Is Australia the World Leader in Solar Power?

Fast read

Australia is a global leader in solar energy adoption with the highest capacity of solar panels per capita. This success is driven by ample sunlight, government support through incentives, high electricity prices and increasing popularity among residential and commercial users.

With 24.2 GW of solar power capacity installed by the end of 2022 and solar contributing about 10% of total electricity output, Australia continues to lead in rooftop solar installation.

Its favourable conditions and ongoing growth suggest the country will maintain its global leadership in solar energy expansion for the foreseeable future.

Does Australia have the highest solar panel per home ratio?

Australia is a world leader in using solar energy. We’ve done a great job of putting up solar panels to capture the sun’s energy. Compared to other countries, more Australians have solar panels on their roofs.

The Australian Federal Government and local authorities have helped by giving incentives and making it easier to install solar panels. This has made it cheaper for people to get solar power for their homes and businesses.

Solar technology has also improved, making solar panels more energy-efficient and affordable. This means people can generate more electricity from their solar systems.

As electric cars become more popular in Australia, there will be more need for electricity to charge them. Solar power is a clean and renewable way to do this. So, as more people get electric cars, solar energy will become even more important.

In short, Australia is doing really well in using solar energy. With more solar panels per person and support from the government, we’re leading the way in clean and green energy.

Who’s at the top?

Over the last decade, Australia’s solar energy business has grown dramatically, thanks to various variables such as ample sunlight, favourable government policies, higher and higher electricity prices and falling solar panel costs. As a result, many homes and companies throughout the country have embraced solar power as a viable and sustainable energy solution. An ever-increasing solar & battery solutions installation rate now follows this.

Based on the latest data from Global PV Markets at the end of 2022, Australia has the highest capacity of solar panels per head of population globally. The statistics include:

  • At the end of 2022, Australia had 1166W of solar panels per head of population.
  • In second place is the Netherlands’ 1040W of capacity in solar panels per head of population.
  • In third place is Germany with 807W of power per head of population.

These totals and the top spot do change a little year on year based on yearly installation capacity and, in many cases, Government policies to support solar. Australia retook the spot as the largest capacity per capita in 2022.

Not only winners in Wattage but also Output

In Australia, solar panels produce a lot of energy because we get strong sunlight. Let’s look at some numbers. A 1.166 kW solar system in Sydney can make about 1,700 kWh of electricity in a year. But in Munich, Germany, with weaker sunlight, a similar system would only make around 800 kWh yearly.

So, Australia not only installs more solar panels per person but also generates more solar power per person. This is because our sunlight is stronger.

This difference is because Australia gets a lot of sunlight. Our open spaces and sunny weather make it perfect for solar panels to work well. So, solar panels here can make more electricity compared to places with less sunlight.

Because of this strong sunlight, Australia is doing really well in using solar energy. As we move towards cleaner energy, our sunny weather gives us a great chance to make more solar power and use less fossil fuels.

In short, Australia gets a lot of sun, which helps our solar panels make more electricity. This makes us a leader in using solar energy effectively.

residential solar system
Residential solar has been booming for over a decade, and now we have over 3.4 million systems installed on local roofs

Why does Australia have the highest numbers?

There are three main reasons Australia is leading the global change in renewable energy usage.

  • The country receives a lot of sunlight. With an average of 2,500 hours of sunshine per year, Australia is one of the sunniest countries in the world. This makes it suitable for generating solar power.
  • The solar industry has received government assistance. The Australian government has provided a range of solar energy incentives, such as rebates and feed-in tariffs. This has reduced the cost of solar energy for consumers.
  • Our electricity and energy prices as a whole are relatively high by world standards and have increased significantly over the past 20 years, from around 13 cents per kWh in the early 2000s to over 40 cents per kWh now.
  • Solar energy is extremely popular. Australians are becoming more aware of the advantages of solar energy for both commercial and residential use and its environmental benefits.
shed with solar on it
Even some small buildings have roofs full of solar panels

Where is Australia heading?

In the past few years, Australia has been able to expand its renewable energy usage tremendously with some exciting facts listed below:

  • Australia had 24.2 GW of solar power capacity as of 2022
  • Installing solar panels saves the average Australian household roughly $1600 annually on electricity bills.
  • Solar power now accounts for about 10% of total electricity output in Australia.

Australia leads the world in solar power because of its sunny climate and strong solar panel installations. We have one of the highest rates of homes with rooftop solar panels. As electric vehicles (EVs) become more popular, the demand for solar power will grow even more.

With our abundant sunlight and high adoption of solar panels, Australia is set to keep growing its solar energy production. As more people choose EVs, they’ll also likely want to use solar power to charge them. This will further boost the popularity and use of solar energy across the country.

In short, Australia’s sunny weather and high rate of solar panel use make us a global leader in solar power. As EVs become more common, our solar energy use is expected to keep growing.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Find your local installer