Recent news that Dubbo is one of the top 10 electorates in NSW for solar rooftop take up is no surprise to state MPs Dugald Saunders and Roy Butler.

Rooftop solar represents the future, Mr Saunders believes, saying that it is far less intrusive, subsidised, and over-regulated than the large-scale projects that have become the preferred government mechanism in the renewables rush to Net Zero.

With more than 20,000 solar panel installations in the Orana region — with Barwon electorate topping the state — the natural advantages of sunshine and free-standing houses and farms made the region a natural for sun power, he said.

“I remember when they first did the solar feed-in scheme around 2012, where people were getting about 60 cents per 1.5 kilowatt per hour, Dubbo was number one or two in the state,” Mr Saunders said.

“Ever since there was an incentive in getting solar, Dubbo was one of the regions that took it up with enthusiasm,” he added.

With many rural properties in the region bearing “no solar, no wind-farm” signs on their road frontages, opposing the wholesale redirection of prime agricultural land to wind turbine and solar projects, the Dubbo MP believes rooftop solar could be the answer.

“It’s actually part of the federal coalition’s policy to invest more in rooftop solar as it has little to no impact on the community," he said.

With ever-increasing advances in technology, the case for rooftop solar as a major source of renewable power will become overwhelming, he believes.

“With the development in storage batteries that can feed back into the sector, these ‘micro-grids’ are not the only solution, but are part of it,” Mr Saunders said.

“This is a far better way of doing it than solar farms. It doesn’t impact land use, and only needs more investment from government."

Further west, the Barwon electorate recorded the most solar panel installations, with nearly 25,000 properties now using the sun as their preferred renewable energy option.

The latest State Government data revealed that Barwon, covering nearly half of the state, recorded a total of 24,537 solar panel installations, with Dubbo taking sixth spot with 20,581 installations.

Barwon MP Roy Butler said it's logical that western NSW would top the state for solar take-up.

"Given that Barwon covers an area that has a higher number of sunny days than electorates in the eastern part of the state, it is not surprising that solar is considered a good option," he said.

“When the decision is not imposed on them without consultation, country people can see the benefits of harnessing the sun’s abundant power,” he added.

Meanwhile, Warren Mayor Greg Whiteley said the uptake on rural properties is so great, farmers could drop off the grid altogether in the future.