NSW businesses lead Australian demand for commercial rooftop solar

Business in New South Wales are leading the charge into commercial solar PV – the big new growth area for the technology – as the state cements its position as the largest market for rooftop solar in the country.

The latest data from Green Energy Markets shows that NSW retained its position as the biggest market for solar PV in the month of March, following its return to that position in February for the first time since 2011. Queensland led the market in between and retains the largest aggregate installations.

gem march solar pv

In the month of March, NSW installed 19.4MW of rooftop solar, beating Queensland (18MW) for the second month in a row, with Victoria coming a close third with 16.3MW. Both Western Australia and South Australia are heading for total of 80MW to 90MW for the calendar year, continuing their high rate of rooftop solar penetration.

However, NSW is dominating in the category of commercial-scale rooftop solar, as this graph below indicates.

GEM commercial solarOver the March quarter, NSW had the highest commercial installed capacity during the quarter with 16MW. This was almost twice the level of the next highest state, Victoria, which installed 8.7MW.

In NSW, commercial scale solar approaches around one third of installed new capacity, while in Victoria and South Australia it accounts for just under one quarter of installations.

And the trend appears to be accelerating in NSW, with 260 commercial premises adding rooftop solar in March, 617 in the quarter, and 2,245 in the last 12 months.

Comments

3 responses to “NSW businesses lead Australian demand for commercial rooftop solar”

  1. Rikaishi Rikashi Avatar
    Rikaishi Rikashi

    Total or new capacity per capita would be a fairer comparison, and would more accurately show the effects of each state’s policies.

  2. Askgerbil Now Avatar
    Askgerbil Now

    Solar PV systems may be very profitable for business customers.
    Energy and network charges vary from State to State and this will influence profitability of solar PV systems. Many business customers may not even be aware of the potential savings they can achieve on power bills.

    Just one example; In NSW, Origin Energy in the Ausgrid Distribution Zone electricity for small businesses that use less than 100 megawatt-hours a year costs 47.5 cents per kilowatt-hour in “peak periods” (2pm-8pm on working days) PLUS a network capacity price or “peak charge” from Ausgrid of 37.2 cents per kilowatt per day. (See http://www.originenergy.com.au/files/necf/NSW_Electricity_Small%20Business_AusGrid_Origin%20Supply.PDF and http://www.ausgrid.com.au/~/media/Files/Network/Electricity%20Supply/Network%20Pricing/Network%20Price%20List%20FY2014-15.pdf )

    There may be an additional charge – for network use – of 13.4 cents per kilowatt-hour from Ausgrid.

    A 30 kilowatt solar PV system may be able to save a NSW business facing these charges a whopping 47.5 cents per kilowatt-hour “peak periods” (and perhaps an extra 13.4 cents per kilowatt-hour if the network charge is additional to the energy charge) PLUS about another $10 per day ($3,650 per year), depending on how closely the peak output of the solar system coincides with the business’ peak electricity use… This saving of $10 per day is achievable by cutting network capacity by 30 kilowatts a day such that it reduces “peak charges” by 30 kilowatts times 37.2 cents per kilowatt.

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