Rooftop solar market dips post 4 million milestone
In November, Australia marked the milestone of installing its four-millionth residential rooftop solar system in Sydney. However, the solar market experienced a slight slowdown in new PV system uptake, with 274MW registered for the month, according to industry analysts SunWiz.
Although there was a 2% decrease compared to the previous month, the year 2024 is still 2% ahead of the figures from the same period last year. SunWiz’s managing director, Warwick Johnston, described this as a “poor outcome,” especially considering the usual 20% month-on-month growth seen in November.
Residential vs. Commercial Performance
The lacklustre performance in the residential segment has been a key factor in the overall slowdown, while the small-commercial sector continues to show growth. November 2024 witnessed the second-highest registration of commercial small-scale technology certificates (STCs) on record, indicating a positive trend in the commercial market.
Moreover, the average system size reached a record high of 10.48kW, reflecting the influence of the strong commercial sector performance on the market.
State-Level Performance
At the state level, Victoria and New South Wales, described as the “south-eastern powerhouses,” experienced a decline in performance, impacting the national figures. However, South Australia stood out with a 10% increase in installation volumes, although this growth was not sufficient to offset the contractions in Victoria (7%) and NSW.
Overall, while the Australian solar market saw a slight slowdown in November, there were positive indicators in the commercial sector and certain states, showcasing the ongoing growth and evolution of the solar industry in the country.
