Solar panels in Rockhampton

Where the installs are going

North Rockhampton is where most of the installs have been, partly because that is where most of the newer housing is, and Gracemere has grown quickly as a satellite suburb with new estates and solar-ready roofs. The older Queenslanders on stumps in Allenstown, Wandal and The Range have been slower, though a high-set timber house with an iron roof is one of the easiest homes in Australia to put panels on.

Roofs and homes in Rockhampton

Heat is the main design factor. Panels in Rockhampton run well above their rated temperature for much of the year and lose a measurable share of output as a result, so leaving airflow under the array and keeping the inverter out of the sun both matter. Corrugated iron and Colorbond roofs dominate and take panels easily. Rockhampton is on the edge of the cyclone region, so check what wind rating your installer is certifying to. Flooding is the other local reality: the Fitzroy floods, and a battery or inverter should be mounted with that in mind in the lower suburbs.

The network: Ergon Energy

Ergon Energy runs the network. Single-phase homes generally export up to 5 kW, three-phase homes more, and larger systems go through a connection application. Rockhampton's demand peak is a hot afternoon that runs into the evening, so a system paired with a battery covers the hours when the air conditioning is still going and the array has faded. With Queensland feed-in rates set by retailers rather than mandated, using your own power beats exporting it.