Apartment Solar Initiative to empower renters and owners with affordable clean energy
A new $25 million initiative will make solar power more accessible to apartment residents across New South Wales, helping reduce energy costs and promoting cleaner energy use.
A new $25 million initiative aims to make rooftop solar systems more accessible for apartment residents in New South Wales, potentially saving households up to $600 annually on their energy bills. The Solar for Apartment Residents program, a first in NSW, will co-fund up to 50% of the cost of installing shared solar systems for apartment buildings and multi-unit dwellings. This initiative, designed by the NSW Government and supported by the Federal Government’s Solar Banks Scheme, will lower energy costs and increase access to clean, renewable energy for apartment dwellers.
Currently, about one in five homes in NSW are apartments, but just 3.5% have solar systems installed. This program aims to expand access to solar by providing grants of up to $150,000 per project, helping owner’s corporations and strata managers install solar systems on eligible buildings. The initiative is expected to benefit a wide range of apartment residents, including renters, by addressing the barriers that have previously made solar power difficult to implement in multi-unit dwellings.
“Solar should be available to everyone,” said NSW Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Penny Sharpe. “This program removes the barriers to renewable energy for units and apartments, making it easier and more affordable to adopt solar.”
The program will be open for applications until 1 December 2025 or until the funding is exhausted. Eligible apartment buildings and multi-unit dwellings with 3 to 55 units, which have not had a solar system installed in the last 10 years, can apply. In addition to the financial benefits, the initiative is seen as a step towards reducing reliance on fossil fuels and promoting cleaner energy solutions.
Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, said, “We want to make it cheaper and easier for every Australian to install rooftop solar... whether a home is a house or apartment, everyone should be able to take advantage of cleaner, cheaper solar to bust bills for good.”
A case study from Ashfield, NSW, illustrates the impact this initiative can have. In December 2021, a three-level apartment building with nine units installed a 20kW solar PV system. The $50,000 installation cost was shared by the owners and the Owners’ Corporation Capital Works Fund. The system is expected to save the building around $8,900 annually on energy bills, or approximately $990 per household. Had the Solar for Apartment Residents program been available at the time, they could have received up to $25,000 in funding, making it even more affordable.
Rewiring Australia CEO Francis Vierboom welcomed the initiative, stating, “Apartment residents have long faced barriers to accessing solar, but this policy will help change that. With around 20% of NSW households living in apartments, it is vital they too can benefit from lower bills and clean energy provided by solar.”
The push for greater solar adoption in apartments is part of a broader effort to support Australia’s clean energy transition. According to Climate Councillor Nicki Hutley, “No one should be locked out from accessing energy-saving solutions simply because they live in an apartment. This initiative will finally support more New South Wales apartment residents, including renters, to benefit from bill-busting solar.”
