Solar Power Information - Cairns North, QLD, 4870
If you're considering installing solar panels for your Cairns North home (and/or a battery), this page offers useful related information and interesting statistics for Cairns North and the 4870 postcode area in Queensland.
If Cairns North isn't your location, you can search for installation information relevant to your town or suburb here:
Postcode 4870 Solar Power Statistics
In Cairns North's postcode area (4870), more than 11,747 small-scale systems have been installed with a collective capacity of 89,139 kW as at September 30, 2024.
Given a population of 64,086, this works out to 1,391 watts per person in the area, compared to a 1,032 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 394,610 kWh of energy production a day (enough to power the equivalent of 24,663 homes) and retail electricity costs of 30c per kilowatt-hour; Cairns North and 4870 postcode area residents are collectively generating $43,209,811 of energy at retail prices a year!
Cairns North solar power system owners are also contributing to greenhouse gas emission reduction, with the systems in 4870 region avoiding 115,226 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
Installing Solar Panels In Cairns North?
The SolarQuotes free quoting service has been used by 40 households in Cairns North and 1736 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 North and 4870 area. Or continue reading for more useful information.
Solar Energy Resources In Cairns North
Cairns North experiences solar irradiation levels reaching approximately 5.28 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 North 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 North in terms of annual solar energy output for the location, on average:
- 5kW system - 8,079 kWh (equivalent to ~138% of annual electricity consumption)
- 6kW system - 9,695 kWh (~166%)
- 10kW system - 16,158 kWh (~277%)
- 13kW system - 21,006 kWh (~360%)
Optimal Panel Angle And Orientation
Rooftop solar panels installed in Cairns North, 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 North'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 North 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 North 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 North solar power system owners can expect to save $2,137 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 North 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 North
In our network we have quality, thoroughly pre-vetted solar power system installers servicing Cairns North. If you're ready to get quotes from installation professionals we know and trust:
Installing A Solar Battery In Cairns North
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 North home will depend on various factors.
We have solar battery installers within our network providing services to Cairns North 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 North (or a home battery), feel free to contact us.
Cairns North Data Sources And Notes
Data sources used above for solar power information in Cairns North QLD 4870 include:
- Census 2021 - Australian Bureau of Statistics
- Bureau of Meteorology (BOM)
- Clean Energy Regulator data for postcode 4870 current as at September 30, 2024.
- Cairns Regional Council - Queensland
Some additional notes:
- Household electricity consumption in Cairns North 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 Parramatta Park , coordinates 16°54'51" S 145°45'40" E, around 845 metres from the centre of Cairns North.