Solar Power Information Australia

Photovoltaic cells convert light into an electric current using the photovoltaic effect.

Solar power information australia. As at 31 july 2020 more than 2 49 million rooftop solar power systems have been installed across australia. Solar energy can form the continent s largest energy source if harnessed effectively. Solar energy falling on australia is approximately 15 000 times more than the energy consumption of the continent. There is enough roof space area available in australia to meet the continent s electricity demand through solar power.

Excess electricity can be directed into the grid delivering a feed in. Solar power availability and growth facts. In 2019 59 solar pv projects with a combined capacity of 2 881 mw were either under construction constructed or due to start construction. When i started this site back in 2009 there were just 85 000 solar systems connected to the mains grid in australia by the end of that year and australia s first solar farm was yet to be built.

Our ability to harvest solar energy is solely dependent on technology location cost and legislation. Solar pv generated 3 1 per cent of australia s electricity in 2016 17 the majority of which came from small scale rooftop pv more than two million or 21 percent of australian households now have rooftop solar pv with a combined capacity exceeding 10 gw visit the australian pv institute s live map for live solar pv data. Australia s home solar power revolution has been nothing short of phenomenal. For example solar cells generate energy for far out places like satellites in earth orbit and cabins deep in the rocky mountains as easily as they can power downtown buildings and futuristic cars.

The process of converting sunlight into electricity using pv systems produces zero greenhouse gas emissions. Toc australia has the highest uptake of solar globally with more than 21 of homes with rooftop solar pv. Until the sun fizzles out solar power will continue to be a very reliable energy source. At the moment the state is actually producing more solar energy than it has the infrastructure to consume.

Energyaustralia has put together the top 8 solar energy facts that you may not of been aware of. Solar power is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity either directly using photovoltaics pv indirectly using concentrated solar power or a combination concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and solar tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. While renewable energy is becoming increasingly popular in australia there are still many facts that will surprise you. Solar power in australia information statistics.

These generous tariffs were designed to kick start the solar energy industry when solar power systems were much more expensive. As of june 2020 australia s over 2 4 million solar pv installations had a combined capacity of 18 583 mw photovoltaic pv solar power of which 3 290 mw were installed in the preceding 12 months. View our solar power facts infographic here and see if we have surprised you about solar energy.