Record-breaking Rooftop Solar Market Rebounds with Small Systems

Australia’s rooftop solar market has achieved a new milestone by registering a total of 292MW of new capacity in May, marking the highest ever recorded for this month. The latest figures from industry analysts SunWiz reveal a 13% increase in national market volumes compared to April, surpassing the average trend line for the first time since December 2023 following a two-month decline.

SunWiz’s managing director, Warwick Johnston, attributes this resurgence partly to the market picking up momentum post-school and public holidays in April. The commercial rooftop solar sector played a significant role in driving this growth, with the 15-100kW market consistently setting new volume records each month since the beginning of the year.

Although the average size of rooftop solar systems remains around 9.8kW, Johnston highlights a rise in installations of 3kW and 4-6kW systems in May, suggesting a possible shift towards more affordable options in the market.

Across the country, all states experienced an increase in volumes in May, with several recording double-digit percentage growth. South Australia and Victoria saw the most significant spikes, with volumes rising by 27% and 19% respectively. Victoria led the growth, followed by Queensland and New South Wales, contributing to the overall national upsurge in solar installations.

Sophie Vorrath, editor of One Step Off The Grid and deputy editor of Renew Economy, has been actively reporting on clean energy developments for over a decade.