Business & commercial
Commercial solar cost in Australia (2026): prices from 10 kW to 1 MW
What commercial solar costs in Australia in 2026, from 10 kW to 100 kW, what the price leaves out, and what drives the cost of systems up to 1 MW.
Commercial solar
Solar for your business, without the sales pitch
Independent help to work out whether solar makes sense for your business: what it costs, the rebates that changed in 2026, the payback, and how to compare installers. No sign-up, no obligation.
What changed in 2026
Three changes make business solar and batteries cheaper this year. Checked 31 October 2026.
1 October 2026
Systems up to 1 MW now earn STCs
Solar systems over 100 kW and up to 1 MW installed from 1 October 2026 can create small-scale technology certificates, with a fixed five-year deeming period. Until now they could only earn LGCs, paid out over time. Applications are expected to open in mid to late November 2026.
Read the guide1 September 2026
NSW business battery discount
Businesses in NSW can get a discount on batteries from 20 kWh upwards under the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme. The NSW Government puts it at around 20 to 40 per cent, higher when new solar goes in with the battery.
Read the guideSince September 2025
Victorian incentive for 30–200 kW
The Victorian Energy Upgrades program has a commercial and industrial solar activity for non-residential systems from 30 to 200 kW, delivered through accredited providers.
Read the guide
Five steps to a good decision
Step 1
Know how and when you use power
Get 12 months of bills, and your interval data if you can. Solar pays best when you use the power as it’s made, so daytime trading hours matter more than total usage. Check whether you pay demand charges.
Step 2
Pick a sensible size
Size to what you use in daylight, then check roof space and what the network allows. Over 30 kW usually needs network approval.
Step 3
Work out cost and rebates
Certificates (STCs) take the biggest bite out of the price, now up to 1 MW. Estimate yours with the STC calculator, then check state programs.
Step 4
Check it’s worth it
Our commercial solar calculator shows payback, 25-year value and every assumption, so you can test the numbers an installer gives you.
Step 5
Compare installers on the same brief
Ask at least three accredited installers to quote on one written brief, and check their accreditation. How to choose an installer.
Solar by type of business
How solar fits the way different businesses use power, with typical sizes, programs and a worked example.
Farms
How solar and batteries suit farms: pumps, dairies, cool rooms and big shed roofs. Loads, size bands, programs and a worked example.Read moreWarehouses and factories
Solar for warehouses and factories: large roofs, daytime shifts, cold stores, demand charges and mid-scale certificates. Includes a worked example.Read moreShops and cafes
Solar for shops and cafes: refrigeration, cooking, trading hours, roof access and leases. Typical sizes, programs and a worked example.Read moreOffices
Solar for offices: weekday daytime loads, shared roofs, tenants versus owners, and what size suits a typical office. With a worked example.Read moreStrata and apartments
Solar for strata and apartments: powering lifts, lights and pumps, owners corporation approval, shared batteries and programs by state.Read moreSchools and community buildings
Solar for schools, halls, clubs and churches: term-time use, holiday output, funding options and a worked example. Plain-English guide.Read more
Solar by system size
Cost, output in each capital city, roof space, certificates and payback for common commercial sizes.
Free tools
Commercial solar calculator
Payback, 25-year value and cost per kWh from your own bills, with every assumption shown.OpenSTC calculator
How many certificates your system earns, including the new mid-scale rules to 1 MW.OpenBattery rebate calculator
The federal battery discount for batteries up to 100 kWh, which small businesses can use.OpenAccreditation check
Check whether a solar business is an Approved Seller or Solar Victoria authorised.Open
Business programs by state
What’s available on top of the federal certificates, checked 31 October 2026. Follow the links for the full rules.
