In short
- A Brisbane factory on day shifts should expect a commercial solar payback of around two to two and a half years in 2026, among the best of the capitals, because the sun is strong and the STC zone is generous.
- One distributor, Energex, covers Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan and the rest of the south-east, so the connection process is the same across the city.
- Queensland has no state rebate for commercial solar and feed-in rates are set by retailers, so the system is sized to the factory's own load.
For a Brisbane manufacturer, commercial solar in 2026 pays back in roughly two to two and a half years on a weekday-shift site, and close to two on two shifts. The sun does most of the work and the federal STC discount does the rest. This page covers what is specific to Brisbane. The shift-pattern sums, the 1 MW STC change and the tax position are on solar for manufacturing, and the city as a whole is on commercial solar Brisbane.
| Quick facts | Manufacturing solar in Brisbane |
|---|---|
| Network | Energex across Brisbane and South East Queensland |
| STC zone | Zone 3, rating 1.382 |
| State incentive | None for commercial solar; retailer-set feed-in rates |
| Example payback | 2.1 to 2.4 years at 100kW |
| What to send | one recent bill; we get the interval data from it |
What's different in Brisbane
1. One distributor for the whole south-east
Energex covers Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan, Moreton Bay and the coasts, so a factory at Yatala, Wacol, Carole Park or Narangba goes through the same process as one at Northgate. Ergon Energy takes over in regional Queensland, where the rules differ, so a site at Toowoomba or beyond needs checking separately. Energex handles connections up to a threshold under a standard arrangement, above which a site moves to a negotiated connection with an export assessment.
- Up to about 30kW: a standard connection on most feeders.
- Around 100kW: a negotiated connection with an export assessment. The proposal should say who lodges it, how long it takes and any fees.
- Above 100kW: the same negotiated process with a more detailed assessment, and export limits on constrained feeders. Since 1 October 2026 a 100kW to 1MW system can take the upfront STC discount (mid-scale rules), which suits the large roofs on the Ipswich corridor and at Yatala.
2. The STC zone: Zone 3
Brisbane postcodes sit in STC Zone 3, rating 1.382. A 100kW system installed in 2026 earns 100 × 1.382 × 5 = 691 certificates, about 17% more than the same system in Melbourne see the postcode zone table on the Clean Energy Regulator page. Combined with the stronger sun, that is why Brisbane paybacks sit at the short end of the national range.
3. No state rebate, and retailer-set feed-in rates
Queensland has no standing rebate for commercial solar; the federal STC discount is the upfront support (energy.gov.au, Queensland business rebates). Feed-in tariffs in South East Queensland are set by retailers, not the government, so what a factory earns for exports depends on its contract and is usually low. The practical rule for Brisbane is to size the system to the factory's own daytime draw and treat export income as a bonus.
4. Brisbane's factories, and the heat
General knowledge, not a measurement: Brisbane's manufacturing runs along the south and west, on the Ipswich corridor (Wacol, Carole Park, Redbank), at Yatala and Beenleigh between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and in the north at Brendale and Narangba. Food and beverage, metal fabrication, building products and plastics are typical. Sites are three-phase with a demand charge, and summer air-conditioning and refrigeration push the daytime load up, which is good for self-use.
The heat has one cost: panel output drops on the hottest afternoons, when a module runs well above its rated temperature. A well-designed proposal builds that into the yield estimate rather than quoting a spec-sheet figure. The 1,450 kWh per kW used below already allows for it. See demand charges for whether solar touches the peak.
What payback should a Brisbane factory expect?
Here is a worked example with example figures. They are not our prices and not a real site.
A 100kW system in Brisbane is assumed to make about 1,450 kWh per kW a year, so 145,000 kWh in total. Each kWh the factory uses itself saves $0.28. Each kWh sent to the grid earns $0.05. The example price is $73,000 after the STC discount, the figure used on commercial solar cost.
| Shift pattern | Solar used on site | Saved on purchases | Earned on exports | Yearly saving | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One weekday day shift, closed weekends | 70% | $28,420 | $2,175 | $30,595 | 2.4 |
| Two shifts, six days a week | 85% | $34,510 | $1,088 | $35,598 | 2.1 |
The sums: 145,000 kWh × 70% = 101,500 kWh used on site × $0.28 = $28,420, plus 43,500 kWh exported × $0.05 = $2,175. Total $30,595 a year, and $73,000 ÷ $30,595 = 2.4 years. The second row works the same way at 85%.
These sums leave out demand charges, the slow wear of panels and future price changes. The same table by site type is on commercial solar cost, and the full shift-pattern table is on solar for manufacturing.
What to send for a Brisbane manufacturing proposal
Just one recent electricity bill, with every page. The pages after the amount owing carry your tariff, your demand charge and your meter number. We use the meter number to get your interval data ourselves, so there is nothing to request from your retailer. We confirm the site is on Energex rather than Ergon, check the connection threshold the system size falls under, and size to your own daytime load. From there you get a costed proposal with every assumption shown.
If you already have a quote, compare it line by line with our checklist. Otherwise, send your bill.
Questions from Brisbane manufacturers
Is there a Queensland rebate for solar on a factory? No. Queensland has no standing rebate for commercial solar. The federal STC discount is the only upfront reduction, and it comes off the installer's invoice. Brisbane's Zone 3 rating makes that discount larger than in Melbourne, and the stronger sun makes the saving larger too, which is why a Brisbane factory does not need a state program to reach a two-year payback on the right shift pattern.
What will my factory be paid for exports in Brisbane? Whatever your retail contract says. Feed-in rates in South East Queensland are set by retailers rather than the government, and for a commercial customer they are usually low. A proposal that leans on export income to make the payback look good is one to question. Ask for the figures with export set to a low number, or to zero, and see whether the case still holds. On a weekday-only factory, weekend output is the part that goes to the grid.
Does Brisbane's heat reduce what the panels make? Yes, on the hottest afternoons. A panel's output falls as its temperature rises above the rated figure, so a Brisbane roof in January makes a little less at 2pm than the spec sheet implies. The annual yield figure of about 1,450 kWh per kW already includes that. What to watch for is a quote using a higher figure with no explanation.
Can a Yatala or Wacol factory go above 100kW? Yes. From 1 October 2026 a system between 100kW and 1MW can create STCs rather than large-scale certificates. The limit counts all solar on the site, and applications open from mid to late November 2026. On a large roof the export assessment from Energex, not the certificates, is what usually sets the ceiling, so the proposal should show the system with the export limit designed in.