Market concentration in Australia’s solar sector is intensifying, with the top three installation companies now controlling 5.75 per cent of the national market.
This trend, identified by solar data analytics provider Solar Nerds in their strategic market intelligence study, signals both consolidation challenges and partnership opportunities for businesses across the energy value chain.
The report provides actionable business intelligence through detailed installer rankings, market share analysis, regional performance metrics, and industry insights from a nationwide survey of solar professionals.
The report presents definitive rankings of Australia’s top solar installation businesses, with the national leaderboard showcasing the top 10 installers by kilowatt volume. Each company’s market share percentage and total system count are clearly documented, providing a comprehensive view of market leadership.
The analysis reveals that, Sunboost, the market leader installed 99,415 kilowatts across 10,432 individual systems, achieving a market share of 3.09 per cent. Remarkably, 91 per cent of Sunboost’s installations were in the 0-15kW range, representing 3.62 per cent of the national market in that segment. The data shows market concentration has increased compared to 2023, indicating growing consolidation in the sector.
“Our leaderboard analysis reveals how the competitive landscape is evolving”. This business intelligence helps energy sector professionals identify market trends which can be compared against broader industry forecasts from organisations like Bloomberg New Energy Finance,” Imraan Thanawalla, Managing Director of Solaris Finance (owner of Solar Nerds) said.
The 2024 Yearly Report includes a special awards section recognising business excellence across multiple categories. These awards highlight exemplary companies that are setting the benchmark for business performance in the Australian solar market.
The report segments installation data into three key market categories:
- 0-15kW systems: Primarily residential installations
- 15-40kW systems: Small commercial applications
- 40+kW systems: Larger commercial and industrial installations
For each segment, dedicated leaderboards identify the top performing businesses, offering insights into which companies are capturing market share across different project scales. This segmentation helps business leaders understand where competitors are focusing their resources and where potential market opportunities exist.
Understanding these segments is particularly valuable for businesses developing strategies around commercial capacity optimisation to promote in different market sectors.
Detailed state-level analysis provides business intelligence specific to each Australian market. This regional breakdown helps energy sector professionals identify market opportunities and competitive landscapes in specific geographical areas. The postcode leaderboards further refine this analysis, highlighting high-performing localities with strong year-over-year growth.
The report provides valuable temporal analysis through:
- 12-month historical data presented in intuitive bar charts
- Quarter-over-quarter comparisons showing market growth or contraction
- Year-over-year analysis highlighting longer-term trends
This trend data allows business leaders to assess whether specific markets are expanding or contracting, providing essential context for strategic planning and resource allocation decisions.
For energy sector professionals planning business expansions or adjustments, these trends offer insights into market timing and potential future developments.
Drawing from the industry survey, the report examines how solar businesses are structuring their financial offerings:
- Cash versus finance sales percentages
- Popular financing partners and solutions
- Buy-now-pay-later adoption rates
- Average system prices and margin trends
The survey data shows that 26 per cent of solar sales are now financed rather than purchased outright. Brighte emerged as the most popular financing partner, used by 41.30 per cent of installers.
These insights help energy sector professionals understand competitive pricing dynamics and consumer preferences for how to fund purchases in the current market. This should be considered alongside Smart Energy Council’s market projections for the coming year.”
“Understanding prevalent financing models is crucial for businesses looking to remain competitive in the retail solar market,” Thanawalla said.
This information helps companies structure their offerings to align with market expectations.
The report features comprehensive analysis of the small-scale technology certificate (STC) trading market, with rankings of top traders by volume and market share. For energy sector professionals, understanding the STC market provides insights into a critical financial component of the solar business model. The trading data helps companies benchmark their certificate management strategies against industry leaders.
The industry survey results offer valuable business intelligence on technology preferences:
- Most popular inverter brands among installation professionals
- Preferred battery systems in the current market
- Leading solar panel choices and their market penetration
- Design software preferences and technological approaches
Surprisingly, the results showed that most installers do not prefer which battery or solar panel they used. This information is particularly valuable for companies considering expanding into battery storage, where understanding energy storage economics and consumer adoption patterns is essential.
Furthermore, these insights give energy market participants visibility into supply chain trends and product preferences. Understanding what solar hardware is gaining market traction helps businesses make informed inventory and partnership decisions.
The report’s survey section includes candid feedback from industry participants regarding their primary business challenges:
- Biggest barriers to business growth
- Operational challenges facing installers
- Outlook on business sustainability
This intelligence helps energy sector professionals understand the challenges facing the industry similar to those identified in PwC’s latest renewable energy market analysis.
Energy sector professionals can use these insights alongside information about solar system pricing to develop pricing strategies that balance competitiveness with profitability.
The 2024 Yearly Solar Installation Report provides energy sector professionals and business leaders with comprehensive, data-driven insights into Australia’s solar market. The detailed business metrics, competitive analyses, and industry perspectives collectively offer valuable intelligence for strategic planning and market positioning.