Australia's big solar bet just broke the annual record — with three months still to go

A final investment decision is the moment a power project stops being a plan and becomes a commitment — the money is locked in and building follows. Australia's Clean Energy Regulator says those decisions for large-scale solar reached 1 gigawatt in the September quarter alone, taking the year's solar total to 3.5 gigawatts — about 30% above the previous annual record, with a quarter of the year left. Counting wind too, 5 gigawatts of big renewable projects got the financial green light in 2026, already beating the old full-year record of 4.9. Homes are joining in: rooftops added 90,042 new solar systems in the quarter, and approved home-battery capacity has more than tripled this year to 15.3 gigawatt-hours.

SDG 7 · Affordable and clean energy — Mechanism: funding & finance