Solar power: Queensland city Bundaberg has more solar energy systems installed than any other place

THIS city is our state’s solar champion, with more rooftop solar energy systems installed than any other across Queensland.

The 4152 post code has fourth highest number of solar panels in Brisbane. Carina resident Bob Dean and his son have installed three solar power systems on both of their homes and an investment property. Photograph; Renae Droop

IT is already well known for its rum and ginger beer but Bundaberg now has a new claim to fame — as Queensland’s solar capital.

The subtropical city has more rooftop photovoltaic solar energy systems installed than any other city or town in the state.

Data from the Clean Energy Regulator reveals that 9400 houses with the postcode 4670 — which includes Bundaberg and Bargara — now have solar systems with a combined output capacity of more than 28 megawatts.

“There’s huge demand,’’ Bundaberg Solar managing director Ashley Clark said.

More than 330 days of sunshine a year makes the central Queensland city a perfect place for solar power.

“I would put it down to the fact that this is an area with a lot more retirees who are a bit more cautious about where their money goes,’’ Mr Clark said.

It is a trait Bundaberg shares with Hervey Bay and Caloundra, which fill the second and third spots on the list.

Mr Clark said demand was now so strong that residents were having trouble getting approval from Ergon to connect to the electricity network.

“We used to put in an application and get approved in two to three days,” Mr Clark said.

“It’s now taking up to four weeks and 30 to 40 per cent are getting knocked back.”

The initial rush came from people wanting to get in before the Newman government scrapped the generous Solar Bonus Scheme 44¢ per kilowatt-hour tariff for surplus electricity fed into the grid in 2012.

The regional feed-in tariff is now 6.5¢ , while householders in the Energex area have to negotiate a rate with power companies. The Palaszczuk Government says a new Queensland Productivity Commission will set a fair feed-in rate.

Warwick Johnston, managing director of solar industry consultancy SunWiz, said outer urban and regional centres tended to have higher rates of solar panel installation than inner-city suburbs.

“The inner city is less well-suited because of shade created by more dense development and generally smaller roofs.”

Australian Greens Senator for Queensland Larissa Waters said the state’s residents were collectively saving $214 million on electricity bills a year by embracing solar.

Queensland leads the country with 433,770 of the 1,393,526 solar installations nationwide.

A quarter of houses in the state now have rooftop solar panels.

Queensland Energy Minister Mark Bailey says the state has a target of one million homes having rooftop solar panels by 2020.