| State | What’s available for businesses |
|---|---|
| NSW | The NSW business battery discount (Peak Demand Reduction Scheme) started on 1 September 2026 for batteries from 20 kWh to 30 MWh at non-residential sites: indicatively about 30 to 40 per cent off with new or additional solar, or about 20 to 30 per cent for a battery alone. Apartment buildings with four or more units can get a discount on a shared battery of 20 to 200 kWh. Batteries for businesses Apartment batteries |
| VIC | Victorian Energy Upgrades activity 47 gives an upfront incentive, paid as Victorian energy efficiency certificates through an accredited person, for 30 to 200 kW solar at non-residential premises (not apartment buildings). It can be combined with federal certificates. No Victorian commercial battery activity was found. Commercial and industrial solar (Solar Victoria) VEU activity 47 (ESC) |
| QLD | No state business solar or battery rebate found as of 31 October 2026. Primary producers can apply to QRIDA for a Sustainability Loan of up to $1.3 million, which lists solar among eligible uses (batteries are not mentioned); applications are assessed up to 30 June 2027 or until lending is committed. QRIDA Sustainability Loan |
| SA | The Powering Business Grants offered $250 per kW of solar (only with a battery) and $300 per kWh of battery, capped at 50 per cent of eligible costs and $75,000 per business, but the round we could read was scheduled to close on 31 October 2025. We found no newer round as of 31 October 2026, so check the page before relying on it. Powering Business Grants guidelines |
| WA | The Made in WA Energy Affordability Investment Program offers low-interest loans of up to $15 million for local manufacturers and other businesses, including for commercial solar and industrial batteries; the State Government said on 27 October 2026 that it was open for applications. The WA Residential Battery Scheme is for households only. WA Government statement, 27 October 2026 WA Government statement, 10 March 2026 |
| TAS | No state business solar or battery rebate found as of 31 October 2026. Federal certificates still apply; the Australian Government’s grants finder lists any current programs. Grants and programs (business.gov.au) |
| ACT | The Sustainable Business Program offers rebates of up to $10,000 for energy and water efficiency upgrades (and up to $3,000 for an EV charger) to businesses and organisations at commercial premises in the ACT, with a co-contribution from the business. The page lists solar and battery storage as an advice topic, so check what a rebate covers before you commit. Sustainable Business Program |
| NT | No state business solar or battery rebate found as of 31 October 2026. We could not read the Northern Territory Government’s page for its Home and Business Battery Scheme, so check it directly for whether any funding remains. Home and Business Battery Scheme Grants and programs (business.gov.au) |
When solar isn’t worth it yet
Being honest about this saves businesses money. Solar can still work in these cases, but sort them out first.
- Your lease ends within a few years and the landlord won’t share the cost or buy the system from you.
- Most of your power is used at night (a bakery, a nightclub, a cold store with little daytime load), unless a battery is part of the plan.
- The roof needs replacing soon, is heavily shaded, or contains asbestos.
- You’re planning to move, sell or change how you operate in the next couple of years.
- Your network says it can only take a small export and you use little power during the day.
What a commercial system involves
Network approval
Larger systems need the network’s approval before installation, and it sets your export limit.How it worksSwitchboard and protection
Older main switchboards often need work, and bigger systems need grid protection equipment.What it adds to costInverters and monitoring
Commercial inverters, monitoring and a maintenance plan keep the system earning for 25 years.What to ask
Commercial solar guides
Business & commercial
Commercial solar rebates and incentives in 2026, by state
The federal solar certificates every business can claim, then what each state and territory offers for commercial solar and batteries as at 31 October 2026.
Business & commercial
Mid-scale solar: STCs for 100 kW–1 MW systems from 1 October 2026
From 1 October 2026, commercial solar systems between 100 kW and 1 MW can claim STCs. Who qualifies, how the 5-year deeming works, and what to keep.
Business & commercial
STCs, LGCs and REGOs: which certificates your business solar creates
Which certificate your commercial solar earns depends on size and install date. STCs, LGCs and REGOs explained in plain English, with a decision table.
