The solar payback period is the time it takes for bill savings and export credits to recover your upfront system cost. For many Australian households, it may be roughly five to ten years, but the result depends on system size, installation price, sunlight, electricity use, feed-in tariff and any available incentives. Using more of your solar power during the day usually improves payback compared with exporting most of it. Ask an installer for an itemised estimate and check the assumptions, particularly if you are considering battery storage or finance.