Media release

Business driving commercial solar boom in South Australia

South Australian businesses are wising up to savings that can be made by switching to solar, with rising power prices prompting a huge uptick in commercial-scale installations within the state.

South Australia has recorded a massive 84% jump in the number of commercial solar installations[i]recorded over the past year, according to the latest report from solar intelligence company SunWiz.

The “Commercial Hotspots” report also reveals the hotspots where businesses are leading the charge. Metropolitan postcodes named as recording the highest rates of solar growth are 5013 (Gillman) with a 54% jump in capacity, 5110 (Bolivar) at 47% and 5000 (Adelaide City) up 25%.

In many regional parts of the state businesses are also switching to solar in droves, with the postcodes of 5341 (Chaffey) recording a 46% jump in growth, 5501 (Avon) up 36%, 5540 (Bungama) up 25%, 5343 (Berri) up 24% and both 5251 (Bugle Ranges) and 5211 (Back Valley) up 22%.

In fact, Bugle Ranges now boasts the highest commercial solar capacity of any SA postcode (at 2223kW) followed closely by 5253 (Avoca) at 2128kW.

Report author and Sunwiz Managing Director Warwick Johnston said an increasing number of Australian businesses were turning to solar because it made economic sense.

“Solar is a foolproof way for small and large businesses to take control of their energy bills, as electricity prices skyrocket. In fact, the higher that power prices go the higher the savings that can be made – particularly in a place like South Australia where the solar resources are so consistently good.”

Mr Johnston said across the country commercial-scale systems were the fastest growing segment of the solar industry, and showed no signs of slowing down any time soon.

“We are expecting this segment will keep rising over the foreseeable future,” he said.

The commercial uptick is exciting solar installers like Glenn Morelli who is Managing Director at Cool or Cosy, the state’s largest solar panel installer. It bought the country’s only solar manufacturer (TINDO Solar) earlier this year.

Mr Morelli said business was booming across the board, with particularly strong demand for larger solar systems.

“We’re seeing interest from just about everyone – local government, footy clubs, retirement villages, the food industry… the solar industry is buoyant across the spectrum but particularly so at the bigger end of town.”

He said with power prices continuing to rise, and energy in the news every week, solar was front-of-mind for all South Australians.

 

For more information and case studies please contact Zoe Edwards at the Climate Media Centre on 0400 144 794 or zoe@climatemediacentre.org.au or Dinah Arndt on 0425 791 394 or dinah@climatemediacentre.org.au



[i] Comparing 8977 installations in the second quarter (April to June) of 2017 with 4873 installations in the second quarter of 2016. Commercial solar is defined as any system sized between 10-100kW.