Australia's Solar Revolution: Comprehensive Market Analysis and Installation Trends
Solar Panel Statistics at a Glance
4,154,426 solar panel installations have been completed across Australia from 2001 to 30 June 2025, generating a substantial 26,704,295kW of rated capacity.
Australia maintains its position as the global leader in per capita electricity generation from solar as of 2024.
Rooftop photovoltaic systems delivered 12.4% of Australia's total energy generation in 2024, contributing 30,178GWh to the national grid.
The current decade has witnessed 1.828 million solar panel installations, demonstrating sustained market momentum.
Australian solar installations average 6.43kW in system size, reflecting consumer preference for substantial energy generation capacity.
The five-year period from 2020-2024 recorded 1.72 million installations, with 2% growth recorded in 2024.
Installation activity peaked in 2021 with 377,458 systems, while 2024 installations were 16% below this record high.
How Many Solar Panels Are Installed in Australia?
Australia's solar infrastructure represents a comprehensive transformation of the nation's energy generation landscape, built through sustained installation, with the first recorded solar panel installation back in 2001.
National Installation Portfolio
The cumulative total of 4,154,426 solar panel installations completed from 2001 to 30 June 2025 represents a comprehensive distributed energy network. These installations collectively deliver 26,704,295kW of rated output capacity, establishing a substantial foundation for renewable energy generation in Australia.
Source: Clean Energy Regulator (CER) data, 2001 to 30 June 2025
Household Penetration Rate
Solar adoption has reached remarkable household penetration levels, with 43% of Australian households having solar panels installed on their current residence. This figure encompasses both homeowners and renters, demonstrating the widespread integration of solar technology across diverse housing arrangements and tenure types.
Source: Green.com.au Survey, May 2025
Recent Solar Installation Activity in Australia
The current decade (2020-2025) has generated 1.828 million solar panel installations, or 44% of all solar panels ever installed, demonstrating the acceleration of adoption in recent years and highlighting the maturation of the Australian solar market.
Source: Clean Energy Regulator (CER) data, current decade
System Capacity Characteristics
Across all 4.1 million installations in Australia, the average solar installation size is 6.43kW, indicating consumer investment in systems capable of substantial household energy offset and grid contribution.
Source: Clean Energy Regulator (CER) data analysis
Australia is the Global Leader in Solar Generation
Australia's commitment to solar energy has established the nation as the Number 1 country worldwide for per capita electricity generation from solar as of 2024, demonstrating the effectiveness of widespread distributed generation adoption.
Global Rankings
- Australia: 1.87 kW hours per person
- United Arab Emirates: 1.38 kW hours per person
- Spain: 1.22kW hours per person
- Greece: 1.22kW hours per person
- Netherlands: 1.19kW hours per person
That puts Australia 35.5% higher than the next best country in solar generation per person.
Source: Ember (2025); Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data
"With over 4 million installations now generating more than 26 gigawatts of capacity, Australia has built the world's most comprehensive distributed solar network. What we're seeing is not just impressive numbers, but a fundamental transformation of how Australians generate and consume electricity."
David Green
Co-Founder, Green.com.au
What is the Solar Installation History in Australia?
Australia's solar installation journey reveals two distinct waves of growth, separated by a period of market adjustment and policy recalibration.
First Wave Growth (2008-2011)
The Australian solar market experienced its initial surge beginning in 2008, the first year solar panel installations broke above 10,000 systems. Growth accelerated rapidly in subsequent years, with 2009 marking the first year above 50,000 installations, followed by 2010 achieving the first milestone above 100,000 installations with 198,208 systems. This first wave culminated in 2011 with a peak of 360,745 installations, establishing an early benchmark that would not be surpassed for nearly a decade.
Source: Clean Energy Regulator (CER) historical data, 2008-2011
Market Adjustment Period (2012-2019)
Following the 2011 peak, installation volumes remained below the 360,745 threshold for an extended period, reflecting policy adjustments and market stabilization as the industry matured and adapted to changing regulatory frameworks.
Source: Clean Energy Regulator (CER) historical data, 2012-2019
Second Wave Emergence (2020-2024)
The market returned to peak performance levels in 2020, which initiated the second wave of solar panel growth, ultimately leading to the new record of 377,458 installations in 2021. This second wave demonstrated renewed consumer confidence and the effectiveness of updated policy settings in driving sustained market expansion.
Source: Clean Energy Regulator (CER) data, 2020-2021
What are the Recent Trends in Solar in Australia?
Recent installation patterns reveal both the sustained strength of Australia's solar market and emerging shifts in growth trajectories.
Five-Year Installation Performance (2020-2024)
The period from 2020 to 2024 recorded 1.72 million solar panel installations. This is 2% growth on the 5 years to 2023 and a huge 79% increase on the previous 5 year period (2015-2019), indicating continued market expansion despite various economic pressures.
