Australia Rooftop Solar Shatters Records in a Landmark Month for Renewables
In September 2025, Australia achieved a stunning new record for rooftop solar installations, with an unprecedented 302 megawatts (MW) of new capacity added in a single month. This achievement solidifies Australia’s position as a world leader in per-capita solar uptake, with data showing that nearly one in three Australian homes is now powered by rooftop solar.
This surge in installations was highlighted by RenewEconomy and marked the highest monthly addition since rooftop solar became a significant contributor to the country’s energy mix. The increase was attributed to a combination of factors, including rising electricity prices and continuous improvements in solar technology. Advances in the solar panel manufacturing process and the quality of raw materials have made these systems more efficient and affordable than ever before.
The Clean Energy Regulator reported that this new capacity brings the total installed capacity for the year to 2,022 MW, suggesting that the total for 2025 could exceed 3,000 MW. This would surpass previous annual records, demonstrating the accelerating trend of solar adoption in Australia. The year-to-date figures were revised upward, indicating a strong and consistent increase in installations. This trend aligns with earlier data from 2025 showing that Australian rooftop solar reached a remarkable 12% milestone in its contribution to the nation’s electricity.
The report also highlighted that the average size of newly installed rooftop solar systems has increased. In September, the average system size was 10.9 kW, up from 9.8 kW in August. This trend suggests that businesses and commercial entities are increasingly adopting larger solar systems, contributing significantly to the overall growth in capacity. The total capacity of systems installed in 2025 equates to approximately 1.2 million 6 kW systems, underscoring the significant impact of solar energy on the Australian energy market, a key finding detailed in the Australia solar panel market analysis report.
The rapid growth in rooftop solar installations is also contributing to a larger share of renewable energy in Australia’s electricity mix. In the first nine months of 2025, renewables accounted for 41.6% of the electricity generated in the National Electricity Market (NEM), and 41.5% in the Wholesale Electricity Market (WEM) in Western Australia. These figures represent a substantial increase from the previous year. However, this rapid influx of distributed generation also presents new grid management challenges, evidenced by a record day for wind and solar curtailment in Victoria during the same month. While Australia forges ahead, neighboring countries are also developing their solar capacity, with unique market dynamics seen in places like Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) expects this trend to continue, with renewables potentially reaching 43% of the annual electricity mix by the end of 2025. This growth is driven not only by the expansion of rooftop solar but also by the addition of new utility-scale wind and solar farms and significant battery storage systems, such as the approved 3,148MWh Richmond Valley project in New South Wales. Understanding the basics of solar panel manufacturing and the specialized solar panel manufacturing machines required is crucial to appreciating the scale of these massive undertakings. This positions Australia as a key player in the global renewable energy transition, a trend reflected in the latest Global Solar Report. The increased adoption of renewable energy is expected to drive down wholesale electricity prices, which could further incentivize more Australians to invest in solar energy.
The record-breaking rooftop solar installations in September 2025 represent a significant milestone for Australia’s renewable energy sector. With continued growth in both residential and commercial solar systems, Australia is firmly on track to increase its share of renewables in the electricity market, contributing to lower energy prices and a more sustainable energy future. To learn more about entering this booming industry, consider our free e-course on solar panel manufacturing.
