Ground-Mounted Solar Southern Highlands: 2026 Guide | Kratos

Ground-Mounted Solar in the Southern Highlands: When Does It Make Sense?

For properties across the Southern Highlands, rooftop solar is not always the only option.

A home, acreage property, farm or business may have:

• Limited usable roof area

• Heavy roof shading

• An older roof

• Poor roof orientation

• Large electricity consumption

• Substantial unused land

• Sheds located far from the main building

• Future battery or EV requirements

In these situations, a ground-mounted solar system may deserve investigation.

Ground mounting allows the solar array to be positioned independently of the building, potentially improving:

• Orientation

• Tilt

• Panel quantity

• Maintenance access

• Shade avoidance

• Future expansion

But ground-mounted solar introduces issues that rooftop systems often do not:

planning + land use + foundations + trenching + long cable runs + property access + vegetation + network connection.

Kratos Energy's current company information confirms experience across residential and commercial solar through to ground-mounted solar farms, EPC and large-scale renewable projects, making ground-mounted work part of its broader renewable-energy capability. (kratos-energy.com)

Explore Kratos large-scale solar capabilities

Ground-Mounted Solar: Quick Assessment Checklist

The strongest site is therefore not simply the largest empty paddock.

It is the location that balances:

sunlight + land use + electrical distance + approvals + access.

When Ground-Mounted Solar Can Make More Sense Than Rooftop Solar

1. Your Roof Is Heavily Shaded

Established trees are common across parts of the Southern Highlands.

A roof may receive substantial winter shade from:

• Tall trees

• Nearby buildings

• Hills

• Chimneys

• Complex roof sections

Moving the array into an open section of land can potentially provide better year-round solar access.

This can be particularly valuable in the Southern Highlands because winter already delivers materially lower solar exposure than summer.

Kratos' existing guide to winter solar output in Mittagong explains why seasonal shade and the lower winter sun angle should be considered during solar design. (kratos-energy.com)

Read the Kratos Mittagong winter solar guide

2. The Roof Is Too Small

A home might have enough roof space for:

6.6kW

while the property electricity profile suggests that:

10kW, 13kW or more

deserves investigation.

A ground-mounted array can potentially provide the additional area needed without forcing panels onto:

• Heavily shaded roof faces

• Poorly oriented areas

• Small roof sections

• Roofs occupied by skylights or chimneys

The correct size should still be based on electricity consumption—not simply available land.

3. The Roof Needs Replacement

Solar panels can remain installed for decades.

Installing them on a roof likely to require replacement soon can create future removal and reinstallation costs.

For an acreage property where suitable land is available, ground mounting may allow the solar project to proceed independently from future roofing work.

4. You Want Better Panel Orientation

Roof-mounted solar is constrained by the direction and pitch of the existing building.

Ground mounting can provide greater control over:

Orientation

Tilt

Row spacing

Shade avoidance

That can help optimise annual generation.

However, the goal should not always be to maximise midday output.

The system orientation should still reflect:

• Household usage

• Morning loads

• Afternoon loads

• Battery charging

• Export limits

Solar design should match the property's energy profile, not simply point every panel in one direction by default.

Rooftop vs Ground-Mounted Solar

Neither approach is automatically superior.

Some Southern Highlands properties may even benefit from:

roof solar + ground-mounted extension

where the electrical design and network approval support it.

Planning Approval Must Be Checked Before Installation

Ground-mounted solar is not simply:

“Put the panels somewhere in the paddock.”

NSW Planning states that solar energy systems may qualify as either exempt or complying development under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021 when all relevant standards are met.

If a proposal does not meet the relevant exempt or complying-development requirements, another approval pathway—including development consent—may be required.

Wingecarribee Shire Council specifically advises property owners to determine:

• Whether approval is required

• What is permissible on the property

• Which Local Environmental Plan controls apply

• Which Development Control Plan applies

before development work begins.

For ground-mounted solar, check planning before finalising the installation contract.

Why Land Zoning Matters

The Southern Highlands includes a mixture of:

• Residential land

• Rural residential properties

• Agricultural land

• Environmental areas

• Heritage properties

• Commercial land

• Tourist accommodation

Planning controls can therefore differ substantially between properties.

Wingecarribee Council maintains specific Development Control Plans for different zones and identifies separate controls for rural lands including RU1 Primary Production, RU2 Rural Landscape, C3 Environmental Management and SP3 Tourist areas.

So a system proposed on a large rural property outside Moss Vale may face a different planning context from one proposed behind a residential property in Bowral.

Do not assume that acreage automatically means unrestricted solar development.

Heritage Can Change the Assessment

The Southern Highlands contains many heritage properties and heritage conservation areas.

Wingecarribee Council notes that solar installations on heritage properties can have additional visibility and planning considerations.

For ground-mounted solar, the assessment may need to consider:

• Visibility from public roads

• Heritage significance

• Landscape character

• Existing vegetation

• Location relative to heritage buildings

A visually prominent ground-mounted array may therefore require a different design from one screened within a larger rural property.

