Solar rooftop installations are one of the fastest-growing sectors of home improvement, with households around the country installing the equivalent of an entire power plant every four months, but not everyone can be part of the growth.

One of the main reasons households don’t install solar panels is because they believe the upfront costs are too high.

Brighte chief executive Katherine McConnell. Credit:Wolter Peeters

The head of the Australian Energy Market Operator, Audrey Zibelman, has warned that these upfront costs have created a growing gap between the rich and poor, because those who cannot afford solar panels are effectively paying for those who can with higher power prices.

“I think the fact that someone can leave the system [the electricity network] because they can rely on their own resources is a good thing for an individual but it isn’t for the rest of us, because it means you have a smaller pot of people to maintain the system,” Ms Zibelman said.