3kW Solar System Costs, Output, Returns

3kW Solar System Overview

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A 3kW solar system is a small system by Australian residential sizes. It’s much more common in places like the UK and Europe where people have smaller dwellings and therefore less roof space.

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Just because a 3kW solar system is smaller than average, it doesn’t mean that it won’t pack a punch when it comes to reducing your energy bills. Many of our clients who opt for a 3kW sized solar system are single homeowners in semi-detached dwellings or cottages with limited roof spaces and smaller energy bills, but they still need a solution.

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We often get asked if you can have a battery connected to your 3kW solar system. The short answer is yes, you can, but it depends on how much solar energy you’re exporting in the winter months.

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What Actually Is a 3kW Solar System?

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It’s a little confusing, but the number usually quoted when referring to solar system size is actually the total PV power (solar panels) connected to the inverter. With a 3kW solar system, it’s actually 3kW of solar panels paired with a 3kW (or larger) inverter).

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It’s easy to calculate your system size - simply multiply the number of panels by their rated power.

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For example, if you were using…

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…410W panels - 7x panels would equate to a 2.87kW system size

…420W panels - 7x panels would equate to a 2.94kW system size

…475W panels - 6x panels would equate to a 2.85kW system size

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The formula is simple: [Panel power (kW) each] x [Number of panels].

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So My Solar System Is Close to but Not Exactly 3kW Total?

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You’d actually technically be correct if you called it a 2.87kW or 2.94kW solar system, but for the sake of practically it’s easier to round to the closest whole number in kilowatts - hence 3kW.

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Most of the time a 3kW solar system will be paired with a 3kW inverter, meaning that if you’d like to, you can technically add 1 or 2 more panels later on, though this tends to be cost prohibitive.

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This is possible as most solar inverters are rated to have up to 1.33 times the inverter output connected. Hence with a 3kW inverter, you could have up to 3.99kW of PV (solar panels) connected. You’ll also still be able to claim the STC government incentives up to this amount.

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So My Solar System Is Close to but Not Exactly 3kW Total?

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Without conducting a proper assessment of your bills and property it’s really difficult to conclusively say.

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Generally speaking though, if your energy bills are lower than average, and you have a smaller household in terms of people or roof space, a 3kW solar system might be suitable.