If the property is heritage-listed or within a conservation area, check the planning pathway before assuming the system is exempt.

1. Start With the Electricity Load

Before choosing land for the array, understand how much electricity the property uses.

Collect:

• 12 months of electricity bills

• Smart-meter data where available

• Daytime consumption

• Evening consumption

• Seasonal differences

• Major equipment loads

For rural or commercial properties, major loads may include:

• Pumps

• Workshops

• Refrigeration

• Machinery

• Pool equipment

• Electric heating

• EV charging

• Accommodation facilities

Ground mounting creates space for larger systems.

That does not mean a larger system is automatically financially stronger.

Worked Example: Southern Highlands Acreage

Consider a hypothetical acreage home outside Moss Vale.

Electricity consumption

32kWh/day average

House roof

Suitable for approximately:

6.6kW

but affected by winter tree shade.

Open paddock

Good solar exposure with enough room for a larger array.

Proposed ground-mount location

Approximately:

45 metres from the main switchboard.

The homeowner is considering approximately 10kW of ground-mounted solar.

Before deciding, the installer should assess:

1. Planning pathway

2. Shade

3. Orientation

4. Ground conditions

5. Cable route

6. Trenching requirements

7. Voltage rise

8. Network connection

9. Future battery plans

10. Vehicle and machinery access

The system cannot be properly priced from the number of panels alone.

Cable Distance Can Significantly Change the Project

This is one of the biggest differences between rooftop and ground-mounted solar.

A rooftop inverter might sit only several metres from the switchboard.

A ground array could be:

30m

50m

100m

or further away.

Longer electrical runs may require:

• Larger cable

• Additional conduit

• Trenching

• Electrical protection

• More installation labour

The Australian Government identifies extended cabling among the factors that can increase the cost of solar installations.

This is why the most distant sunny paddock is not automatically the most economical location.

Example: Two Ground-Mount Locations

Consider two possible array sites.

Location A

Distance from switchboard:

25m

Solar exposure:

Very good

Minor tree shade late afternoon

Location B

Distance:

110m

Solar exposure:

Excellent

No shade

At first glance, Location B appears better.

But once the project includes:

• Trenching

• Larger cable

• Conduit

• Additional labour

Location A might deliver a stronger overall result.

The design should compare:

additional solar generation vs additional electrical infrastructure cost.

Ground Conditions Matter

Unlike rooftop systems, ground-mount structures need foundations.

The appropriate mounting solution can depend on:

• Soil type

• Rock

• Slope

• Drainage

• Ground stability

• Wind exposure

Potential foundation approaches can include:

• Driven posts

• Screw piles

• Concrete footings

• Engineered mounting structures

The correct method depends on the site and structural engineering requirements.

This is one reason ground mounting should be professionally assessed before final pricing.

Sloping Land Needs Extra Attention

The Southern Highlands contains many properties with uneven terrain.

A steep or irregular site can affect:

• Panel-row layout

• Foundation design

• Machinery access

• Drainage

• Installation labour

• Maintenance access

Do not assume a large sloping paddock provides the same usable solar area as flat land.

Usable land matters more than total land area.

Vegetation Needs to Be Managed for the Life of the System

A ground-mounted array is much closer to:

• Grass

• Weeds

• Shrubs

• Growing trees

than rooftop solar.

The installation design should consider how vegetation around and beneath the array will be maintained.

Poor vegetation control can eventually create:

• Shade

• Restricted maintenance access

• Moisture accumulation

• Fire-management concerns

The aim is not to unnecessarily clear large areas.

It is to design the array in a location where long-term vegetation management is practical.

Do Not Remove Trees Solely Because You Want More Solar

Established vegetation can have:

• Environmental value

• Landscape value

• Planning protection

• Heritage relevance

Tree and vegetation work may require approval depending on the property and applicable controls.

Where possible, ground-mounted solar should first be designed around productive open land rather than assuming surrounding trees can simply be removed.

Property Access Can Affect Installation Cost

Ground-mounted arrays require materials and machinery to reach the site.

Assess:

• Driveway access

• Gate width

• Steep terrain

• Soft ground

• Creek crossings

• Existing fences

• Machinery turning space

• Distance from unloading area

A location that looks perfect on satellite imagery may be expensive or difficult to access physically.

For a large array, logistics become an important part of the site assessment.

What About Livestock?

Where ground-mounted solar is proposed on a working rural property, the owner should discuss:

• Fencing

• Livestock access

• Panel height

• Cabling protection

• Maintenance routes

with the system designer.

Do not assume livestock should have unrestricted access underneath electrical equipment.

The installation and land-management plan should be designed for the actual property use.

Ground Mount and Land Productivity

For farms or rural businesses, another important question is:

What is the land currently used for?

