A 10kW solar system is quickly becoming the go-to solution for large Australian homes and small-to-medium commercial properties. However, is this the correct setup for your home or business needs? 

With almost two decades in servicing home and business owners, solar and battery systems predominantly throughout South East Queensland, our team at REA Solar has seen it all. And one of the biggest mistakes a consumer can make is coming into the research stage of solar with a fixed preconceived idea of a Kilowatt (KW) size without any real understanding of why they want that particular size. 

If you are already down the path of solar research, ask yourself what even is a kilowatt? It’s fascinating that in all our years of educating homeowners and speaking to over 5,000 homeowners about solar and all the benefits that only a handful of people have ever been able to answer that question. Most just laugh as they realise how ludicrous it is that all their hopes and expectations have been put into a metric they can not define. 

This is not the fault of the consumer this is a failing of the industry in not educating on what these terms actually mean.

What is a kilowatt? 

A kilowatt is a 1000 electrical watts, so what a watt is ( such a tongue twister ) is an instantaneous measure of power. 

A great example of this is a kitchen kettle, a kettle is usually around 2 kilowatts or 2000 watts. When it is on it is 0 watts and when it is on it is 2 kilowatts, there is no in between and there is nothing above 2KW. 

If you very quickly turned the kettle on and off the point that it was on is the instantaneous measure of power, its the absolute peak of what it can do, it is a micro second of time. 

This means the entire consumer market for solar is comparing a microsecond of time. If the Solar industry says, “ Hey, you need a 10KW system,” another way to put this is, “ Hey, you need a group of panels that for a split second under artificial light in laboratory conditions that you will never replicate on your roof to solve your energy needs.” 

The industry has you investing all your expectations into a micro second of time, this is in electrical jargon is just a peak production, it is a rating, it has nothing to do with energy and here at REA, we are about enabling energy independence for all. 

So if not Kilowatts, then what?

There is a better metric that we can use for solar designs, comparisons and upgrades  and this is kilowatt hours. 

Going back to the kettle analogy, even though a kettle would not work like this, if the kettle is on at its 2KW peak and instead of on then off it was boiling continuously for a 1 hour period, the 2KW peak over one hour equates to 2 kWhs of energy. 

Kilowatt Hours (kWh) are the primary charge on our electricity bills. They are what a solar system produces and what a battery system stores, so does it not make more sense to have a conversation about kWhs?

Power Generation of a 10kW Solar System

This is where things get tricky. The industry states as a whole all systems will do the same production based on its KW size, now we just learnt that a KW is just a micro second in time and there is a lot of different technologies in solar panels and inverter setups, so would this equate to differing levels of energy production? Yes, it does. 

This is why kWhs is so important, a good energy advisor will spend the time with you to gain an understanding of your energy profile, your desired results and provide a solution based on kWhs. 

If you had a 10KW system in one technology that produces 35 kWhs a day on average and you had another with a different technology that produces 45 kWhs a day and the one producing 45kWhs a day was 30% higher in cost, is it more expensive for the same thing, because they are both 10KW rated sizes?

The second option is also procuring 30% more production, if anything the second option could be downsized to a 7KW rating saving on roof area producing the same outcome in kWhs for the same investment.  

How much does a 10KW system cost? 

In the Australian market after rebates, the average cost of a 10KW system is $9,000 – $11,000. This would be dependent on the products benign used and the difficulty if the install. 

This price range is a representation of the average spend, the actual spread is $5000 – $15,000 and with such a big spread of pricing it can get overwhelming on where to invest your money and who to trust. 

In our experience, showcasing kWh solves all these problems. If your energy advisor can showcase the performance of their products in their product offerings, then this is a step in the right direction. 

Here at REA Solar, we have a slightly different take on solar than others. Our solar technologies are not only more efficient in their design but also offer individual panel-level data offering full transparency on system production in kWhs. 

How Long Will It Take to Pay Off a 10kW Solar System?

Return on investment is really based on how well the system has been sized for you. As our energy bills are measured in kWhs, a tailored approach on solar should be made in kWhs. 

As an example, a home uses 30 kWhs a day with a 50/50 split between day and night and installs a system that produces 60 kWhs—60 kWhs is double that of 30 kWhs. Does the homeowner make double the amount? No, he doesn’t. 

