Solar Energy

Solar panels are installed on the rooftops of homes and businesses, or grouped together at large-scale solar farms, where many panels work together to generate significant amounts of electricity. They convert the solar energy from sunlight into electricity. This electricity flows through an inverter, which changes it into a form we can use. From there, it travels through power lines to homes, schools, hospitals and businesses. Both types of solar generation are important parts of Western Australia’s transition to cleaner, more reliable energy.

The Sun provides an endless supply of clean, renewable energy. We can use this energy without any fear of it running out - unlike fossil fuels, which are finite. Using energy from the sun also means solar generation is cleaner and more affordable for WA compared to other energy sources like diesel and coal. Solar energy is already playing a significant role in decarbonising our energy systems and cutting emissions.

Solar energy generation is happening right now on our rooftops and in our communities.

41% of homes in our main electricity grid already have rooftop solar installed, and the total distributed solar generation capacity on the system is around three times that of the remaining State-owned coal power plants in Collie.

There are also large-scale solar farms spread across WA. The Merredin Solar Farm in the Wheatbelt is WA's largest solar farm, with 360,000 solar panels generating 281 gigawatt hours of electricity annually. In the Pilbara, the Port Hedland Solar Project is equipped with nearly 120,000 solar panels and built to withstand winds up to 288 km/h, making it resilient enough to operate in Australia’s most cyclone-prone region.

And there are more solar farms being developed across our State. Each one will make a big contribution to creating a smarter, cleaner energy future for WA.