South-east Queensland rooftop solar capacity reaches 1GW mark

South-east Queensland’s rooftop solar market is fast approaching the 1GW mark, with a total of 281,811 systems now installed on detached homes, at a total capacity of more than 937MW.

According to the latest data released by local network operator Energex, rooftop solar systems are now installed on 27 per cent of detached homes in the state’s south east, despite the removal of government subsidised feed-in tariffs.

As the graph below shows, more than one-third of the residential rooftop solar installations – or 304MW – received the 6c/kWh tariff for exports, rather than the 44c/kWh.

Most of these are new systems, ordered and installed since the 44c/kWh tariff was ended. However, another 889 systems fell off the 44c feed-in tariff, meaning that the number receiving that tariff has fallen by nearly 14,000, or nearly 7 per cent, in the last 15 months.

The installation rate puts south-east Queensland on a par with South Australia, where rooftop arrays are installed in more than 23 per cent of customers.

In February, 2,164 new solar systems were connected to the network, and another 2,604 applications were received. Energex says this is below the long-term average.

Another 889 systems fell off the 44c feed in tariff, meaning that the number receiving that tariff has fallen by nearly 14,000, or nearly 7%, in the last 15 months. The average feed-in tariff paid per day to a customer with Solar PV is $2.08.

Grid-connected solar pv capacity

© 2015 Solar Choice Pty Ltd

Giles Parkinson