Rooftop Solar Market Hits Record Half-Year Installations in Australia
The rooftop solar sector in Australia is experiencing a record-breaking phase, largely boosted by the federal Cheaper Home Batteries scheme, leading to its best results for new installations from January to July on record.
In July 2026, Australian residences and businesses added 339.2 megawatts (MW) of new rooftop solar capacity, as detailed in the latest report by industry expert SunWiz. While this figure does not surpass the peak month of April, which saw an extraordinary 432 MW, it is still significantly higher than the average long-term installations of approximately 285 MW.
Continued Growth in the PV Market
“The year 2026 is shaping up to be a remarkable one for photovoltaic (PV) systems,” stated Warwick Johnston, managing director of SunWiz. “Although there has been a slight decline from April, the monthly figures remain at unparalleled levels, and the PV market continues to feel the strong impact of the Cheaper Home Battery Program.”
As illustrated in the accompanying charts, the total new capacity installed up to this date in 2026 is 43 per cent higher compared to the same period in 2025, and the July figures represent a 6 per cent increase over June’s totals.
The Impact of Home Battery Rebates
The effects of the home battery rebate are clear, with many households either beginning their journey into rooftop solar or enhancing their systems to optimise compatibility with their subsidised batteries, especially noted in the 10-15 kW system size range.
Data for July reveals that the 10-15 kW segment remains the most significant, contributing 122.6 MW, which is approximately 36% of the total capacity added in July. This is followed by the 6-8 kW segment at 60 MW, and the 15-20 kW segment at 45.3 MW.
Johnston noted that while the volume of 10-15 kW PV systems has decreased from its peak, it has nonetheless stabilised at robust levels.
The combined capacity for systems between 20-100 kW reached about 46 MW in July 2026, an increase from June’s tally of 41 MW, yet still down from the 64 MW recorded in April.
Growth Trends Across States
On a larger scale, the 75-100 kW segment experienced a significant increase, achieving 13.4 MW, which suggests rising interest from commercial and industrial users, likely in response to changes in New South Wales’ Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS).
According to SunWiz, July saw widespread growth across various states, with only the ACT and Tasmania showing minor declines from their figures in June.
In terms of system sizes, the national average in July rested around the 10 kW threshold, which is below the peaks reached in April (11.3 kW) and December (11.47 kW).
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