One in five Australian homes and businesses generate their own electricity via solar power system, new figures show.
Data released by the Clean Energy Regulator (CER) also shows 23 per cent more Australians have embraced rooftop solar over the last 10 years.
The monthly CER figures show numbers of installations under the Renewable Energy Target’s Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme.
Australia is hitting a milestone of 6000-megawatt capacity across 2.8 million small-scale renewable energy installations – enough to power 1.8 million homes.
This includes solar PV systems, solar water heaters and air source heat pumps.
Solar power system installations up across Australia
More households and small businesses in regional Australia are switching to renewable energy including domestic and commercial solar power.
The postcodes of Bundaberg (Queensland), along with Werribee and Hoppers Crossing in Victoria have the highest number of small-scale green energy installations since the scheme began in 2001.
Each is reaching around 17,000 installations, measured at 1 September 2017.
Queensland has the most commercial-sized solar PV systems (10-100kW) installed in August 2017 – 153 systems.
Across Australia, 432 commercial sized solar PV systems (10-100kW) were installed during the month.
Also, 136 solar PV systems had a concurrent installation of energy storage batteries.
State and regional solar power system tally
According to Lismore’s Echo Net Daily, more than 11,000 households and small businesses in the NSW regional town are using renewable energy.
The postcode ranks tenth among solar panel installations in the country, data shows.
The top 10 Australian postcodes for small-scale system installation are:
- 17,169: Bundaberg, Queensland
- 16,929: Werribee, Victoria
- 16,925: Hoppers Crossing, Victoria
- 16,810: Mandurah, WA
- 16,157: Hervey Bay, Queensland,
- 16,129: Cranbourne, Victoria
- 13,344: Caloundra, Queensland
- 13,036: Toowoomba, Queensland
- 11,622: Wangara, WA
- 351: Lismore, NSW
Also, state and territory ranking for installation of small solar power units is:
- 523,710: Queensland
- 377,283: NSW
- 320,668: Victoria
- 237,373: WA
- 212,486: SA
- 29,905: Tasmania
- 18,270: ACT
- 7,873: NT
The Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme offers incentives for households and businesses to install small-scale power generation.
It also encourages savings through energy efficient hot water systems.
