NSW Government
NSW Climate and Energy Action

Solar for apartment residents

Owners corporations can apply now for funding to install shared solar systems on your apartment building. The grants will cover up to 50% of the cost, which will add value to homes and help residents save on their electricity bills.

Apartment buildings with solar panels
 
Available now

Applications close 5 pm 30 March 2026 or earlier if the funds are fully allocated

Who it's for

Owners corporations and strata managing agents

Overview

You can apply for a Solar for Apartment Residents grant to fund up to 50% of the cost of a shared solar photovoltaic (PV) system on eligible apartment buildings and other multi-unit dwellings in NSW. This will help residents, including renters, to reduce their energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions.

Less than 2% of apartment buildings in NSW currently have solar systems installed. As energy costs climb and the number of people living in apartments continue to increase, innovative solutions are needed to allow apartment owners and renters to benefit from solar energy.

A total of $25 million in grant funding is available, with up to $150,000 per project.

Financial support for this program is from the Australian Government.

How much is the rebate

Up to $150,000.

Up to 50% of eligible products and installation costs.

Eligibility

Who can apply

Only owners corporations or strata managers can apply for the funding.

To be eligible to apply for the funding you must be either:

  • a residential owners corporation responsible for the management of a strata scheme under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015
  • a strata managing agent as outlined in the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, if authorised to do so by the owners corporation.

Individual apartment residents are not able to apply for the funding. Apartment residents should share this page with their owners corporation or strata manager and encourage them to apply.

What buildings are eligible

Grants can only be used for buildings that:

  • are apartment buildings or multi-unit residential dwellings
  • have a minimum of 3 residential lots and no more than 55 residential lots
  • are a completed development at the time of application
  • have not had a solar PV system installed in the last 10 years
  • are located in NSW
  • are registered under the Strata Schemes Development Act 2015
  • have an active strata insurance policy.

Full eligibility criteria can be found in the guidelines.

How to apply

  1. Read the key documents

    Read the grant guidelines (PDF, 557KB) and check your eligibility. 

  2. Apply online

    Submit your Solar for Apartment Residents application online. 

    We will check the eligibility of your application and advise you of the outcome by email. If you are eligible you can move to the next step. 

  3. Research your options and engage your building

    You will need to contact an accredited solar installer for advice and obtain quotes from 2 different installers. You will also need to communicate the proposed project with residents. 

    For more information on this process, see the grant guidelines (PDF, 557KB)

  4. Submit final documentation

    You will need to update your application with 2 quotes and other evidence. 

    We will then assess the information you have provided and advise of the outcome. 

  5. Install and report

    If your application is approved for funding, you sign a funding deed and can notify your solar installer to proceed. You will need to provide documentation at various stages during the delivery process to receive payments. These requirements are outlined in the funding deed.

What will be funded

Items not explicitly listed may still be assessed on a case-by-case basis. To be eligible, the item must be directly required to install and operate the solar system in compliance with relevant standards.

For any items not listed here, applicants must provide a clear justification as to how it directly relates to the operation, safety, or compliance of the proposed solar system.

Eligible items

The following items are eligible for funding.

Solar system components (as required):

  • Solar panels and optimisers
  • Solar panel mounting equipment (e.g. racking, railing, framing, ballast systems)
  • Solar inverters (string, micro, or hybrid)
  • Inverter communications module
  • Inverter mounting equipment
  • Solar power sharing device
  • Grid protection device
  • Solar PVDB
  • Monitoring equipment and online monitoring
  • Balance of system equipment (cables, cable management, circuit breakers, etc.)
  • Labour for installation
  • Standard product warranties
  • Signage / labelling (as per AS5033)

Mechanical

  • Equipment for solar installation access (e.g. crane hire, scissor lift, EWP, scaffolding)
  • Product delivery

Connection application and STCs

  • Embedded generation connection application
  • DNSP Commissioning
  • Creation and sale of STCs

Safety

  • Temporary safety equipment
  • Structural engineering report (to confirm roof structure can support weight of solar panels and additional wind loading)
  • Customer care (e.g. post install monitoring, system report, support lines, fault detection services)
Ineligible items

The following items are not eligible for funding. 

Additional equipment

  • Batteries
  • EV chargers
  • Fees to protect lift interiors for use for equipment transport

Contractor items

  • Home Building Compensation (HBC)
  • Temporary facilities (e.g. portable toilets)
  • Backup generators
  • Other ancillary or temporary site costs not listed on this list

Operational costs

  • Claims for project coordination time or internal committee admin (internal labour or project overheads)
  • Ongoing maintenance
  • Removal of an old solar system
  • 4G or wireless router external to inverter

Financial items

  • Interest payments
  • Warranties (other than standard product warranties)

Additional building works

  • Waterproofing of the entire roof area
  • Upgrades to electrical cabling not related to the solar PV system
  • Patching, painting, surface treatment or other repairs
  • Relocation of equipment to make space for solar related installs
Enabling Works

Electrical

  • Essential meter board upgrades, where there is clear evidence that it is required for the solar system to function effectively
  • Cable upgrades for solar connection purposes only (i.e. upgrading route from MSB to secondary switchboard where solar will be connected)
  • Communications cabling from network cabinet to inverter
  • Materials to route cables discretely through building internals (conduit and cable trays)
  • Cages, enclosures, weatherproof housing or other site-specific additions to secure/protect inverter, people or other related equipment

Mechanical

  • Works that support solar cable management (e.g. extensive concrete drilling to run cable to roof)
  • Internal building works to conceal wiring (e.g. wall chasing, ceiling access panels)
  • Roof structural repairs or waterproofing where required due to the solar installation
  • Permanent roof safety or access equipment
  • Bollards, cages, or shading equipment
  • Sundries

Benefits of solar energy

The benefits of a shared solar system include:

Pictogram of solar panel with the sun in the background

For owners corporations

  • generating clean and renewable energy
  • enjoying payback for the investment in under 10 years
  • requiring minimal maintenance
  • adding value to properties.
a blue hand holding a coin

For apartment residents

  • saving money on your household electricity bills
  • reducing your household’s greenhouse gas emissions
  • protecting yourself against future electricity cost increases
  • making your home more comfortable in summer and winter.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the grant only fund strata schemes under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015?

The program only funds solar PV installations on buildings managed by a residential owner’s corporation under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015.

The program is focussed on buildings managed under a strata scheme with an active Owners Corporation, because they have clearly defined frameworks for shared ownership, decision-making and common area maintenance, as outlined in the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015. This ensures the installation of the solar system on common property benefits all owners within the strata scheme. This requirement was set by the Australian Government who funds this program.

Is there a limit on how many residential lots can be in the strata schemes funded by SoAR?

The program is designed to target medium density residential developments with 3 to 55 units. This is because it is generally challenging to generate enough energy from a solar PV system on a larger apartment complex to make payback period economical and achieve economies of scale.

The 3–55 residential lot range ensures the grant supports the majority of strata scheme residents.

Read more frequently asked questions. 

Templates to help your application

Contact and support

For further information, email us at [email protected].