Australia adds 2.9GW rooftop solar in 2023, total installed capacity surpasses 20GW

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The average system size of rooftop solar modules increases to a record to 9.4kW. increase Image: CSIRO.

The installed capacity of rooftop solar has surpassed 20GW in Australia as of 2023, becoming the second largest source of renewable electricity generation in the country, according to Clean Energy Council.

The Rooftop solar and storage report shows that Australia added a total of 2.9GW of rooftop solar last year, up from 2.8GW in 2022. However, the addition was still behind the record set in 2021, as 3.2GW of rooftop solar was added in that year. Last year was also the first year in which the sector contributed over 10% of Australia’s total electricity generation, reaching an 11.2% share.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Although the installed capacity increased year-on-year, fewer rooftop solar units were installed in 2023 than in 2022, down from 315,753 to 314,507. Clean Energy Council said this could be attributed to the growth in the average system size in 2023, reaching a new annual record of 9.4kW.

The average system size increased significantly in previous years, up from 4.2kW a decade ago and 7.1kW five years ago.

Geographically, New South Wales (NSW) broke the record for the highest annual installed capacity of any state, reaching 970MW in 2023. NSW was followed by Queensland and Victoria, with their annual installed capacities of 751MW and 571MW, respectively. Moreover, Queensland was the first state to install more than one million rooftop solar systems.

Con Hristodoulidis, Clean Energy Council’s policy director of distributed energy, said: “Rooftop solar is experiencing rapid growth in Australia’s clean energy mix, with an estimated one in three households and businesses.”

Hristodoulidis added that the abundance of sunshine and the inherent benefits of installing rooftop solar, including lower energy bills and feed-in tariffs, contributed to the growth of rooftop solar in Australia.

Clean Energy Council published another report in March this year, saying that continued growth in rooftop solar and “record-breaking” investment into utility-scale energy storage led renewable energy to fulfil almost 40% of Australia’s electricity supply in 2023.

The Clean Energy Australia 2024 report shows that renewables accounted for 39.4% of the country’s electricity supply last year, representing a 9.7% increase. This rise was facilitated by 5.9GW of new clean energy capacity which came online, spearheaded by rooftop solar.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced an Inflation Reduction Act-style investment package this month to stimulate a domestic clean energy manufacturing industry. The act will likely feature in the Australian government’s May budget and will see the federal authority “act and invest at scale” to support energy transition infrastructure, manufacturing and technologies.

Read Next

May 23, 2025
The US House of Representatives has passed a bill slashing tax credit provisions for clean energy projects.
Premium
May 23, 2025
Tongwei's CEO has told an annual shareholder meeting that next year will see a turning point in industry fortunes as obsolete capacity is phased out.
May 22, 2025
Prefabricated solar structure provider 5B has become the first recipient of the Australian government’s AU$1 billion Solar Sunshot Program, securing up to AU$46 million for its “Maverick” automated solar deployment system.
May 21, 2025
US PV module manufacturer Silfab Solar has acquired a patent portfolio for back-contact (BC) solar cells from solar research firm EnPV.
May 21, 2025
The US International Trade Commission has voted unanimously to impose AD/CVD tariffs on solar cells from Southeast Asia.
May 21, 2025
Installation of the anchoring system for what has been badged the world’s first floating offshore solar-wind project has been completed.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
June 17, 2025
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 8, 2025
Asia
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece