Why is my electricity bill still high after installing solar?

A high bill does not automatically mean the solar panels are faulty. Start by separating generation, household use, grid imports and grid exports for the same billing period.

Common explanations include:

• heavy evening or overnight use when solar is not generating
• winter heating, summer air-conditioning, a pool, EV or electric hot water increasing total use
• a small or shaded solar array relative to the household load
• controlled-load appliances billed separately
• a lower feed-in tariff or a different electricity plan
• a network export limit or curtailment
• inverter, battery, wiring or panel faults reducing generation

Check the monitoring app for daily generation and fault alerts, then compare it with the retailer bill and the same season from the previous year. Solar generally saves more when its electricity is used in the home because each self-consumed kWh avoids buying a kWh from the grid; exported power may receive a lower credit.

If generation is unexpectedly low on clear days, contact the seller or installer. The Australian Government Solar Consumer Guide advises that solar repairs should be handled by an accredited installer or qualified electrician because the system can remain energised even when mains power is off.

Before buying more panels or a battery, identify the actual cause. A tariff or load-timing problem needs a different solution from a failed inverter or undersized system.