Renewable Energy Group member Barney Hearnden recently conducted some interesting research into the solar uptake of each postcode in the Macedon Ranges Shire. Find out how your postcode did in his blog below:

Solar Uptake in the Macedon Ranges Shire

BY BARNEY HEARNDEN

A rich trove of information about the uptake of solar by geographic area has been prepared by the Australian PV Institute and can be accessed online. I looked into the information for the Macedon Ranges and found that within our Shire there are 5,239 installations on approximately 25.4% of the total 19,563 dwellings. This is something to be proud of; in the whole of Victoria, 17.9% of dwellings have solar installation. Here is some further analysis broken down by postcode in order of lowest amount to solar to highest (figures are current as of September 2019):

3441 - Mount Macedon

Mount Macedon has some ground to make up. Perhaps it is because the mountain is so often shrouded in cloud that the uptake of solar is low. Further analysis is required as there would be many very large roofs ready for a PV panel here.

Data for Mount Macedon:

Estimated Dwellings: 616 Installations: 100 (approx. 15.1% of dwellings)
PV potential on all roof types: 14975m2 (2340 kW)
Potential annual energy from rooftop PV: 3 GWh
Total installed capacity: 523 kW
Under 10kW: 360 kW (installations under 10kW: 93)
10-100kW: 164 kW (installations: 7)
Over 100kW: 0 kW (installations: 0)

3437 - Gisborne, Bullengarook & South Gisborne

Gisborne and Bullengarook are next on the list and have a PV uptake higher than the state average. With all the new builds planned for Gisborne this year, that number is sure to increase soon.

Data for Gisborne, Bullengarook & South Gisborne:

Est. dwellings: 4409
Installations: 1038 (approx. 22% of dwellings)
PV potential on all roof types: 227862m2 (35603 kW)
Potential annual energy from rooftop PV: 43.8 GWh
Total installed capacity: 5143 kW
Under 10kW: 3999 kW (installations under 10kW: 970)
10-100kW: 1143 kW (installations: 68)
Over 100kW: 0 kW (installations: 0)

3444 - Barfold, Baynton, Edgecombe, Glenhope, Greenhill, Kyneton, Kyneton, South, Lake Eppalock, Langley, Lauriston, Metcalfe East, Mia Mia, Pastoria, Pastoria East, Pipers Creek, Redesdale, Sidonia, Spring Hill & Tylden

Residents of 3444 come in next. This is an interesting mix of the larger town of Kyneton and smaller surrounding rural towns. 3444 features the first installation with a capacity greater than 100kW.

Data for 3444
Est. dwellings: 4366
Installations: 1169 (approx. 25.3% of dwellings)
PV potential on all roof types: 450017m2 (70315 kW)
Potential annual energy from rooftop PV: 93.8 GWh
Total installed capacity: 7004 kW
Under 10kW: 4121 kW (installations under 10kW: 1104)
10-100kW: 1392 kW (installations: 64)
Over 100kW: 1491 kW (installations: 1)

3458 - Barrys Reef, Blackwood, Fern Hill, Lerderderg, Little Hampton, Newbury, North Blackwood, Trentham, Trentham East AND 3435 - Benloch, Goldie, Lancefield, Nulla Vale

It is a draw for these two postcodes! 3458 and 3435 also punch above their weight. They have just a little bit further to go to get to the target of 30% solar uptake.

Data for 3458

Est. dwellings: 1235
Installations: 317 (approx. 24.7% of dwellings)
PV potential on all roof types: 93615m2 (14627 kW)
Potential annual energy from rooftop PV: 18.8 GWh
Total installed capacity: 1327 kW
Under 10kW: 1169 kW (installations under 10kW: 305)
10-100kW: 157 kW (installations: 12)
Over 100kW: 0 kW (installations: 0)

Date for 3435

Est. dwellings: 1280 Installations: 376 (approx. 27.6% of dwellings)
PV potential on all roof types: 142952m2 (22336 kW)
Potential annual energy from rooftop PV: 28.7 GWh
Total installed capacity: 1687 kW
Under 10kW: 1376 kW (installations under 10kW: 353)
10-100kW: 311 kW (installations: 23)
Over 100kW: 0 kW (installations: 0)

In third place are the residents of 3442. There are no installations over 100kw. Does this mean there is potential for a large truck trailer manufacturer?

Data for 3442

Est. dwellings: 3170 Installations: 939 (approx. 28.1% of dwellings)
PV potential on all roof types: 262417m2 (41003 kW)
Potential annual energy from rooftop PV: 52.6 GWh
Total installed capacity: 4418 kW
Under 10kW: 3448 kW (installations under 10kW: 890)
10-100kW: 970 kW (installations: 49)
Over 100kW: 0 kW (installations: 0)

With the silver medal is Riddells Creek with an impressive solar uptake of 29.2% of all dwellings.

Data for Riddells Creek

Est. dwellings: 1555 Installations: 463 (approx. 29.2% of dwellings)
PV potential on all roof types: 259445m2 (40538 kW)
Potential annual energy from rooftop PV: 52.1 GWh
Total installed capacity: 1847 kW
Under 10kW: 1722 kW (installations under 10kW: 454)
10-100kW: 125 kW (installations: 9)
Over 100kW: 0 kW (installations: 0)

**3434 - Cherokee, Kerrie, Romsey & Springfield**

The gold medal for the postcode with the greatest percentage uptake of solar within the Macedon Ranges goes to 3434. Take a bow residents of Cherokee, Kerrie, Romsey and Springfield!!!

Data for 3434

Est. dwellings: 1900 Installations: 573 (approx. 29.5% of dwellings)
PV potential on all roof types: 137066m2 (21417 kW)
Potential annual energy from rooftop PV: 27.5 GWh
Total installed capacity: 2398 kW
Under 10kW: 2206 kW (installations under 10kW: 561)
10-100kW: 192 kW (installations: 12)
Over 100kW: 0 kW (installations: 0)

And that is the full rundown of our solar uptake in the Macedon Ranges Shire - can we do better by this time next year? Maybe your town will be able to claim the gold medal in 2021?

For more information on solar installation for your home and what the statistics mean, visit Solar Victoria.

Solar uptake in the Macedon Ranges Shire