A recent report, the “Australia PV Applications National Survey Report 2024” published by the International Energy Agency (IEA), reveals that Australia added 5.2GW of new solar PV capacity in 2024. This figure surpasses the country’s total historical installed capacity up to the end of 2015 (5.1GW), officially pushing the nation’s cumulative solar PV capacity past the 40GW mark.
The report indicates that Australia’s solar PV installation structure is characterized by a “distributed-led, centralized-supplemented” model. Of the total 40GW capacity, distributed systems account for 65.25%, reaching 26.1GW, while centralized systems account for 34.75% at 13.4GW. In terms of contributions to new capacity, residential, commercial, and industrial rooftop PV systems performed notably, contributing 3.2GW. Utility-scale projects of 5MW and above contributed 2GW.
In rooftop PV penetration, Australia remains firmly among the global leaders. Data shows that 44% of detached houses in the country are equipped with PV systems, with installation rates reaching as high as 50% in Queensland and South Australia. The report specifically highlights that South Australia, relying solely on its rooftop PV resources during midday peak demand periods, can not only meet its internal needs but also export surplus electricity to neighboring states. In contrast, Tasmania, with an average annual solar irradiance of only 3.7 kWh/m², has an installation rate of just 20%.
The IEA points out that Australia’s new installations in 2024 did not rank in the global top ten, marking the second consecutive year it has missed the list. Meanwhile, although the utility-scale solar sector has future plans ranging from 10GW to 30GW, and the government has launched the Capacity Investment Scheme and set a 40GW target, challenges such as cumbersome grid connection approvals, lagging congestion management, and a fragmented access regime are increasing project costs and investment risks.
Currently, Australia ranks among the top ten countries globally for cumulative solar PV capacity, with per capita capacity exceeding 1.52 kW. The report states that, driven by the synergistic efforts of distributed and centralized PV, coupled with superior solar irradiation conditions, solar energy now meets over 20% of the country’s electricity demand.