This is another pitfall in the research phase that bigger is better; in this case, it is not. If we are using: 

15 kWhs in the day and 15 kWhs at night, and producing 60 kWhs – 45 kWhs is being sold to the grid at the rate of export. Export rates have been falling in value for the last 10 years and today are worth only a fraction of what the rate of power is. 

This would have a much longer payback period than a system that produced 35 kWhs a day but only exported 20 KWhs instead of 45 KWhs. 

A well-designed solar system will pay for itself in 3-6 years, depending on the individual properties, parameters, and clients’ individual needs.  

Should You Add Battery Storage to a 10kW System?

With the announcement of the federal battery rebate, battery storage has never been more affordable. We are now seeing complete solar and battery designs at around a 5 -7 year payback period. 

Battery storage offers a lot of benefits with: 

• Storing energy at the rate of power instead of exporting at low rates. 
• Off setting any solar tax where it has been reported that future feeding tariffs may actually become a cost to home owners. 
• Offsetting peak demand rates – a new charge retailers have started to introduce over the last few years that can only be offset with battery storage. 
• Grid redundancies for blackouts – these seem to be happening more and more.  
• Benefits with VVP’s ( Virtual power plans ) like that of Amber Electric, this  can give massive export rates for home batteries exporting to the grid, when the grid needs it. 

A great pairing with any solar setup is the REA Powerbank battery that comes in 10 KWhs up to 120kWhs.

Inclusion of a 10 KW Solar Panel System

A complete 10kW system typically consists of:

• 24–28 solar panels (based on 370W–440W modules) 
• The new REA Power Fusion 2 module is a 450W bifacial module, to achieve a 10KW rating we only require 22 panels.
  
• A 10kW solar inverter (or dual 5kW inverters)
• The REA Fusion 2 module has an incorporated Enphase micro inverter; this is one of the secrets to our higher performance and removes the need for ugly inverter boxes on the side of your home.
  
• Mounting and racking hardware
  
• Optional battery storage
• The REA Powerbank battery is the perfect pairing to the REA Fusion solar setup ( can be connected to all solar setups though ) and with the Federal battery rebate is very cost effective. 
• System monitoring and app integration
• Not all monitoring systems are built the same, ask your chosen provider if you can have access to each panel’s individual level of data 

You’ll need roughly 40 to 50 square metres of roof space to install a 10kW system.

With REA and our higher yield, to produce the same amount of kWhs we would only need 16 panels and 30 square metres of roof area. 

Can You Install a 10kW System on a Single-Phase Supply?

In many Australian locations, three-phase power is preferred or required for a 10kW system, particularly for grid export approval. Some distributors may allow installation on single-phase but limit how much can be exported (often to 5kW). Commercial properties generally already have three-phase, making larger systems easier to approve.

Rebates and Incentives for Solar Buyers

The federal STC rebate applies Australia-wide and typically reduces the price of a 10kW system by $3,000–$4,000. Some states—like Victoria and the ACT—offer additional solar rebates or zero-interest loans. REA Solar can help you check and claim all applicable incentives before you install.

Choosing the Right Installer for Your 10kW Solar System

A reliable installer makes all the difference. Look for:

• CEC-accredited installers
  
• Proven brands like Fronius, SolarEdge, SunPower, Jinko, or REC
  
• Solid warranties (25 years on panels, 10 years on inverters, and 5+ years on workmanship)
  
• Transparent quotes with no hidden fees
  

REA Solar has helped thousands of Australian homes and businesses install solar systems backed by quality hardware, professional service, and dedicated support.

Start Saving with a 10kW Solar System Today

A 10kW solar power system is a smart investment for homes and commercial properties with higher energy needs. With federal rebates, rising power prices, and quality products available, there’s never been a better time to install.

✅ Tailored designs for home or business
✅ High-efficiency solar panels and inverters
✅ Battery-ready systems
✅ Government rebates applied upfront
✅ Expert installation and local support

Get a free quote from REA Solar today. Our team will assess your roof, usage, and goals to design the perfect 10kW solar system for you.

Request a Quote Now or call 1300 563 458 to speak with a solar specialist.