Battler ‘burbs trump ‘smashed avo set’ in Melbourne’s most solar-friendly areas

Melbourne’s most solar-friendly suburbs have been revealed — and the inner-city “smashed avo set” have been trumped by ‘battler burbs. See if your neighbourhood makes the list.

New housing estates and battler ‘burbs are Melbourne’s heartland for solar panels.

Melbourne’s most solar-friendly suburbs have been revealed.

And it’s not the “smashed avo set”, but our battler ‘burbs fighting to get ahead of their next energy bill, and developers, leading the charge.

Artificial intelligence analysing aerial imagery of Victoria shows an extra 31,000 homes added solar panels last year, a 10 per cent increase from the year before.

RELATED: The solar panel hack that could save you hundreds

Solar panel installers fear losses after Andrews Government’s rebate freeze

Solar homes should be able to sell extra power to neighbours, report says

The new research by Nearmap shows Lyndhurst, about 35km south east of Melbourne, is the city’s most solar-friendly suburb with 38 per cent of homes using the technology.

The neighbouring suburb of Lynbrook wasn’t far behind at 37 per cent, while 35 per cent of homes have solar panels in Narre Warren North — also to Melbourne’s south east.

One in three homes have solar power in Burnside and Williams Landing to Melbourne’s west.

Clean Energy Council spokesman Mark Bretherton said the research backed a long-term trend away from Melbourne’s well-heeled supporting the solar industry.

“It has been a long time since the smashed avo set has been leading the charge to adopt solar power,” Mr Bretherton said.

Clyde North’s solar panels as of December 2017. Image: Nearmap.

The solar panels in Clyde North as of November 2018. Image: Nearmap

“The people who have embraced solar in huge numbers are the ones who feel the pinch when their bills go up. This means solar has become particularly popular among working families, retirees and those in mortgage belt suburbs at the city fringe who have installed solar power systems to cut their electricity costs.”

He said the average family could save about $540 a year with a solar panel system on their roof, and would pay it off in four to seven years.

The figures from Nearmap back the suggestion, showing the highest numbers of solar panel installations last year were in the city’s affordable southeast, particularly around new home estates.

Clyde North homes added 700 solar arrays, Berwick 560, and Pakenham 530.

In the west, Tarneit added 490 and Truganina’s solar panel installations jumped 460.

Mr Bretherton said this reflected developers recognising the technology and pushing it into new housing estates, helping to make Victoria one of the nation’s top environmentally-conscious states.

Developer Cedar Woods has built the relatively new suburb of Williams Landing, and state manager Lloyd Collins said homebuyers had been willing to go an extra step beyond government mandated energy efficient homes.

“When people buy land from us they have to comply with our Williams Landing design standards, and they are encouraged to include one additional sustainable feature in their home,” Mr Collins said.

Lyndhurst solar panel use as of December 2017. Image: Nearmap.

Lyndhurst almost a year later. Image: Nearmap.

“(But) we know from our research that our residents are well educated (tertiary) and have high environmental awareness.”

MORE: Rogue solar energy firm faces court over dodgy deals

Australia’s largest solar system to power Melbourne factory

Nearmap senior director AI systems Dr Michael Bewley said the analysis was performed by new software the firm had developed and would help “shift” business, government and industry views.