Australia’s Top 10 Postcodes For Solar – May Update

1.67 Million+ Systems Sticking It To The Electricity Man | Panel Image: Smaack, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

The most recent data from Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator shows Queensland and Western Australia postcodes still entirely dominating the top 10 rankings for total numbers of installed small scale solar power systems.

The results as at May 1 for Small Generation Unit (SGU); i.e. systems under 100kW indicate:

1. 4670 (Queensland –Bundaberg area) – 10,845 systems / 35,489.89 kW total
2. 6210 (Western Australia – Mandurah area) – 10,367 systems / 27,201.22  kW total
3. 4655 (Queensland – Hervey Bay area) – 9,595 systems / 28,885.46  kW total
4. 4551 (Queensland – Sunshine Coast area) – 8,749 systems / 24,673.97  kW total
5. 4350 (Queensland – Toowoomba) – 7,901 systems / 25,960.50  kW total
6. 6065  (Western Australia – Perth area ) – 7,518 systems / 24,929.73  kW total
7. 4211 (Queensland – Gold Coast area) – 7,141 systems / 24,655.38 kW total
8. 4305 (Queensland – Brisbane area) – 6,873 systems / 20,462.62 kW total
9. 4740 (Queensland – Mackay area) – 6,592 systems / 26,775.59 kW total

In total, there were approximately 1,675,633 small solar power systems installed throughout Australia as at May 1*, with a collective output capacity of 5,645,985.07 kW. There’s more solar panels in place across Australia than there are people living here.

While on the topic of Queensland, the state’s Energy Minister, Mark Bailey, was singing the praises of the clean energy technology yesterday at the Energy Users Association of Australia (EUAA) annual Energy Conference. 

“Latest Energy Queensland figures show that as of 1 May, there are now more than 438,000 residential rooftops with solar connections and 1,706 megawatts of solar in Queensland,” Mr Bailey said.

“This means that our rooftops are the largest generation capacity in the State.”

Queensland has a target of one million solar rooftops or 3,000 megawatts of total PV capacity by 2020.

“Increased uptake in renewable energy thanks to the Palaszczuk Government is an important step in reducing emissions and mitigating climate change to protect our Great Barrier Reef, while creating new jobs and diversifying the state’s economy,” he said.

… and while also on the topic of the health of Great Barrier Reef, emissions and climate change; about that Carmichael coal mine gig….

*The May figure will continue to increase as the statistics are based on STC certificate creation, and there’s a 12 month window in which the certificates can be created. STC’s form the basis of subsidies for home solar power in Australia.