Installing solar on a highly productive area may have a greater opportunity cost than using:

• Lower-value open land

• An unused paddock section

• Land near existing electrical infrastructure

The financial assessment should therefore include both:

energy value + land-use value.

This becomes increasingly important as system scale increases.

Kratos and Ground-Mounted Solar

Kratos' current public information states that the company's renewable-energy experience extends from:

residential and commercial rooftops

through to:

ground-mounted solar farms and megawatt-scale infrastructure.

Kratos also lists:

• Solar farm development

• Engineering, Procurement and Construction

• Grid-connection coordination

• BESS integration

• Project development

within its large-scale capability.

That means ground-mounted opportunities requiring more than a standard residential layout can be assessed within Kratos' broader engineering capability.

View Kratos large-scale solar solutions

Ground Mount Does Not Automatically Mean “Solar Farm”

This distinction matters.

A ground-mounted system could be:

Residential/Acreage

10–20kW supplying one property.

Commercial

30–100kW+ supplying a business.

Larger Project

Hundreds of kilowatts or megawatts.

The approval, electrical design and commercial structure become increasingly complex as system scale increases.

A homeowner considering a modest ground array should not assume they are entering the same development process as a multi-megawatt solar farm.

But both still require proper site assessment.

Network Connection Still Applies

Moving panels onto the ground does not bypass electricity-network rules.

The Southern Highlands is served by Endeavour Energy, including communities such as Bowral, Mittagong and Moss Vale.

The network connection still determines:

• Inverter capacity

• Export settings

• Metering

• Technical requirements

A property may have room for a very large array while the existing electricity connection supports something smaller without further network work.

The solar design therefore needs to consider:

land capacity + electrical capacity.

Should You Add a Battery?

A battery may be worth investigating where the ground-mounted array produces substantial surplus electricity during daylight hours.

For example:

Solar surplus:

12kWh/day

Evening grid imports:

10kWh/day

That could provide a reasonable basis for storage modelling.

But ground mounting alone does not make a battery necessary.

If the property consumes most of the solar directly during the day, storage may provide less additional value.

Battery sizing should follow:

solar surplus + evening consumption + backup requirements.

Explore Kratos battery storage

Ground-Mounted Solar and Winter Generation

Seasonality matters in the Southern Highlands.

Ground mounting provides an advantage because the designer has greater freedom to select panel tilt and orientation.

However, winter generation will still be lower than summer because:

• Days are shorter

• Solar exposure is lower

• The sun sits lower

Kratos' Mittagong guide uses Bureau of Meteorology data showing significantly lower average solar exposure during June than January.

So even a well-oriented ground-mounted array should be evaluated using annual generation, not just ideal summer conditions.

What Should Be Included in a Ground-Mount Quote?

Before approving the project, ask whether the quote includes:

Solar Equipment

• Panels

• Inverter

• Monitoring

• Mounting structure

Civil Works

• Ground preparation

• Foundations

• Posts/piles

• Excavation

Electrical

• Trenching

• Conduit

• AC/DC cable

• Switchboard work

• Protection equipment

Planning

• Planning assessment

• Required documentation

• Applicable approvals

Network

• Connection application

• Metering

• Export configuration

Site

• Access requirements

• Vegetation considerations

• Fencing where necessary

A quote that only lists:

panels + inverter

may not represent the complete cost of a ground-mounted installation.

Ground-Mounted Solar Checklist for Southern Highlands Properties

Before committing, confirm:

Land

• Is there enough usable space?

• Is the location productive or important agricultural land?

• Is the terrain practical?

Solar

• Orientation

• Tilt

• Annual shade

• Expected generation

Planning

• Land zoning

• Exempt/complying eligibility

• Heritage considerations

• Whether a DA is required

Electrical

• Distance to switchboard

• Trenching

• Cable sizing

• Voltage rise

• Supply phase

Network

• Approved inverter capacity

• Export arrangement

• Metering

Future

• Battery

• EV

• Additional buildings

• System expansion

A proper ground-mount proposal should answer all of these questions before installation begins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ground-Mounted Solar in the Southern Highlands: The Bottom Line

For a Southern Highlands property, ground-mounted solar can provide a strong alternative where rooftop solar is limited by:

shade + roof area + orientation + roof condition.

But the system needs more than open land.

A good ground-mount project follows:

Energy use → land assessment → planning → solar design → cable route → network approval → final system size.

The best array location is not necessarily the point with the most sunlight.

It is the location that delivers strong generation while remaining practical for:

• Planning

• Land use

• Electrical connection

• Installation

• Maintenance

For smaller acreage systems, that may mean a carefully placed array near the home.

For larger commercial or rural projects, it may require engineering, planning and network coordination similar to a small solar-development project.

Explore Kratos large-scale and ground-mounted solar capability

View Kratos residential solar options

Read about winter solar output in Mittagong

Contact Kratos Energy for a site-specific assessment

Ground-mounted solar gives you more freedom to choose where the panels go—but that freedom only creates value when the land, approvals and electrical design all work together.