Source: Clean Energy Regulator (CER) data, 2020-2024
Peak Installation Achievement
The year 2021 established the benchmark for Australian solar installations with 377,458 systems added to the national grid, representing the highest annual installation volume in the market's history.
Source: Clean Energy Regulator (CER) data, 2021
Recent Market Results (2024)
Installation activity in 2024 totalled 317,857 systems, representing a 4.8% decline from 2023 levels and positioning 2024 installations 16% below the 2021 peak. These figures remain preliminary more installations will be added to the 2024 figure as they are finalised.
Despite the decrease in 2024 installation, 3.2 GW of capacity added coming from rooftop solar, which was slightly up on 2023 (3.1 GW). This indicates that larger rooftop solar setups were being installed in 2024.
Source: Clean Energy Regulator (CER) preliminary data, 2024 and Green Energy Markets CEA Report data, 2024
Current Year Projection (2025)
Through 30 June 2025, 113,270 installations have been recorded. Based on this mid-year performance and without seasonal adjustment factors, the projected annual total for 2025 is 226,540 installations, suggesting a continued moderation in installation volumes.
Source: Clean Energy Regulator (CER) preliminary data, 2025
Installation Volume Analysis: Key Years
Through 30 June 2025, 113,270 installations have been recorded. Based on this mid-year performance and without seasonal adjustment factors, the projected annual total for 2025 is 226,540 installations, suggesting a continued moderation in installation volumes.
Year
Installation Volume
Notable Years
2015
141,500
2016
132,697
2017
174,942
2018
224,852
2019
284,031
2020
370,320
2021
377,458
Peak Installs
2022
315,717
2023
333,860
2024
317,857
2025
113,270
Current Year (not finished)
How Substantial is Solar Energy's Contribution to Australia's Electricity Generation?
Solar energy has evolved from a supplementary generation source to a fundamental component of Australia's electricity supply infrastructure.
Grid Contribution Performance
Rooftop photovoltaic systems delivered 12.4% of Australia's total energy generation in 2024, contributing 30,178 GWh to the national electricity supply. This substantial contribution demonstrates the material impact of distributed solar generation on Australia's energy mix.
Australia’s rooftop solar now generates twice the electricity of all other solar in Australia. In 2024, Australia’s electricity generation mix put Rooftop Solar as the 4th largest source of electricity generation in Australia, out of the 243.2 total MWh of electricity use:
- Black Coal: 39.1%
- Wind: 13.4%
- Brown Coal: 12.9%
- Roof Solar: 12.4%
- Gas: 7.6%
- Solar: 7.2%
- Hydro: 5.5%
- Bioenergy: 1.5%
- Non-metered fossil: 0.4%
- Liquids: 0.1%
Source: Clean Energy Council Report Q1, 2025
Product Certification and Market Standards
The Australian market maintains a broad selection of options for the Australia public, with 4,829 approved rooftop solar, inverter, and storage products currently available across the country, ensuring consumer access to certified and reliable solar technology solutions.
Source: Clean Energy Council
"The fact that rooftop solar now contributes 12.4% of Australia's total electricity generation shows how far Australia has come in green energy. This is now critical infrastructure that's keeping the lights on across the country."
David Green
Co-Founder, Green.com.au
How Do Solar Panel Installations Compare Across Australian States?
State-level installation patterns reveal significant regional variations in both current market activity and historical adoption trends, with leadership positions shifting between New South Wales and Queensland.
Current Market Leadership (2024)
New South Wales dominated the 2024 installation market with 97,475 installations, representing 31% of Australia's total solar market. NSW maintained a substantial lead over other states, with Queensland trailing as the second-largest market at 81,311 installations, or 26% of the national total - positioning Queensland 5 percentage points behind NSW in market share.
Source: Clean Energy Regulator (CER) data, 2024
Historical Installation Leadership
Despite NSW's current market dominance, Queensland holds the distinction of having the highest cumulative installations over the sector's 25-year history. Queensland has recorded 1,121,815 total installations, representing 27% of all Australian solar installations since tracking began. NSW follows closely with 1,085,071 cumulative installations, accounting for 26% of the national total, demonstrating the competitive nature of these two major markets.
Source: Clean Energy Regulator (CER) historical data, cumulative to 2025
State Performance During Market Decline (2024)
While the national market contracted by 4.8% in 2024, state-level performance varied significantly. Only Western Australia and Queensland recorded growth, with WA increasing 0.9% and Queensland growing 0.2%. In contrast, NSW, despite being the largest market, experienced a 7.6% decline in installations, highlighting regional differences in market conditions and consumer demand.
Source: Clean Energy Regulator (CER) data, 2024 (preliminary figures subject to confirmation)
Current Year State Competition (2025)
The first half of 2025 shows a tight contest between the two leading states. Queensland leads with 31,051 installations, closely followed by NSW with 30,770 installations through the first six months of the year, indicating potential shifts in market leadership as the year progresses.
Source: Clean Energy Regulator (CER) data, 2025 to 30 June
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