Solar Power Information - Cairns, QLD, 4870
If you're considering installing solar panels for your Cairns home (and/or a battery), this page offers useful related information and interesting statistics for Cairns and the 4870 postcode area in Queensland.
If Cairns isn't your location, you can search for installation information relevant to your town or suburb here:
Postcode 4870 Solar Power Statistics
In Cairns's postcode area (4870), more than 11,856 small-scale systems have been installed with a collective capacity of 89,168 kW as at October 31, 2024.
Given a population of 64,086, this works out to 1,391 watts per person in the area, compared to a 1,034 watts Australian average. There are approximately 30,413 dwellings in the 4870 area, so that calculates out at 39 solar panel systems per 100 dwellings - the Australian average is 38.
Based on a conservative average of 408,942 kWh of energy production a day (enough to power the equivalent of 25,559 homes) and retail electricity costs of 30c per kilowatt-hour; Cairns and 4870 postcode area residents are collectively generating $44,779,097 of energy at retail prices a year!
Cairns solar power system owners are also contributing to greenhouse gas emission reduction, with the systems in 4870 region avoiding 119,411 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
Installing Solar Panels In Cairns?
The SolarQuotes free quoting service has been used by 29 households in Cairns and 1742 households across the 4870 postcode area in Queensland.
You can join them! To get started, simply click the button below and we'll match you to up to 3 pre-vetted QLD accredited installers we trust who service the Cairns and 4870 area. Or continue reading for more useful information.
Solar Energy Resources In Cairns
Cairns experiences solar irradiation levels reaching approximately 5.47 kilowatt-hours per square metre per day on average over a year. The following graph shows solar irradiation/output levels per kilowatt of installed solar panels in the 4870 area per month.
Daily/Monthly System Energy Output Estimates
Here's what you can expect to generate with various sized solar power systems in the Cairns area, assuming good quality components, a suitable rooftop and professional, accredited solar installation.
Annual Electricity Output Estimates
Based on the above, the following is what you should be able to expect from a solar panel installation in Cairns in terms of annual solar energy output for the location, on average:
- 5kW system - 8,370 kWh (equivalent to ~143% of annual electricity consumption)
- 6kW system - 10,044 kWh (~172%)
- 10kW system - 16,740 kWh (~287%)
- 13kW system - 21,762 kWh (~373%)
Optimal Panel Angle And Orientation
Rooftop solar panels installed in Cairns, Queensland should generally face North for the best results. For a good panel angle, the general rule of thumb is it should be around the same as latitude. In Cairns's case, that is 16 degrees - but usually whatever your rooftop angle is will be fine (unless it's under 10 degrees - then tilt frames may be needed).
Feed In Tariffs In Queensland
As well as providing your home with electricity, Cairns solar system installation owners can be paid for surplus energy generated. In regional QLD, feed-in tariffs are currently 13.4c per kilowatt-hour exported.
Cairns Solar Energy Savings
Based on a 6.6kW system installation, a self-consumption rate of 40% and the fixed feed in tariff rate of 13.4c, Cairns solar power system owners can expect to save $2,214 per year.
Cairns Regional Council Requirements.
At the time of publishing, there do not appear to be any special requirements involved with installing solar panels in the Cairns Regional Council area.
It's important to check with Cairns Regional Council regarding any potential changes before proceeding with installation. For further information, prospective solar owners in Cairns should visit this page.
Network Grid Connection Requirements In Queensland
A series of steps must be completed in Queensland involving you, your network distributor and your installer - but your installer will do most of the administrative heavy lifting. Learn more about the grid connection process in Queensland.
Solar Panel Installers In Cairns
In our network we have quality, thoroughly pre-vetted solar power system installers servicing Cairns. If you're ready to get quotes from installation professionals we know and trust:
Installing A Solar Battery In Cairns
Households across Australia are increasingly thinking of installing a home battery; either as an addition/upgrade to an existing PV system, or installed concurrently with solar panels. Whether batteries will make sense for your Cairns home will depend on various factors.
We have solar battery installers within our network providing services to Cairns who can advise you on home energy storage as a retrofit upgrade or part of a full solar + battery system installation - and provide a quote.
If you have any questions regarding choosing, buying and installing solar panels in Cairns (or a home battery), feel free to contact us.
Cairns Data Sources And Notes
Data sources used above for solar power information in Cairns QLD 4870 include:
- Census 2021 - Australian Bureau of Statistics
- Bureau of Meteorology (BOM)
- Clean Energy Regulator data for postcode 4870 current as at October 31, 2024.
- Cairns Regional Council - Queensland
Some additional notes:
- Household electricity consumption in Cairns is based on the Australian average of 16kWh a day.
- Carbon intensity based on the Queensland average of 0.8kg per kilowatt-hour.
Bureau of Meteorology details are based on your nearest weather station, which is Cairns Severin St , coordinates 16°55'42" S 145°45'53" E, around 1.2 km from the centre of Cairns.