Solar power in Australia

Solar power in Australia
Broken Hill Solar Plant, New South Wales, 2016
Installed capacity38.47 GW (2024) (8th)
Annual generation49.84 TWh (2024)
Capacity per capita1437 W (2024)
Share of electricity15% (2024)

Solar power is a major contributor to electricity supply in Australia. As of June 2025, Australia's over 4.16 million solar PV installations had a combined capacity of 41.8 GW photovoltaic (PV) solar power. Solar accounted for 19.6% (or 46.7 TWh) of Australia's electrical energy production in the National Electricity Market and South West Interconnected System in 2024.

The sudden rise in solar PV installations in Australia since 2018 dramatically propelled the country from being considered a relative laggard to a strong leader in under two years. Australia has the highest per capita solar capacity, now over 1.4kW.

The installed PV capacity in Australia increased 10-fold between 2009 and 2011, and quadrupled between 2011 and 2016. The first commercial-scale PV power plant, the 1 MW Uterne Solar Power Station, was opened in 2011. The price of photovoltaics decreased, and by 2013, the cost of solar power was less than half that of using grid electricity.

Cumulative capacity – Cumulative installed PV capacity in megawatts at since 2001 (end of each calendar year)
Log graph of cumulative installed capacity in megawatts since 2001 (end of year, or September for 2022)
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