100kW Solar Systems – What You Need To Know

If you’re a large business or run a small business with a large property and you’re considering a large commercial solar energy system you may have a lot of questions.

We’ve written this post to help answer some of those questions for you. After reading this, you should be a little bit closer to making a decision on whether a large-scale commercial solar energy system is right for your business.

So, let’s diver in with the big questions about large-scale commercial solar…

How big is a 100kW solar system?

If you are wondering how many panels are needed for a 100kw solar system – you can expect a solar energy system of that size to be around 400 panels. Each panel will measure 1 x 1.6 metres.

Doing the math, this is going to mean considerable mounting space, roughly 640 square m² of appropriate mounting space. This is where large, flat roofs can prove useful.

How much power does a 100kW solar system provide?

You can expect a 100kw system to produce roughly 350 to 450 kWh per day. If you’re a large business with significant electricity consumption and an annual power bill of about $50k, this could potentially reduce your energy bills by approximately 30%.

Nevertheless, this estimation is contingent upon various factors such as local climate conditions, seasonal variations, the quality of your system, and any potential obstacles to sunlight.

Case study for a 100+kW solar system

Frankston Council selected Energy Makeovers as a partner to install a whopping 532kW solar energy system on the Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre. This installation included 1,047 Trina Solar panels and 4 x Sungrow 100kW inverters.

According to the Council:

“The money saved on electricity costs from both of these sites will be used to deliver other important community services and projects.”

How much does a 100kw solar system cost?

It really varies, dependent on:

• size
• materials
• applicable rebates you’re eligible for

To give you some kind of an answer that you can work with – let’s say $1.50 – $2 per watt.

Are there government incentives for 100kw solar systems?

There are Federal Government incentives for systems over 100kW through the Renewable Energy Target (RET). The RET splits into two:

• The Small Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES)
• The Large Scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET)

businesses can generate large-scale renewable energy certificates with solar energy installations over 100kW.

It’s a little complicated, as you are considered a ‘power station’ and you generate Large-scale generation certificates (LGCs) on an on-going basis. This means there isn’t an upfront rebate or subsidy available at purchase, but your system payback period is reduced over time.

Your rebate is based on how much energy your system generates – 1MWh equals 1 x Large Generation Certificate. Certificates are typically surrendered annually and traded through a broker. Without getting into the nitty gritty, we’ll use a 200kW system as an example, using today’s market prices on certificates. This example business could expect to make the following:

If you require initial support on the up-front cost due to your cash flow and business needs, you may instead need to reduce your solar energy system size below 100kW to take advantage of small-scale certificates (STCs), or the Victorian Solar Rebate for Business program.

So, it’s complicated, but you can see from the example above, it can provide a significant rebate, over time. If you need help understanding if your business could benefit from LGCs for a large-scale commercial solar energy system, our solar energy experts are happy to discuss your options.

Just get in touch – 1300 788 776. We have a commercial solar energy page with more information too.

There are no State Government incentives in Victoria for solar energy systems over 100kW.

Should I install less than 100kW to get STCs?

As above, if you opt for a solar energy system that is more than 99kW, it moves you into the LRET bracket and you become ineligible for STCs. STCs provide an upfront rebate through SRES. These are equal to approximately $370 per kW of solar you install.

Example: 99,9kW = 370 x 99.9 = $36,630

You can apply for multiple rebates per site, as long as it’s less than 100kW total. ie. install 50kW today, claim the rebate and install 40kW in the future and claim the rebate again. But, the combined figure is not 100kW.

So, you need to assess both options and decide which is right for your business.

Choose an Approved Solar Seller

Energy Makeovers are proud to be an Approved Seller through New Energy Tech. This means, as a customer, you can rest assured you’ve selected a solar energy supplier and installer with high standards and experience. It also means we are approved to pass eligible rebates on, as applicable.

This was previously referred to as the Clean Energy Council Approved Solar Retailer.