Australia’s Record Rooftop Solar Growth and Upcoming Mid-Scale Boom
This year marks a significant milestone for both small and large batteries across Australia, with homes adding approximately 1 gigawatt-hour of storage each month. Rooftop solar installations are now positioned to achieve their most remarkable growth year yet, particularly driven by the ongoing shift in consumer energy behaviour.
Recent data from industry analysts SunWiz indicates a modest month-on-month increase of 1% in newly registered rooftop solar capacity from September to October. Nonetheless, this year’s cumulative total has reached unprecedented levels, outperforming all prior years by a considerable margin.
Exceptional October Figures
SunWiz reports that rooftop solar systems ranging from 0-100 kilowatts (kW) registered 305 megawatts (MW) in October. This figure signifies a 16% rise from October 2025, which saw 262 MW, and an 11% increase from October 2024’s 274 MW.
Warwick Johnston, managing director of SunWiz, stated, “This is the strongest October in the last four years, with installation volumes exceeding those of any prior year since June.” The tally from January to October this year is already the highest recorded, up 41% compared to the same period in 2025.
Government Incentives Driving Growth
The recent revitalisation in the rooftop solar market is largely attributed to the federal government’s Cheaper Home Batteries rebate. This initiative encourages households to install energy storage systems alongside photovoltaic (PV) solar panels.
Many households have embraced this opportunity, opting to install new solar systems with batteries included, while those with established rooftop solar are upgrading or replacing their systems to align with their increased storage capacity.
Additionally, the expansion of the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme is expected to offer a significant boost, as it now accommodates commercial and industrial installations up to 1 MW, an increase from the previous 100 kW limit. This expansion took effect for eligible mid-scale solar systems from October 1, although applications for small-scale technology certificates (STCs) for these mid-scale systems will not open until later in November 2026.
Market Dynamics and State Performance
The SunWiz report highlights that some segments of the rooftop solar market have witnessed a decline as they await the registration of STCs for systems sized between 100 kW and 1 MW. Of note is a reduction in commercial installations exceeding 50 kW, while other sectors remain stable.
Regionally, Victoria led the way in growth for the month, adding 60.2 MW of new rooftop PV capacity, representing an 11% increase from September. New South Wales, however, boasted the highest total capacity installed at 89.9 MW, a 5% rise from the previous month. Queensland recorded a decrease at 75.8 MW, down 8%, while Western Australia experienced a 5% increase.
Household Battery Adoption Strong
Despite fluctuations in the rebate scheme since May 2026, the adoption of home batteries continues to gather momentum. SunWiz notes that an estimated 1,043 megawatt-hours (MWh) – over 1 gigawatt-hour – of home battery capacity was installed in October 2026, marking a 9.7% increase from September. This is the first month surpassing the 1 GWh milestone since the surge in April, which saw a record 3,262 MWh installed ahead of changes to the rebate.
Johnston commented on the recovery, saying, “This marks the second consecutive month of growth following a slight dip in August, with volumes now nearly double the low experienced in May, although they remain 68% below April’s figures.”
Growth in battery installations primarily stemmed from systems sized at 20 kWh and above, with the 20-30 kWh segment contributing 399 MWh, while the 40-50 kWh range added 273 MWh, and 30-40 kWh brought in 210 MWh. Collectively, the categories above 20 kWh accounted for 85% of the month’s total capacity. In contrast, systems sized 10-20 kWh rose by 3% to 150 MWh, while those below 10 kWh remained steady at 11 MWh.
The national average size of home battery systems is also on an upward trajectory, recording its fifth consecutive monthly increase to reach 26.74 kWh in October.
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