In short
- Melbourne roofs make the least per kW of any city on this site, about 1,250 kWh per kW a year, so a Melbourne warehouse system is sized larger for the same output.
- Victoria is the only state with a standing commercial solar discount, through Victorian Energy Upgrades, for systems from 30kW to 200kW.
- The west (Truganina, Laverton, Derrimut) is Powercor; Dandenong South is United Energy; Somerton and Epping are Jemena. Each has its own export limits.
Yes, solar pays on most Melbourne warehouses, but the sums are tighter than in Sydney or Brisbane, and the Victorian discount is what makes up the gap. A Melbourne roof makes about 1,250 kWh per kW a year, the lowest of any city here, so the same 100kW system saves less. Victoria answers that with the one state discount for commercial solar in the country. The general case for a warehouse, and why the five-day week matters more than the roof, is on solar for warehouses.
| Quick facts | Warehouse solar in Melbourne |
|---|---|
| Distributor | Powercor (west), United Energy (south-east), Jemena (north-west), CitiPower (inner), AusNet (east) |
| STC zone | Zone 4, rating 1.185 |
| State help | Victorian Energy Upgrades discount, 30kW–200kW |
| Share of solar used on site | about 78% on six days, about 65% on five |
| What to send | one recent bill; we get the interval data from it |
What's different in Melbourne?
1. Five distributors, and the sheds are spread across three of them
Melbourne's logistics belt is in three places, on three networks. The west, from Truganina and Laverton North through Derrimut to Ravenhall, is Powercor. The south-east, Dandenong South, Keysborough and Hallam, is United Energy. The north, Somerton, Epping and Campbellfield, is Jemena. CitiPower covers the inner city and AusNet the east, where there are fewer sheds. Each publishes its own export limits and its own connection thresholds.
- Up to about 30kW: a simpler process on each network.
- Around 100kW: a full connection application with an export assessment. Allow weeks.
- Above 100kW: a negotiated connection. On the western estates especially, where hundreds of new roofs have gone up in a few years, export caps are common and can be tight.
The Melbourne commercial solar page has more on all five networks. We check the street before quoting.
2. STC zone 4
Melbourne is zone 4, rating 1.185, the lowest on the mainland. A 100kW system installed in 2026 earns 100 × 1.185 × 5 = 592 certificates, rounded down, against 691 in Sydney or Brisbane. The federal discount is smaller here, which is one reason the state discount matters. Since 1 October 2026 STCs cover eligible systems up to 1MW. The zone table is on the Clean Energy Regulator's site.
3. The Victorian Energy Upgrades discount
Victoria is the one state with a standing commercial solar incentive. Through Victorian Energy Upgrades, a non-residential site can get an upfront discount on a system between 30kW and 200kW, delivered by an accredited provider who creates certificates for the installation. Larger systems can go through the program's project-based route. The value moves with certificate prices, so we check it on the day rather than printing a number that ages. For a warehouse replacing lighting or refrigeration at the same time, those upgrades can stack with the solar project. The program page is on the Solar Victoria site.
4. The lowest yield on this site
About 1,250 kWh per kW a year, against 1,450 in Brisbane and 1,600 in Perth. A proposal quoting Brisbane-style output for a Melbourne roof is wrong, and it is a common error. Winter output drops further than elsewhere, which matters less for a warehouse than for a cold store because the warehouse load also eases in the cool months. Summer brings the big afternoon air-conditioning and cool-room peaks that solar covers well.
A worked example for a Melbourne warehouse
Here is a worked example with made-up figures. These are example figures, not our prices or a real site. The price is the one our commercial solar cost page uses for a 100kW system, before any Victorian Energy Upgrades discount.
- A 100kW system in Melbourne, assumed to make about 1,250 kWh per kW a year, so about 125,000 kWh a year.
- The warehouse runs six days and uses about 78% of the solar, 97,500 kWh. The other 27,500 kWh goes to the grid.
- At $0.28 for each kWh it no longer buys: 97,500 × $0.28 = $27,300. At $0.05 for exports: 27,500 × $0.05 = $1,375.
- Yearly saving $28,675. At an example price of $73,000 after the STC discount, that pays back in about 2.5 years.
On five days self-use drops to about 65%: 81,250 kWh × $0.28 = $22,750, plus 43,750 kWh × $0.05 = $2,188, which is $24,938 a year and about 2.9 years. The Victorian Energy Upgrades discount comes off the price, so it shortens both paybacks; the proposal should show it as its own line with the certificate count, the same way it shows the STCs.
What to send
Just one recent electricity bill, every page. Using the meter number on it, we get your interval data, which shows the weekday load, the weekend gap and the demand charge. You don't need to request anything from your retailer.
Mention the shift pattern, the number of forklift chargers and whether you lease the building. Send a bill and an accredited installer prepares a costed proposal. Already have a quote? Compare it line by line with our checklist, including whether it uses a Melbourne yield and shows the Victorian discount as its own line.