Australia has reached a significant milestone in its renewable energy journey, with rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system installations soaring to 20 gigawatts (GW), now constituting 11.2% of the nation's electricity supply, as reported by the Clean Energy Council.
In a testament to the nation's commitment to clean energy, 2023 witnessed the installation of 314,507 rooftop solar units, boasting a capacity of 2.9 GW, marking it as the second-largest year of rooftop solar deployment.
Con Hristodoulidis, Policy Director of Distributed Energy at the Clean Energy Council, underscored the unprecedented growth of rooftop solar in Australia, attributing it to abundant sunshine and the tangible benefits such as reduced energy bills and favorable feed-in tariffs. “The sheer scale and pace of rooftop solar in Australia is unparalleled anywhere else in the world,” Hristodoulidis remarked, emphasizing that one in three households and businesses are embracing rooftop solar technology.
New South Wales emerged as a frontrunner in solar adoption, with the installation of 970 megawatts of new rooftop solar systems, setting a new record for the highest annual installed capacity.
Meanwhile, Queensland achieved a significant milestone by surpassing one million rooftop solar installations in 2023, becoming the first state in the country to achieve this feat.
Highlighting the widespread acceptance and benefits of rooftop solar, Hristodoulidis noted, “More than three million Australians understand that their rooftop solar systems are providing them with substantial savings, greater value, and peace of mind.”
The recent announcement by the Federal Government of the $1 billion Solar Sunshot manufacturing support program has been welcomed as a positive step towards future progress. Hristodoulidis expressed optimism, stating, “As we leverage world-leading research and innovation to make more solar products right here in Australia.”
