Australia rooftop solar volumes fall 32% after four-month rebound

<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Rooftop solar installations in Australia declined sharply in January, with small-scale technology certificate (STC) volumes down 32% month on month after four consecutive months of growth, according to market analyst SunWiz. It says the result was broadly in line with seasonal norms and does not signal a trend for 2026.</span></p><p><strong>From <a href="https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2026/02/06/rooftop-solar-volumes-drop-34-after-four-month-growth/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">pv magazine Australia</a></strong></p>
<p>Installed rooftop solar capacity in December 2025 totaled 224 MW, comparable with outcomes in recent years. However, SunWiz cautioned against extrapolating December volumes into the year ahead.</p>
<p>Average system sizes also fell, reversing a four-month increase. The average dropped from more than 11.5 kW in December to 10.83 kW in January, reflecting a sharper contraction in larger systems.</p>
<p>By size segment, the 50 kW to 70 kW category recorded the steepest decline, down 57%. Smaller residential systems fell by 24%, contributing to the overall reduction in average system size.</p>
<p>All states and territories recorded month-on-month declines. Victoria proved the most resilient, down 19%, followed by Western Australia at 22% and the Australian Capital Territory at 34%. Queensland fell 35%, South Australia and New South Wales each declined 37%, Tasmania dropped 38%, and the Northern Territory contracted by 69%, although average system sizes there remained elevated.</p>
<p>SunWiz said capacity eased most noticeably in the mid-range segments, with installations in the 10 kW to 15 kW band falling to 82 MW and the 8 kW to 10 kW range sliding to 23 MW. Installations in the 6 kW to 8 kW segment were unchanged at 37 MW, while the top three rankings by segment remained stable month on month.</p>