As at 31 July 2026, the Clean Energy Regulator records 4,501,887 small-scale solar PV installations in Australia.
Australia crossed four million rooftop solar installations in November 2024. At that point, rooftop solar represented approximately 25 GW of installed capacity.
But the story of what happens after installation started much earlier.
On 11 October 2018, CHOICE published an investigation into solar companies that had disappeared.
At the time, Australia had approximately 1.9 million solar PV systems installed.
Markus Lambert, then General Manager of Solar and Energy at LG, had been tracking ASIC notices for companies with “solar” in their name that had entered liquidation or proposed deregistration since 2011.
His list had reached 610 companies.
His estimate was that approximately 600,000 Australian solar systems had been orphaned as a result – around 31% of the installed base at the time.
That figure was an industry estimate, not a regulator’s count, and it should not be extrapolated to today’s 4.5 million-system fleet.
CHOICE’s own consumer data provides another measure of what was occurring.
In a survey of more than 1,000 solar owners:
30% reported having a problem with their solar company.
4% reported having difficulty getting a warranty honoured.
CHOICE also reported that at least one in ten enquiries to its consumer advice service involved a solar company that had liquidated.
Fair Trading NSW recorded 245 complaints concerning refunds, repairs and warranties in the solar industry in the preceding financial year, including 29 complaints specifically involving liquidated or deregistered solar companies.
An orphaned system is not necessarily a failed system.
The company can disappear while the panels remain on the roof and the system continues generating.
That distinction matters because Australia’s early rooftop solar fleet is now getting older.
Clean Energy Regulator records show 360,745 solar PV systems were installed in 2011 and another 343,320 in 2012.
That’s 704,065 systems installed in those two years alone.
In 2026, those systems are now approximately 14 to 15 years old.
Some will have been replaced. Some will have been upgraded. Some will still be operating with their original equipment.
And some were among the systems CHOICE described as orphaned eight years ago.
The issue does not arise on the day the company disappears.
It arises when the system eventually needs somebody to come back.
An inverter fails.
A string stops producing.
Monitoring goes offline.
A roof penetration leaks.
A component requires diagnosis or replacement.
The homeowner then reaches for the paperwork from the original installation.
And the company named on it may no longer exist.
Next: what actually happens to the warranty and the homeowner’s rights when an orphaned solar system develops a fault.
Sources
- Every figure above is dated and attributed. The 600,000 orphaned-system figure is an industry estimate from 2018, measured against the 1.9 million systems installed at that time. It is not a regulator’s count and is not applied to today’s fleet.
- 4,501,887 small-scale solar PV installations as at 31 July 2026: Clean Energy Regulator, Small-scale installation postcode data. CER’s current table records 4,501,887 solar PV installations and 30.323 GW of rated solar PV output as at 31 July 2026.
- Australia passed four million rooftop installations in November 2024; approximately 25 GW installed at that milestone: Clean Energy Council, Rooftop solar shines bright as Australia surpasses four million installations, published 14 November 2024.
- CHOICE investigation dated 11 October 2018; approximately 1.9 million installed systems; 610 companies with “solar” in their name in liquidation or proposed deregistration since 2011; estimated 600,000 orphaned systems: CHOICE, What to do if your solar company goes out of business. The 610-company count was compiled by Markus Lambert of LG from ASIC notices. The approximately 600,000 orphaned systems figure was Lambert’s estimate, not an official ASIC, CER or government count.
- 600,000 represented approximately 31% of the installed base at the time: CHOICE states approximately 600,000 orphaned systems out of approximately 1.9 million systems installed nationally.
- CHOICE survey of 1,000+ owners: 30% experienced a problem with their solar company; 4% had difficulty getting warranties honoured: same CHOICE investigation.
- At least one in ten CHOICE Help solar enquiries involved companies that had liquidated: same CHOICE investigation.
- Fair Trading NSW: 245 complaints concerning refunds, repairs and warranties; 29 concerning liquidated or deregistered solar companies: figures supplied to CHOICE for the financial year immediately preceding the October 2018 article. 360,745 solar PV systems installed in 2011 and 343,320 in 2012: Clean Energy Regulator, Small-scale installation postcode data, current as at 31 July 2026. Combined total: 704,065 systems.
- Systems installed in 2011–2012 are approximately 14–15 years old in 2026: arithmetic consequence of the CER installation dates.