Small-scale technology certificates for solar still below targets in Australia

May 16, 2016
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Flickr: Coop Biodiversity

Small-scale technology certificates (STCs) were created for 10,487 solar PV systems, totalling 56.3MW capacity, in Australia in April, but this fell well below the STC targets set by the regulator.

Once created and validated, STCs act as a form of currency and can be sold to recoup a portion of the cost of purchasing and installing a power system, or transferred to other individuals and businesses at a negotiated price, according to the Clean Energy Regulator.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

A report from research and advisory firm Green Energy Markets stated that STC creation remains “noticeably below the rate required for the 2016 target, running at an average of 279,000 STCs per week (year to date) compared to a 327,300 target”.

Commercial PV systems accounted for 26% of the installed capacity with STCs in April.

Installed capacity by state for past month and year to date +10kW. Credit: Green Energy markets

Large-scale Generation Certificates (LGCs) were accredited to five solar power stations last month, well below the record 17 power stations accredited in March.

Solar water heater (SWH) system numbers surged, up 18% on last month's figures to 5,670. The growth was driven entirely by the state of Victoria, where the number of systems were up 75%, However New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania all recorded falls in system numbers.

Read Next

January 16, 2026
The Australian government has announced AU$24.7 million in funding over three years to establish a National Solar Panel Recycling Pilot.
January 16, 2026
Canada-based solar mounting systems provider Polar Racking has entered the Australian market through its involvement in the 240MW Maryvale solar-plus-storage project in New South Wales, marking the company's first project deployment in the country.
January 14, 2026
Australian start-up Stellar PV has released early details of the solar ingot and wafer facility it plans to build in the state of Queensland.
January 14, 2026
SynergyRED, a wholly owned subsidiary of Synergy, has secured environmental approval for a 2GW solar, wind and battery energy storage system (BESS) project in Western Australia.
January 13, 2026
The use of POE as an encapsulant in TOPCon module construction could limit the effects of degradation on the module’s electricity generation.
Premium
January 12, 2026
December 2025 saw record solar generation in Australia's NEM, with rooftop and utility-scale solar surging, but pricing volatility persisted.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK
Solar Media Events
March 24, 2026
Dallas, Texas
Solar Media Events
April 15, 2026
Milan, Italy
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
November 3, 2026
Málaga, Spain