Darwin is Australia’s most northerly capital city, and the administrative centre of the Northern Territory. Because Darwin is closer to Indonesia’s capital Jakarta than it is to Canberra, it’s no surprise that it’s one of Australia’s most multicultural cities. Its abundant sunshine makes Darwin solar power installations very economically viable.
History of the Darwin area
Named after the British naturalist Charles Darwin, the city itself was originally named Palmerston. It was the harbour that was named after Darwin in 1839, after a visit from the ship that took Darwin to the Galapagos, HMS Beagle. Darwin was not on board this time, but a former shipmate of his was, and named the harbour after his famous fellow traveller.
The traditional owners of Darwin are the Larrakia (saltwater) people. Larrakia country runs beyond the municipal boundaries of Darwin, covering the area from the Cox Peninsula in the west to Adelaide River in the east. The Larrakia people established the first trade routes in the region, trading with the Tiwi, Wagait and Wulna people, as well as with Indonesian fishermen.
Darwin got its first local government council in 1957 and was granted city status in 1959. In 1978 the Commonwealth passed The Northern Territory (Self Government) Act 1978 establishing the Northern Territory as a distinct political entity under the Crown, with limited state-like powers.
Economy and population
The Darwin economy is highly dependent on the government sector, mining and mining construction and transport. This dependence makes it prone to volatility, particularly once large investments wind down.
In 2017, Darwin’s population was 84,346. In 2016, 31.6% of Darwin residents were born overseas, predominantly in the Philippines, UK and India.
Government and administrative services, healthcare and construction are the three leading sectors for employment.
In 2016, less than half (43%) of households were purchasing or fully owned their home, while 36.6% were renting privately.
Darwin solar panel statistics
Australian Photovoltaic Institute data shows 14.3% of eligible dwellings in the Darwin local government area have rooftop solar panels out of a potential 22,046. This relatively low uptake of solar may be due to the transient nature of the population, and the high number of renters.
- Estimated installed capacity: 28,354 kW
- Systems under 10 kW: 13,531 kW (installations: 3,020)
- 10-100 kW: 6,765 kW (installations: 131)
- Over 100 kW: 8,058 kW (installations: 9)
Financial benefits of solar energy in Darwin
- Average daily solar panel system (5.3 kW) output in Darwin: 27.522 kWh
- Minimum daily (monthly average) system output: 23.22 kWh
- Maximum daily (monthly average) solar output: 32.616 kWh
- Average annual output of this system: 10045 kWh
A 5.3kW rooftop solar system (20 x 265W solar panels) in Darwin can return an approximate annual financial benefit of up to $3,013. However, this figure will vary depending on the installation circumstances. These include which direction the panels are facing, the household’s power consumption and how much they pay for grid electricity.
- PLEASE EXPLAIN!
Kilowatt hours (kWh) are a measure in thousand-watt steps of how much energy an appliance uses (or produces) in one hour. A 1,000W microwave running on maximum for one hour uses 1kWh of energy. Similarly, a 1kW solar panel operating at maximum for an hour generates 1kWh of energy.
The benefits of batteries to Darwin solar power users
You can really only get the most value out of your solar panels if you have a battery. Because without one, all those kWh of energy go to waste because you don’t use them during the day.
But if you have a battery you can store that energy and draw it from your battery at night or on an overcast day.
E.g., with its 13.5kWh of battery storage, the Tesla Powerwall 2 could technically run your 1,000W microwave for 13.5 hours. In reality, you may only use the microwave for 20 minutes while using lights, TV, fans and other appliances. Of course, the more appliances you use, the sooner the battery drains.
Darwin solar power support available
The main support for solar is from the federal Renewable Energy Target scheme. This program issues small-scale technology certificates (STCs) to people who install a solar panel system.
How many STCs you get varies depending on the size of the solar panel system and your location. STCs have a financial value, giving customers a point of sale discount on the installation of solar panels. This can be worth thousands of dollars.
You can find out how STCs are calculated on Energy Matters’ STC information page.
Warning: Downsizing of federal solar support scheme
The Federal Government is gradually decreasing the number of STCs it awards to people who install solar systems. It will cease issuing them altogether in 2030.
Let’s look at an example of the effect this reduction will have on the cost of a solar panel installation.
Until 1 January 2019, a 5.3 kW solar panel installed in Darwin attracts 105 STCs. In 2019, the same system will attract 97 STCs. Five years from now, the figure will be 65, ten years from now, 24. By 2030, the number will be zero and the scheme will finish.
How do STCs affect the cost of your solar installation?
Each STC has a dollar value set by the market, kind of like a share. For this example, let’s say that value is $35 (it can be as high as $40).
If we multiply $35 by 105 – the number of STCs a 5.3 kW system attracts in Darwin in 2018 – we get $3,675. Five years from now, when it attracts 65 STCs, the amount will be $2,275.
In short, the sooner you install your rooftop solar system, the less you pay.
Darwin solar power feed-in tariffs
At times your solar panels may generate more electricity than you can use (or store, if you have a battery).
Electricity retailers subsequently pay tariffs to households and business for the excess solar electricity they feed into the grid. However, individual electricity retailers may vary the tariff.
Jacana Energy pays 25.95 cents per kilowatt hour (GST inclusive) for electricity you feed in to the main grid. (Feed-in tariff value as at October 2018, check Jacana website for up-to-date figure.)
Learn more about installing solar panels in Darwin
If you live in Darwin, Energy Matters can help you go solar and lower your electricity bills. Furthermore, if you want to boost energy independence with a battery system, we can help there too.
That’s because Energy Matters is an award-winning, CEC Accredited retailer installing solar panels as well as home batteries across the country for more than a decade.
Contact our experts on 1800 EMATTERS (1800 362 883) for a chat about your situation or click here for a quick solar power quote.
