Solar for apartments and strata: what's actually possible

Apartment residents can't just install rooftop solar. The roof is common property. Here are the shared-solar and embedded-network options that do work.

By EnergySorted Editorial Team · Updated 14 July 2026 · 6 min read

Why you can't just put panels on the roof

In a strata scheme, the roof, external walls and most common infrastructure are common property owned collectively by all owners and managed by the owners corporation (also called a body corporate). An individual apartment owner cannot unilaterally install rooftop solar for their own unit, because they do not own the roof and cannot allocate common property to their private benefit without the scheme's approval. That is why the "just get solar" advice aimed at houses simply does not translate to apartments.

This does not mean apartments are shut out of solar. It means the pathway runs through the owners corporation rather than the individual. The realistic options are a shared system that benefits common areas, a shared system whose output is allocated to units, or solar delivered through an embedded network. Each needs a collective decision, and usually a formal vote.

The models that work in a building

Common-property solar: Panels power shared loads: lifts, car park lighting, pumps, common-area power. Savings flow to the owners corporation and cut everyone's strata levies. The simplest model to approve because it does not require splitting output between units.
Shared solar with allocation: A larger system whose generation is apportioned to individual apartments, often via a behind-the-meter arrangement or embedded network with smart metering. More complex, but residents see it on their own bills.
Embedded network solar: The building operates as an embedded network and installs solar that feeds the internal network, on-selling the cheaper power to residents. Can lower rates but ties into embedded-network trade-offs around retailer choice.
Virtual / community arrangements: Emerging models let residents share a system's output or subscribe to it. Availability varies by state and network, so check what your distributor supports.

How to get solar happening in your building

Raise it with the owners corporation or committee. Solar on common property is a collective decision, so it starts with the scheme, not an individual.
Commission a feasibility assessment: roof space and orientation, structural capacity, the building's common-area load, and how output would be metered and allocated.
Choose a model: common-property only is simplest to approve; allocation to units or an embedded network delivers more to residents but adds complexity.
Pass the required resolution: solar usually needs a formal vote, and the majority threshold depends on your state's strata laws and whether it counts as a common-property change.
Factor in metering: allocating solar to individual units needs smart or embedded-network metering, which is a real cost to weigh against the savings.

Solar plus the right plan

Shared solar changes the sums, but it does not remove the need for a good electricity plan behind it. For common-property solar, the owners corporation still buys grid power for everything the panels do not cover, and that account should be on a competitive plan (often a small-business tariff rather than a residential one). For residents in a building with allocated or embedded-network solar, the value of that solar depends heavily on the rate you pay for the rest of your usage and any feed-in arrangement.

Whether it is the owners corporation's common-area account or an individual resident's bill, comparing the whole market on real usage is how you make sure the solar saving is not quietly eaten by an overpriced plan. EnergySorted compares the full market on actual usage for a flat annual fee and takes no retailer commissions, so a strata committee or an individual owner can check they are on the cheapest plan to sit alongside whatever solar the building manages to install.

Frequently asked questions

Can I install solar on my apartment?

Not on your own. The roof is common property managed by the owners corporation, so you cannot allocate it to your unit without the scheme's approval. Solar for apartments happens through a collective decision: common-property solar, shared solar allocated to units, or an embedded-network system.

What is the easiest solar option for a strata building?

Common-property solar (panels that power shared loads like lifts, pumps and car-park lighting) is usually simplest to approve, because it does not require splitting generation between units. The savings cut the owners corporation's costs and, in turn, strata levies.

Can apartment residents get solar on their own bills?

Yes, but it needs a shared system whose output is allocated to units, typically through smart metering or an embedded network. This is more complex and costly to set up than common-property solar, so the building has to weigh the metering cost against the benefit.

How does the building decide to install solar?

Because solar sits on common property, it needs an owners corporation decision, usually a formal vote at the required majority, which depends on your state's strata laws. Start by raising it with the committee and commissioning a feasibility assessment of roof space, load and metering.

Does shared solar mean we don't need to compare energy plans?

No. The building still buys grid power for everything solar does not cover, and residents still pay for their own usage. Comparing the whole market on real usage makes sure the solar saving is not eaten by an overpriced plan, for both the common-area account and individual bills.

Can our building install a battery as well as solar?

Yes, and a shared battery can store daytime solar for the evening peak or common-area loads, though it adds cost and complexity to the business case. Our guide on whether a home battery is worth it in Australia covers the payback logic that a strata committee can apply at building scale.

How does a feed-in tariff work with shared solar?

Any generation the building exports to the grid earns a feed-in credit, but shared solar is usually most valuable when it is consumed on site rather than exported, because feed-in rates are low. Our guide to solar feed-in tariffs explained covers how the credit works and why self-consumption beats export.

Are there rebates for apartment or strata solar?

Solar and battery incentives change by state and program, and some are aimed at owners corporations or shared systems. It is worth checking our rebates and concessions guide and the federal battery rebate before the committee commits, because support can shift the payback significantly.

With embedded-network solar, can residents still pick their retailer?

Usually not freely, because the solar feeds the internal network the operator controls. That is the core trade-off of the model. Our embedded networks guide explains the retailer-choice limits and the price-cap protections that still apply.

Is rooftop solar even worth it for apartments?

Through a shared model it can be, especially common-property solar that offsets always-on loads like lifts, pumps and car-park lighting. Whether it pays off depends on roof space, load and metering cost. Our guide on whether solar panels are worth it in Australia covers the payback drivers.

What plan should the owners corporation common-area account be on?

The common-area account (lifts, lighting, pumps) is often classified as a small-business connection rather than residential, so it needs comparing on that basis. Our guide to small business electricity plans explains the different tariffs and demand charges to watch, so the solar saving is not eaten by an overpriced common-area plan.

General information only, current at the time of writing. Not financial advice. Rebate schemes and rules change; always confirm details with your retailer or state government energy site.