Australian homes and business installed a record 1,057MW of rooftop solar in 2017, equating to around 3.5 million solar panels, according to figures from the Clean Energy Regulator (CER).

This deployment figure is expected to expand to 1,070MW once all systems have been officially recorded. Over the course of the year, an average of 9,500 panels were installed every day.

The previous record of 1,035MW was set in 2012 and CER now predicts 2018 will see at least another 1GW of capacity added to Australian rooftops.

Larger size rooftop plants became more popular in 2017, with average system capacity doubling from 3kW to 6kW in the five years since 2012.

Australia has the highest penetration of rooftop solar in the world. One in five Australian homes has rooftop solar and an increasing number of small businesses are taking advantage of the financial and environmental benefits of solar.

CER executive general manager Mark Williamson said: "We are seeing a wide cross-section of Australians – households, community centres, schools, and small businesses – receiving incentives under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme. Our data shows consumers are embracing renewable energy to take control of their electricity bills.

"The data collected by the Clean Energy Regulator in 2017 reflects the industry is going from strength to strength. It looks like 2018 will be another big year for the solar industry.”