Canberra has experienced a surge in the number of solar panels installed in recent months, thanks in part to the impact of COVID-19.
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The number of solar panels in the ACT increased by 17 per cent during the past financial year.
More than 135 megawatts worth of panels were put in place on Canberra roofs in the 12-month period, which is six-times more than what is generated at the Royalla solar farm.
While 2019-20 saw a large growth in solar in the ACT, those in the industry said the increase is set to continue well into 2021.
Chief executive of SolarHub Benn Masters said the increase was driven by people spending more time at home due to lockdowns and COVID-19-related restrictions.
"COVID is a major factor with people being home more and people realising their electricity bills were increasing due to all of the additional use," Mr Masters said.
"On top of that, there's definitely more disposable income that's normally set aside for overseas holidays and people are looking at investing that money for renovations and home improvements."
In December 2019, the ACT solar industry installed 3.1 megawatts worth of solar panels in the ACT, but that rose to 5.5 megawatts in the month for December 2020.
Mr Masters said while there had been a steady rise in the number of Canberrans installing solar panels, the past six months had rapidly accelerated it.
"ACT is right at the top of the list for the fastest-growing jurisdictions [for solar] in the past 12 months," he said.
"A lot of that is both existing and new dwellings, but not so much apartments."
Director of Canberra-based company ECG Solar Callum Beaton said while retirees were among some of the earlier users, more recently the biggest uptake of solar had been among younger people.
"It's now more professional couples and young families but before COVID it was mostly Baby Boomers," Mr Beaton said. "We're now getting a lot more inquiries, and while it is the start of the year, we're busier than we've ever been with quotes and site inspections."
ACT government figures revealed there are more than 28,000 solar panels in the ACT as of the end of the 2019-20 financial year.
That period saw more than 119,000 megawatt hours generated, an increase of almost 19 per cent.
The government's Feed-In-Tariff scheme supported more than 10,000 solar generators in 2019-20, which rose by more than 1 per cent in those 12 months.
We're busier than we've ever been with quotes and site inspections
- Callum Beaton
The cost of the scheme has decreased to an average of 83 cents per week.
Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Shane Rattenbury said more Canberrans were looking to take advantage of solar panels.
"The Feed-In-Tariff scheme, which was designed as an incentive to boost solar uptake when the technology was new and more expensive, has made an important contribution to renewable energy generation in the ACT," Mr Rattenbury said.
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"Though the scheme closed to new applicants in 2011, having served its purpose to drive investment and bring solar system prices down, I am delighted to see so many Canberrans are taking up clean, green renewable energy options."
Mr Rattenbury said the territory government was starting the rollout of a scheme later in the year, which would remove the up-front costs for people to access solar panels for their homes.