australia-major-record-for-new-solar

Australia’s Major Record for New Solar Panel Roof Installations

Steve Russell - April 21, 2023

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The world is expediting its solar panel installation to mitigate climate change. Not only do families want lower energy bills, but the world needs cleaner energy to restore itself to sustainable levels. Australia is leading the charge in solar adoption, with a major record for new home solar panel installations that are an example for the rest of the world. 

What has Australia accomplished that brought their solar panels to international headlines, and how can every other nation follow suit?

What Record Did Australia Break?

Australia surprises itself. In 2022, rooftop solar panels on residential buildings accounted for 14% of the country’s power generation. Every state in Australia saw an increase compared to the year prior of at least 7.5% and at the highest 30.5%. An impressive aerial view of Australian neighborhoods would make environmentalists smile with a wave of shiny crystalline adorning family homes.

Though this is a recent record, Australia has been a historic player in the solar revolution — an almost 20% increase from 2022. Other solar technologies, such as batteries, grid-scale solar, and microgrids, complement their rooftop panels. 

The country uses its previous accomplishments to achieve forward momentum in rapid solar implementation. It also has built resilience, expectations, and goals from years that weren’t so successful, otherwise compromised by unexpected reprises of COVID-19. In 2021, 300 megawatts of rooftop solar panels hit homes alongside a Tesla-powered Megapack battery in Victoria that could make homes stand against power outages. Despite the pandemic ravaging the island continent, the country pursued its solar ambitions.

For a country already breaking its record year over year for renewable energy generation — 35.8% in 2021 and over 40% in 2022 — every year should be promising for Australians in the sunshine.

Power prices aren’t just inching worldwide — they’re skyrocketing. Residents want to bank on the solar boom while prices are still reasonable because, soon, it could become even more expensive to get them grounded.

What’s Motivating Australians to Go Solar

The cost of living in Australia is famously high, making this an added stressor for inhabitants. Generating electricity independently is a massive step into democratized utility production and effective dispersal during peak hours.

It’s impossible to ignore why solar would benefit a sunny island nation — the environment is naturally predisposed to optimize it. Australia is one of the world’s regions that gets the most sunlight. Therefore, each panel could generate more than the global average, leading to stronger neighborhoods and Australian states.

However, motivation might stem from a more righteous place, as Australian citizens take it into their own hands to push climate policy. Worldwide climate pressures have made nations take aggressive stances with lofty goals toward becoming net zero or reducing emissions by a certain percentage. Australia has received a reputation for being unclear at best on its national climate accountability. Citizens have even questioned the integrity of the carbon credit policies, asking for reform.

Yet, the citizens tell a passionate narrative of environmental care, embracing the nation’s wealth of clean resources and voting accordingly. The nation’s people are choosing solar, accelerating its national growth as a byproduct, because they care about the planet’s health.

Additionally, solar panels increase property value while creating a trend of green retrofits. Despite most of the focus being on the rooftop solar panels themselves, choosing to install them also represents other green mindset shifts in the nation. Owners with installed solar panels are likely to consider upgrades to larger-capacity outfits, despite having made an initial investment.

Can Rooftop Panels Make That Much of a Difference?

Australia’s commitment to rooftop solar is a testament to residents’ environmental promises, and it’s compounded by the nation’s other renewable energy sources, like water and wind. But, how much are the household-chosen rooftop panels helping Australia’s up-and-coming climate policies?

Solar is Australia’s largest capacity power source, and it might even be enough to surpass and phase out brown coal for the whole continent. Phasing out an entire fossil fuel production industry is huge, and closing those doors for good would be a historic landmark in productive environmental healing. 

It happens because the top solar panel providers and consultants in Australia, like SunWiz and Lightsource, keep a steady stream of products despite global supply chain disruptions. They also expand, influencing other nations with their efforts, such as New Zealand.

Tempermental climates continue ravaging nations worldwide with unpredictable weather and extreme hot and cold temperatures. Some of these trigger other natural disasters, and for Australians, bushfires from intense, dry heat threaten power infrastructure and electricity access. Rooftop panels make a difference in the climate conversation because families can persist through these stressors, allowing the nation to continue with unrelenting optimism instead of letting the climate cause regression. Energy resilience means more reliable progress.

Australia’s Major Record for New Solar Panels

Australia may meet headlines with this same story every year until every rooftop in the nation has solar panels. Despite grander initiatives happening worldwide, Australia’s citizens are the crux of a monumental shift in environmental attitudes, making them a role model for green living in circumstances of assertive climate policy. 

The shining rooftops will be a powerful partner alongside the nation’s other climate-related moves, potentially sneaking them into the top as a competitor in the race toward net zero.

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About the author

Steve Russell

Steve is the Managing Editor of Environment.co and regularly contributes articles related to wildlife, biodiversity, and recycling. His passions include wildlife photography and bird watching.