pricing on our off grid systems page. And, if your project is a small or tiny house solar project, we have specialised information to guide you through the process.

Is a 10kW solar system the correct size for you?

U nless you have access to industry modelling software and have strong experience with solar system sizing, it may be easier to seek expert help when it comes to sizing.

The ‘average’ residential solar system in New Zealand is about 5kW of solar generation. Is a 10kW solar system appropriate for your situation? Why not 6kW? Or 12kW?

Here are some of the factors that we consider when modelling a solar system size:

• Your actual power use over 12 months. This is taken from your power bill.
• What’s your power-use profile? What are the typical power use habits in the household, over a 24-hour period?
• What are the official sunshine hours for your region? Some regions require a lot more generation (panels) than others.
• Where and how will the solar panels be mounted? Roof array? Ground array? What orientation? What inclination? How many surfaces?
• What are your goals? Are you looking for the best return on investment (ROI), or is your greater priority to reduce your monthly outgoings or live more sustainably?
• Is emergency back-up power important to you (if you live in a region where power cuts are frequent)?

Off the grid solar is even more complex when it comes to your overall design. Do it correctly to avoid over-spending or under-sizing.

Get expert help

It may not be the best idea to do a bit of research, make some assumptions, then go out and request a quote for a 10kW solar system.

Instead, speak to a designer who can customise your system based on your actual goals and situation.

In fact, you won’t pay any more for a carefully designed system that takes into account a whole range of factors. You won’t even be aware of some of them.

We offer a free design service for both grid-tied solar systems and off-grid. Because we’ve designed and installed thousands of residential systems right across the country, we can pass that experience on to you.

Thank you for reading this.