rooftop solar

There was excellent news at the weekend on Australia’s accelerating progress in slashing consumers’ skyrocketing energy bills and transitioning the community to cheap, clean, reliable firmed renewables. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s announcement of a $2.3 billion program to subsidise the purchase of household batteries will deliver a 30% rebate on the price of battery systems from 1 July 2025, with small business and community facilities also eligible.

The Australian senate inquiry into residential electrification final report gives bipartisan support to leverage rooftop solar and recommends federal, state and territory governments promote the uptake of consumer energy resources.

New Zealand-headquartered gentailer Meridian Energy is installing a 1.21 MW rooftop solar system on an Auckland brewery roof owned by global beverage company Lion, which will partly power the facility’s annual electricity needs.

Energy retailers are called upon to educate housholds about the benefits of behind-the-meter energy solutions after the Federal Budget’s short-term energy bill relief falls short of savings already delivered to households through rooftop solar, electric vehicles (EVs), and automated orchestration.

IKEA Australia has partnered with Smart Commercial Solar to install a $2.9 million, 2,034 kW rooftop solar and battery energy storage system on a western Sydney distribution centre.

The Clean Energy Regulator’s quarterly carbon market report finds rooftop solar capacity in 2024 is likely to have been about 3.2 GW and could set an Australian record.

A remote high school in Papua New Guinea has installed a solar powered mini-grid to classrooms and schoolground infrastructure such as a solar water pump and solar powered irrigation system, with the support of an Australian government off-grid renewable energy in the Pacific program.

Australia’s solar rollout continues to reach new heights with a combined total of 4.7 GW of small- and large-scale PV installed across the country in 2024 but shifts in the rooftop market suggests diversification of services will be key for the nation’s installer community going forward.

Renewable energy asset management outfit Omnidian has strengthened its presence in the Australian market with the acquisition of Queensland-based PV installer and service provider Solar Service Guys.

AusNet has connected the first stand-alone community battery to its Victorian electricity distribution network with a 120 kW / 300 kWh energy storage system now helping the Yarra Junction community make better use of locally generated solar energy.