Australia's clean energy transition is gathering pace, with the June quarter delivering new records for rooftop solar installations, household batteries and large-scale solar investment.
The Clean Energy Regulator's (CER) Quarterly Carbon Market Report for Q2 2026 (April to June) shows 1 gigawatt (GW) of rooftop solar was installed in the quarter, breaking the previous quarterly record of 942 megawatts (MW) set in Q4 2023.
Large-scale solar investment also hit a record, with 1.8 GW reaching final investment decision in the quarter, the strongest quarterly result since the CER began tracking investment activity.
Demand for batteries ahead of the 1 May changes contributed to record rooftop solar activity, with many households bringing forward combined solar and battery installations.
CER Acting Chair Carl Binning said strong battery demand helped drive record rooftop solar activity ahead of the 1 May changes and has remained robust since the changes took effect.
“We've now received more than 500,000 battery applications since the program started, which shows the scale of household demand when the economics stack up,” Mr Binning said.
Mr Binning said the Australian Government's recent expansion of Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme eligibility to systems up to 1 MW could also provide a boost for the mid-scale solar sector.
“Expanding the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, expected from October, will help businesses, farmers and community organisations install mid-scale solar and reduce their energy costs,” he said.
“The speed of the transition is accelerating. We are seeing ongoing growth and record outcomes across the CER's administered schemes and markets, from rooftop solar and household batteries to large-scale solar investment and the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) market,” Mr Binning said.
“Major catalysts include the ongoing development of Capacity Investment Scheme projects, rapidly falling battery storage costs, the Cheaper Home Batteries Program unleashing demand for distributed energy, and growing recognition of the ACCU market's role in supporting the Safeguard Mechanism.”
ACCU issuance over the first half of 2026 is the highest on record for the first half of a calendar year, pointing to continued strong supply in a market that is increasingly important to Australia's emissions reduction framework.
“Across our markets, progress has exceeded the expectations of many industry participants, but much work remains to be done,” Mr Binning said. “The next phase will require continued momentum in low carbon industrial processes through the Guarantee of Origin scheme, continuing new ACCU method development, and ongoing attention to social licence and other issues affecting investment in wind generation.”
For more detail, refer to the Q2 2026 QCMR.
Contact: media@cleanenergyregulator.gov.au or 02 6159 3448