Strata Solar
Melbourne — Apartments & Townhouses
Supply Solar installs shared rooftop solar for Victorian apartment buildings and owners corporations — managing the OC approval process, technical design, and the Solar for Apartments rebate application from start to finish.
Free Strata Feasibility Study
Eligibility check · Design · Rebate application
No obligation · We call within 2 business hours
Is My Building Eligible for the Solar for Apartments Rebate?
| Requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| OC tier | Tier 3 or Tier 4 Owners Corporation under the Owners Corporations Act 2006 — generally 3 to 50 occupiable lots |
| Building class | Class 2 (apartment building) or a group of horizontally attached Class 1a townhouses/row units |
| Building height | No more than 8 storeys from ground level (case-by-case exemptions may apply for larger sites) |
| Lot value | Median capital-improved residential lot value under approximately $950,000 |
| Prior solar | No solar PV installed on participating lots within the last 10 years |
| Network type | Must NOT already be connected to an embedded network |
| Prior funding | The OC must not have previously received Solar for Apartments funding |
Eligibility criteria per Solar Victoria as at 2026. Supply Solar confirms your building's specific eligibility during a free feasibility assessment.
How Can an Apartment Building Actually Use Solar?
Shared roofs and individually metered apartments make this more complex than a house. Here are the four models, and which fits most buildings.
Common Property Solar
Solar powers shared-area electricity only — lifts, corridor lighting, car park, pool pumps. Simplest to install and approve, but doesn't reduce individual apartment bills directly.
- Simplest option
- No individual metering
- Common area savings only
Solar-Sharing Technology
A single rooftop system distributes generation fairly across individually metered apartments using inverter power-sharing devices, crediting each unit's own bill — no embedded network required.
- Credits individual meters
- Required over 30kVA
- Most common rebate pathway
Embedded Network Solar
If your building already has an embedded network, solar can potentially be added and distributed through it. Buildings on embedded networks are not eligible for the Solar for Apartments rebate.
- Requires existing embedded network
- Not rebate-eligible
- Operator approval needed
Bulk Green Power / PPA
The OC collectively purchases renewable electricity via a Power Purchase Agreement — no rooftop system or metering changes needed, but residents receive a separate bill for their share.
- No metering changes
- Two electricity bills
- No rooftop install required
The Solar for Apartments Rebate — Step by Step
Rebate value: up to $2,800 per household, capped at approximately $140,000 per building. Here's exactly how the application flows, from first quote to installation.
| Step | What happens | Typical timing | Who's responsible |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Eligibility check & quote | Confirm building eligibility, obtain a system design and formal quote from an authorised retailer | 1-2 weeks | Supply Solar |
| 2. OC special resolution | The Owners Corporation votes to approve the project, following the Owners Corporations Act 2006 ballot process | Varies — next scheduled or a called general meeting | Owners Corporation |
| 3. Application & quote submission | Retailer submits the quote through the Solar Victoria portal; funding is reserved on submission | Same day as OC approval | Supply Solar |
| 4. OC Quote Approval Form | The OC must formally approve the quote via the mandatory approval form | Within 70 days of quote issue | Owners Corporation |
| 5. Installation | System installed, commissioned, and Certificate of Electrical Safety issued | Within 120 days of rebate approval | Supply Solar |
| 6. Rebate applied | Rebate paid to Supply Solar as the retailer, discounted directly off the OC's final invoice | At installation completion | Solar Victoria → Supply Solar |
Rebate value based on the total system cost net of STCs and other government incentives. Program rules current as at 2026 — Supply Solar confirms the latest requirements at the time of your application.
What a 30-Lot Apartment Building Sees — Melbourne
A mid-sized apartment building with 30 occupiable lots is a common fit for the Solar for Apartments program — well within the 3-50 lot eligibility range. Here's what the economics typically look like.
Actual results vary by roof area, apartment count, and each household's usage. Supply Solar models your specific building in every proposal.
Get a Strata Feasibility StudySix Reasons It Makes Sense in 2026
Up to $2,800 per apartment
The Solar for Apartments rebate is applied as an upfront discount on the OC's invoice — no individual resident has to pay or claim anything separately.
Everyone benefits, including renters
Around half of Victorian apartment solar uptake so far has been in rented units — the rebate benefits owner-occupiers and tenants alike through lower shared and individual bills.
STC discount stacks with the rebate
Most strata systems stay under 100kW, meaning the Small-scale Technology Certificate discount applies on top of the Solar for Apartments rebate — further reducing the OC's net cost.
Solar-sharing means real bill reduction
Unlike common-property-only solar, solar-sharing technology credits individual apartment meters — residents see the saving on their own electricity bill, not just body corporate fees.
Increases property appeal
Lower running costs and sustainability credentials are increasingly a factor for buyers and renters comparing apartment buildings — solar can be a genuine point of difference.
Rooftop capacity is currently under-used
Studies estimate several gigawatts of unused solar potential on Australian apartment roofs — most buildings simply haven't had the process navigated for them yet.
How to Get Your Owners Corporation on Board
Build resident interest
Gauge interest informally with neighbours and committee members — a small group of engaged residents is often enough to get it on the agenda.
Get a proper proposal
Supply Solar provides a free feasibility study — eligibility check, system design, and a clear savings and payback projection the OC can actually evaluate.
Present at a general meeting
Bring the proposal to a scheduled or called general meeting for the special resolution vote, following the Owners Corporations Act 2006 process.
Approve, apply, install
Once approved, Supply Solar manages the rebate application, OC approval form, and installation through to commissioning.
Accredited, Award-Winning & Fully In-House
Authorised Solar for Apartments retailer
Supply Solar is an authorised retailer under the Solar for Apartments program — the rebate can only be applied through an authorised provider, protecting your building's funding.
2023 CEC Award & 2024 EUPD Award
Independent industry recognition of installation quality and customer experience — the benchmarks that matter for a shared building investment.
OC paperwork handled, not just mentioned
Eligibility checks, quote submission, OC Approval Form guidance, and rebate lodgement — Supply Solar manages the administrative process most installers leave to the strata manager.
Experience with solar-sharing technology
Individually metered apartment buildings need specific technical expertise to distribute generation fairly. Supply Solar designs and installs compliant solar-sharing systems, not just simple common-property arrays.
Strata Solar Near Your Building
Supply Solar installs and services strata solar systems across greater Melbourne and regional Victoria.
What Melbourne Strata Buildings Say
"I raised it at our AGM as one resident with no idea where to start. Supply Solar gave us a proposal we could actually put to a vote — clear numbers, clear process. Passed with barely any pushback."
"We wanted individual apartments to actually see the saving on their own bill, not just common area power. The solar-sharing setup does exactly that — everyone's meter benefits, not just the lift and lobby lights."
"Supply Solar managed our building's Solar for Apartments application — all the paperwork, rebate lodgement, and installation. 32 households now benefiting. Highly recommend."
Strata Solar FAQs
How much is the Solar for Apartments rebate?
Is my apartment building eligible?
How do you get an owners corporation to agree to solar?
How does solar work when everyone has their own meter?
What are the different ways an apartment building can use solar?
How long does the application process take?
Can a building on an embedded network get the rebate?
Related Commercial Services
Commercial Solar Pages
Other Commercial Services
Ready to Bring Solar to Your Building?
Book a free, no-obligation feasibility study. Supply Solar checks your building's eligibility, designs the system, and gives your OC the proposal it needs to vote yes.
No obligation · Up to $2,800/apartment · OC process managed · CEC-accredited · Melbourne & Regional Victoria