Solar uptake in Perth and WA
- More than 553,000 rooftop solar systems had been installed across Western Australia by the end of 2025, representing over 3 GW of installed capacity. Rooftop solar has become the single largest “power station” in WA by generation capacity.
- The WA Government reported that more than one in three WA households already had solar several years ago, and the proportion has continued to rise strongly since then.
- Industry estimates now place solar penetration in many Perth suburbs at 40–50% of detached homes, with some outer suburban areas exceeding 60%. Perth’s combination of high electricity prices and excellent solar resources makes it one of the most attractive cities globally for rooftop solar.
- Australia-wide, around 40–43% of all homes now have rooftop solar installed, giving Australia the highest per-capita residential solar penetration in the world. Perth sits above the national average in many areas.
Why Perth leads the world
Perth is almost an ideal location for solar because it combines:
- Around 8–9 hours of sunshine per day on average.
- High residential electricity prices.
- A large proportion of detached homes with suitable roof space.
- Government incentives through the federal STC rebate scheme.
- Historically favourable feed-in tariffs which helped drive early adoption. Source
The next trend: Batteries
The Perth market is now shifting from simply installing panels to adding battery storage. With daytime export rates falling and evening electricity prices increasing, homeowners are increasingly pairing solar with batteries to increase self-consumption. Western Australia is currently one of Australia’s fastest-growing battery markets.
Solar Uptake statistics by Suburb
| Perth Region/Suburb | Estimated Solar Penetration |
|---|---|
| Baldivis | 55–65% |
| Byford | 55–65% |
| Ellenbrook | 50–60% |
| Wanneroo | 50–60% |
| Armadale | 50–60% |
| Canning Vale | 50–60% |
| Alkimos | 50–55% |
| Rockingham | 45–55% |
| Joondalup | 45–55% |
| Butler | 45–55% |
| Mandurah | 45–55% |
| Scarborough | 35–45% |
| North Perth | 30–35% |
| Subiaco | 20–30% |
| South Perth | 15–25% |
| Perth | 8–10% |
- Outer suburbs such as Baldivis, Byford and Ellenbrook consist mainly of detached family homes with large roof areas and high daytime electricity use.
- Inner suburbs have more apartments, townhouses and heritage homes where solar can be more difficult or unsuitable.
- The CBD has very low residential solar uptake simply because there are relatively few owner-occupied houses with suitable roof space.
- The postcode covering Wanneroo (6065) has been one of Australia’s highest-performing areas for solar installations.
- Ellenbrook regularly ranks among the leading WA areas for new solar installations.
- Baldivis has long been recognised nationally as one of Australia’s most solar-dense suburbs.