100 MW months emerge as new normal for small-scale PV installs

Green Energy Markets’ small-scale solar figures for April reveal that above 100 MW is emerging as the new normal for the segment in 2018. While the month was below the record-setting 127 MW in March, April’s 109 MW indicates that installations north of 100 MW can be expected from the residential and small commercial sector for some time into the future.

May 8, 2018 Jonathan Gifford

The booming rooftop market is clearly evident in the STC data.

Graphic: Green Energy Markets

For the seventh month in row Australian households and small businesses have installed over 100 MW of solar. The latest small-scale technology certificate (STC) data, compiled by Green Energy Markets, shows that the sector has built up to sufficient momentum to see 100 MW/month become the new run rate for some time to come.

The April figures represent a 14% decrease MoM, however YoY they are a whopping 63% increase.

The April STC numbers also only account for a small number of systems installed in the 2017 regular year’s end rush – notes Green Energy Markets’ Tristan Edis.

“Another interesting aspect from these numbers is that 2017 generation year installs represented just 6% of total creation, so these numbers largely reflect the state of the market after removing the effect of the end of year surge we see as installers and customers seek to get in before the STC deeming rate steps down,” writes Edis in his note.

Given this, and the sustained 100 MW-plus performance of the small-scale market, 2018 fast shaping up to be a record-setting year for rooftop solar – and a boom without a bust on the short term horizon.

Edis notes that some of the 109 MW registered in April may be lost as the regulator rejects some installations, but that the final figure will remain well above 100 MW. STCs are generated on rooftop arrays up to 100 kW in size.

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