A new Climate Council report estimates Australia's rooftop solar potential at 103 GW – four times the nation's current installed capacity.
The Climate Council think tank said in its newly published report, “Seize the Sun,” that Australia’s rooftop solar potential is 103 GW. This is four times the current installed capacity and 1.5 times the capacity of utility-scale generators in the National Electricity Market (NEM).
More than 3.6 million Australian homes now have rooftop solar, contributing 23 GW of clean renewable energy capacity. This capacity includes 17 GW from owner-occupied properties, 1.5 GW from private rentals, and 4.7 GW from commercial, industrial, and public buildings.
The report did not include solar installations on vacant land at industrial facilities, which would add more capacity.
For owner-occupied homes and some apartments, the Climate Council found that the total potential from available roof space is 44.4 GW, representing an increase of 27.4 GW over the current installations.
Private rentals could contribute an additional 12.6 GW, while social housing could add 1.9 GW. However, the largest potential lies in the commercial and industrial sectors.
The report stated that if all new commercial buildings installed rooftop solar by May 2025, they could generate an additional 1.2 GW of capacity by 2030.
Overall, Australia has the potential to more than double its rooftop solar capacity in the next six years.
To continue reading, please visit our pv magazine Australia website.