Solar on a shaded roof: is it still worth it?
Shade is the number one reason people assume solar won't work for them. Often it still does. What matters is how much shade, when it falls, and whether the system is designed around it.
The short answer
- Usually still worth it: on our calculator, a 6.6kW system in Victoria saves about $813 a year unshaded and about $787 with heavy shade.
- Why so close: shade mostly costs you exported power, which earns little. What you use yourself is still covered.
- The fix: panel placement, and microinverters or optimisers where the shade really warrants them.
What shade actually costs
Our calculator cuts a system's output by about 10% for some shade and 28% for heavy shade[1]. On a household with a $500 a quarter bill, the yearly saving from a 6.6kW system barely moves[1]:
- Victoria: about $813 unshaded, $804 with some shade, $787 with heavy shade.
- NSW: about $990 unshaded, $957 with some shade, $898 with heavy shade.
The reason: a system sized for your home makes more than you use at midday, so the power shade takes away is mostly power you would have exported for a few cents.
When shade really is a problem
- Shade in the middle of the day, when the panels make most of their power.
- Shade on most of the roof, leaving nowhere good to put panels.
- Shade on a string system: on a standard string inverter, a shaded panel can drag down the whole string[2].
Morning or late-afternoon shade on part of the roof is usually much less costly than it looks.
How installers design around shade
- Placement: put panels on the parts of the roof that get the most sun, even if that means fewer panels.
- Microinverters: one on each panel, so each panel works on its own. A good option when some panels are shaded at times[3].
- Optimisers: added to each panel with a string inverter. They can boost output on a partly shaded roof and are often cheaper than microinverters[3].
Both cost more than a plain string system, so they should earn their place on your roof, not be added by default.
What to ask on a quote
- Which parts of my roof are shaded, and at what times of day?
- How much output have you allowed for the shade?
- Do you recommend optimisers or microinverters here, and why?
- Could trimming a tree do more than extra hardware?
Why two quotes for the same job can be thousands apart
Installers price the same system very differently. These are the installed price ranges our calculator works from, before rebates: the low end is what a competitive installer charges, and the high end is what a poor quote looks like.
| System | Competitive quote | Poor quote |
|---|---|---|
| 6.6kW solar system | $8,000 | $10,000 |
| 10kWh battery | $7,650 | $13,500 |
| About 15kWh battery | $12,100 | $18,000 |
- The gap usually comes from margin, the brand of panel, inverter or battery, and extras such as a switchboard upgrade or backup circuit, not from a better install.
- Get at least two or three quotes, and ask for each to be itemised: hardware brands and models, size, rebates taken off, and anything extra.
- Compare batteries on price per usable kWh, not the headline price.
Get the numbers for your own home
Two minutes of questions about your bill, roof and routine gives you the system size, what it should cost after rebates and what it saves. Your report shows on screen straight away, and no installer sees anything unless you ask.
Run my numbers, freeCommon questions
Is solar worth it with shade?
Often yes. On our calculator, heavy shade cuts the yearly saving on a typical 6.6kW system only a little, because shade mostly costs exported power, which earns little.
Do microinverters help with shade?
Yes. Each panel works independently, so shade on one panel doesn't pull down the others. Optimisers do a similar job with a string inverter and are often cheaper.
How much does shade reduce solar output?
Our calculator assumes about 10% less for some shade and 28% for heavy shade. Your roof could be better or worse.
Sources
- Aussie Solar Info, How the calculator works: shading cuts modelled generation by 10% for some shade and 28% for heavy shade; solar-only scenario on a $500 a quarter bill, about 20kWh a day, run 4 November 2026. Read 4 November 2026.
- CHOICE, How can you tell if your solar panels are working?. Read 4 November 2026.
- Your Home (Australian Government), Rooftop solar: microinverters let each panel operate independently, suiting periodically shaded panels; optimisers can boost output in partially shaded systems and are often cheaper than microinverters. Read 4 November 2026.