Solar Power Information - West Lakes, SA, 5021
If you're considering installing solar panels for your West Lakes home (and/or a battery), this page offers useful related information and interesting statistics for West Lakes and the 5021 postcode area in South Australia.
If West Lakes isn't your location, you can search for installation information relevant to your town or suburb here:
Postcode 5021 Solar Power Statistics
In West Lakes's postcode area (5021), more than 1,610 small-scale systems have been installed with a collective capacity of 8,817 kW as at April 30, 2024.
Given a population of 6,444, this works out to 1,368 watts per person in the area, compared to a 982 watts Australian average. There are approximately 3,162 dwellings in the 5021 area, so that calculates out at 51 solar panel systems per 100 dwellings - the Australian average is 37.
Based on a conservative average of 36,519 kWh of energy production a day (enough to power the equivalent of 2,282 homes) and retail electricity costs of 42c per kilowatt-hour; West Lakes and 5021 postcode area residents are collectively generating $5,598,368 of energy at retail prices a year!
West Lakes solar power system owners are also contributing to greenhouse gas emission reduction, with the systems in 5021 region avoiding 6,798 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
Installing Solar Panels In West Lakes?
The SolarQuotes free quoting service has been used by 233 households in West Lakes and 245 households across the 5021 postcode area in South Australia.
You can join them! To get started, simply click the button below and we'll match you to up to 3 pre-vetted SA accredited installers we trust who service the West Lakes and 5021 area. Or continue reading for more useful information.
Solar Energy Resources In West Lakes
West Lakes experiences solar irradiation levels reaching approximately 4.94 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 5021 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 West Lakes 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 West Lakes in terms of annual solar energy output for the location, on average:
- 5kW system - 7,559 kWh (equivalent to ~129% of annual electricity consumption)
- 6kW system - 9,071 kWh (~155%)
- 10kW system - 15,118 kWh (~259%)
- 13kW system - 19,653 kWh (~337%)
Optimal Panel Angle And Orientation
Rooftop solar panels installed in West Lakes, South Australia 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 West Lakes's case, that is 34 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 South Australia
As well as providing your home with electricity, West Lakes solar system installation owners can be paid for surplus energy generated. In SA, feed-in tariffs generally currently range from 5c to 10c per kilowatt-hour exported - so, it's important to compare energy retailers for the best electricity plan in the 5021 area.
West Lakes Solar Energy Savings
Based on a 6.6kW system installation, a self-consumption rate of 40% and the low end of the feed in tariff range rate of 5c, West Lakes solar power system owners can expect to save $1,976 per year.
Charles Sturt City Council Requirements.
At the time of publishing, there are special requirements involved with installing solar panels in the Charles Sturt City Council area. Circumstances where an approval is required include where a building is State Heritage listed. In the case of Local Heritage listing, the solar power system must not be able to be seen by a person standing at ground level in a public street. Approval is also required where a solar power system has a weight of more than 100 kilograms, unless the weight load is distributed so it doesn\'t exceed this weight at any one point of attachment to the roof, panels and associated equipment do not overhang the roof and the panels are fitted parallel to the roof with the underside surface of the panels being not more than 100 millimetres above the roof\'s surface.
It's important to check with Charles Sturt City Council regarding any potential changes before proceeding with installation. For further information, prospective solar owners in West Lakes should visit this page.
Network Grid Connection Requirements In South Australia
A series of steps must be completed in South Australia 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 South Australia.
Solar Panel Installers In West Lakes
In our network we have quality, thoroughly pre-vetted solar power system installers servicing West Lakes. If you're ready to get quotes from installation professionals we know and trust:
Installing A Solar Battery In West Lakes
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 West Lakes home will depend on various factors.
We have solar battery installers within our network providing services to West Lakes 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 West Lakes (or a home battery), feel free to contact us.
West Lakes Data Sources And Notes
Data sources used above for solar power information in West Lakes SA 5021 include:
- Census 2021 - Australian Bureau of Statistics
- Bureau of Meteorology (BOM)
- Clean Energy Regulator data for postcode 5021 current as at April 30, 2024.
- Charles Sturt City Council - South Australia
Some additional notes:
- Household electricity consumption in West Lakes is based on the Australian average of 16kWh a day.
- Carbon intensity based on the South Australia average of 0.51kg per kilowatt-hour.
Bureau of Meteorology details are based on your nearest weather station, which is Seaton , coordinates 34°53'47" S 138°30'37" E, around 2.7 km from the centre of West Lakes.