There was a report released this year 2010 a short time ago by Clean Energy Council’s (CEC) Clean Energy Australia stating that more rooftop solar power was installed in Australia between January and October this year than for the entire decade previous.

This year over 100,000 solar power systems were installed in Australia compared to just over 81,000 for the period 2000 to 2009.

Maximum home solar power systems were installed and commissioned between January and October 2010 than the sum total of every other calendar year in the history of the Australian solar industry. Australia is having now more solar installations.

Total 301 megawatts capacity of rooftop solar panels on homes were installed throughout Australia.

The chief executive of the Clean Energy Council Mr Mathew Warren said that the increased affordability of solar power systems in Australia is seeing the technology rapidly becoming “the Hills Hoist of the 21st century.”
The reduction of the Solar Credits rebate and the Looming electricity price rises may also contribute to a new rush on systems in early 2011.

The Clean Energy Council report states that the renewable energy such as solar energy and wind energy was generated overall, 8.67 per cent of Australia’s electricity, where as last year, a total of 21,751 gigawatt hours, equivalent of the electricity requirements for over three million Australian households. Between January and October this year a total of 209 megawatts of large scale clean energy generation was brought online.

Looking towards the massive growth, Australia is in a good state to achieve its Renewable Energy Target of 20% by 2020. 55,000 jobs are expected to be created in the renewable energy sector by 2020, many in regional areas.
The Clean Energy Australia 2010 report can be downloaded here (PDF).