From pv magazine Australia
Australia’s rooftop solar market reached a record high in March 2026, with 341 MW of small-scale PV capacity registered, according to SunWiz.
The monthly total for systems up to 100 kW represents an almost 20% increase from February and puts the market 16% ahead of the same point in 2025, the analyst said.
SunWiz Managing Director Warwick Johnston said the surge reflects strong momentum in the Small-scale Technology Certificates (STC) market and points to a potentially strong year for rooftop solar installations.
He attributed the growth in part to the federal government’s AUD 7.2 billion Cheaper Home Batteries Program (CHBP), which provides rebates for energy storage systems installed alongside rooftop PV. The program has supported the deployment of about 300,000 batteries since its launch.
Johnston said increased battery adoption is driving demand for larger solar systems, as higher-capacity storage requires greater generation. This trend is pushing up both average system sizes and total installed capacity.
The increase in rooftop solar installations was recorded across all states, with the Northern Territory posting 43% month-on-month growth and New South Wales rising 32%. Most system size segments expanded, particularly those up to 50 kW, while the 75 kW to 100 kW segment declined slightly.
Battery installations also reached a record, with nearly 1.6 GWh of small-scale energy storage capacity registered in March, up 35% from the previous month.
SunWiz said the increase was driven by a surge in installations ahead of changes to the CHBP scheduled for May 1, when the rebate structure will shift from a flat per-kWh incentive to a tiered system based on battery size. The government said the revised scheme will maintain an average discount of about 30%.
Average battery size reached a record 40 kWh in March, with most systems clustered in the 40 kWh to 50 kWh range.
New South Wales recorded more than 600 MWh of battery installations during the month, a 44% increase from February and a new state-level high.
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