Business & commercial
Is commercial solar worth it? Payback, ROI and what changes them
How to tell if solar pays off for your business: self-consumption, worked payback examples, NPV and IRR in plain English, and when it is not worth it.
Business & commercial
Solar and tax for business: depreciation, the $20,000 write-off and GST
How the $20,000 instant asset write-off, the small business pool and depreciation apply to commercial solar, and what to ask your accountant.
Business & commercial
Paying for business solar: cash, loans, leases and solar PPAs
How to pay for commercial solar: cash, hire purchase, chattel mortgage, lease or solar PPA. What each means, who owns the system, and what to ask a provider.
Business & commercial
Batteries for business: rebates, sizing and when they pay off
How the federal battery discount and NSW business battery discount work for businesses, how to size a battery from interval data, and when one pays off.
Business & commercial
NSW business battery discount: who qualifies and how much
How the NSW business battery discount works from 1 September 2026: size limits, the solar rules, installer requirements and what to ask before you sign.
Business & commercial
Victoria’s commercial solar incentive (VEU activity 47, 30–200 kW)
How Victoria’s commercial solar incentive works: who qualifies, how certificates are worked out, how it stacks with STCs and what an accredited person does.
Business & commercial
Demand charges explained: how solar and batteries cut a business power bill
What a demand charge is, why solar alone often does not reduce it, and when a battery can. How to read your bill and your meter data first.
Business & commercial
Connecting commercial solar to the grid: approvals and export limits
How commercial solar gets approved by your electricity network: kVA vs kW, export limits, zero export, protection, fees and why approval comes before install.
Business & commercial
How to choose a commercial solar installer and compare quotes
What to check on a commercial solar installer, how to write one brief for three quotes, and what every quote should state so you can compare them fairly.
Business & commercial
Solar and batteries for strata and apartment buildings
How owners corporations can add solar or a battery to common property, what NSW and Victoria offer, and the questions to put to your committee.
Business & commercial
Solar for farms: irrigation, dairies and cold storage
How solar and batteries suit pumping, milking and cold rooms, what finance and incentives exist, and what to sort out first on a rural property.
Questions
- How much does commercial solar cost?
- Installed prices for systems up to 100 kW, after the STC discount, are commonly under $1 per watt in capital cities, so a 30 kW system is often in the $25,000–$35,000 range. Prices vary with roof type, switchboard upgrades and network requirements. See our commercial solar cost guide and the size pages for the figures and their sources.
- Is there a government rebate for commercial solar?
- Yes. The main one is federal: systems up to 1 MW create small-scale technology certificates (STCs), which installers usually take off the price. Some states add their own, such as Victoria’s VEU commercial solar activity and the NSW business battery discount. There’s no application form for STCs; they come with an eligible installation.
- What size solar system does a business need?
- Start from how much power you use during daylight, not your total bill. Many small businesses suit 15–50 kW, while warehouses, factories and farms often install 100 kW or more. Roof space and the network’s connection rules also cap the size.
- How long does commercial solar take to pay for itself?
- Businesses that use most of their solar during the day often see paybacks of around three to six years, but it depends on your tariff, how much you export and what you pay. Run the commercial solar calculator with your own bills to see your number.
- Do I need network approval?
- Usually yes for systems over 30 kW, and always over 200 kW. The network decides how much you can export and may require protection equipment or studies. Your installer normally applies, but approval should be in hand before installation.
Sources
- Clean Energy Regulator: Mid-scale solar
- Clean Energy Regulator: Transitional guidance for mid-scale solar (PV) systems
- NSW Government: Battery discounts to give businesses cheaper power
- Energy Victoria: New VEU commercial and industrial solar activity
- Clean Energy Regulator: Solar batteries (Cheaper Home Batteries Program)
Checked 31 October 2026. This page is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Rules, rebates and prices change, so check the sources before you decide.
Ready to compare real numbers?
Run your own figures first, then ask at least three accredited installers to quote on the same brief. Quotes are free and you’re under no obligation.