Australia leads the world in rooftop solar per capita with more than 28 GW installed but an industry expert says inadequate inspection and maintenance programs mean many of these assets could fail to deliver the performance and longevity they were designed for.

Rooftop solar systems have been deployed across about 4 million Australian homes and small businesses – about 36% of households have a system – and the country’s enthusiasm for PV panels is only building with 2026 on track to be a record year of installations. About 181,000 rooftop solar systems were installed during the first half of the year, a 35% increase on the same period in 2025, and the strongest six-month total since 2021.

Andrew Barrington, founder and managing director of New South Wales-headquartered solar maintenance company Solar Shine Australia, said rather than just focusing on installing new solar, the industry needs to make sure the solar already installed continues to perform, delivers its intended returns and lasts as long as it should.

“We’re putting solar panels on just about every roof we can, but who’s checking whether they’re still working properly five years later?” he said.

“We don’t need to keep replacing things that could have been maintained. We need to start treating solar like the valuable infrastructure it is.”

Barrington has called for a greater focus on proactive inspection and maintenance practices, saying they are critical to extending the lifespan of Australia’s rooftop solar fleet, reducing avoidable losses and minimising premature solar waste.

While solar panels are generally designed to operate for 25 years or more, damage, neglected maintenance and undetected faults can affect their performance and potentially shorten their useful life.

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