Australia leads the world in household solar adoption, yet the benefits remain unevenly distributed. According to research by Energy Consumers Australia (ECA), only 6% of Australians living in apartments or units have rooftop solar, compared to 39% of those in detached or semi-detached houses. Similarly, battery uptake is 7% in houses but just 3% in apartments. With 2.5 million Australians residing in flats, a significant portion of the population is missing out on solar savings and emissions reductions.
Barriers to Apartment Solar
Ashley Bradshaw, ECA’s executive manager for advocacy and analysis, notes that “the research is pretty clear that most of the solar we have on homes today is on stand-alone homes.” Apartment dwellers face unique hurdles, including shared roof space, body corporate rules, and complex electricity metering. Renters and lower-income households encounter additional barriers.
Kate Nicolazzo, director of the social change agency Let Me Be Frank, describes installing solar on an apartment building as “just a completely different kettle of fish” compared to a house, with added complexities related to governance and group decision-making. “It is absolutely doable, but it is not necessarily easy,” she says.
Technological Solutions
Two main solar setups exist for apartments: directly connected systems with multiple inverters wired to individual flats, or shared systems where a single installation powers common areas or is distributed equitably among dwellings. Allume Energy, a Melbourne-based company, developed SolShare, a device that acts as a “traffic controller for solar.” CEO Cameron Knox explains that SolShare allocates energy every 200 milliseconds to maximise savings for all residents, ensuring fair distribution even when usage patterns differ.
SolShare works behind the meter, requiring a smart meter for exporting excess solar to the grid. Residents can choose their own electricity retailer. Knox highlights that most Australian apartments are lower-rise buildings, averaging about 12 units, which often have plentiful, unobstructed roof space. Allume has connected over 6,600 apartments in Australia and nearly 11,000 worldwide.
Strata and Governance Hurdles
Nicolazzo emphasises that decision-making under strata associations or bodies corporate is a major challenge. Owners corporations and property managers can impose voting thresholds and bylaws that hinder agreement. For instance, Victoria requires 75% of owners to approve certain common property decisions. She advises finding a friend in the building to work as a team through the process.
Unexpected costs can arise during installation, such as roof repairs or switchboard upgrades. Embedded networks, where apartments operate on a private electricity network, add another layer of complexity. Several how-to guides are available from organisations like Yarra Energy Foundation, Port Phillip city council, High Life Living, and the Victorian government.
Incentives and Opportunities
Despite the challenges, it is a good time for apartment dwellers to consider solar, with new technologies and generous incentives in New South Wales, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory. Bradshaw also notes other ways to save on energy, such as switching electricity plans, shifting to electric appliances, and adopting low-cost energy reduction measures. “There are lots of ways you can look to save money on your electricity bill,” he says. “It’s basically about thinking what’s best for your circumstances.”
