Solar for Apartment Residents program closing 30 March 2026

The $25 million NSW-federal government Solar for Apartment Residents program is ending 30 March 2026, with almost 140 projects taking advantage of the scheme but less than a third of available funds utilised to date, including for two Sydney apartment building projects in Newtown and Camperdown awarded to local installer, Solarhart.

March 20, 2026 Ev Foley

Image: Solarhart

Two rooftop solar installations in Sydney Inner-west suburbs of Newtown and Camperdown have been completed under the joint $25 million (USD 17.7 million) New South Wales (NSW)-federal government Solar for Apartment Residents (SoAR) program.

The SoAR initiative directly helps residents – including renters – benefit from lower bills, reduced emissions and greater energy independence.

Using Allume SolShare technology, Sydney-headquartered installer Solarhart was selected by a Newtown-based 22-apartment building strata committee to install rooftop solar under the SoAR program.

The Solarhart team installed a 52 kW system featuring Solahart premium panels, GoodWe inverters and Allume’s SolShare technology.

Equitable energy distribution across each of the one, two, and three-bedroom units is now available, with the system fully battery‑ready, supporting future upgrades.

Under the SoAR grant, the apartment block saved $54,000 on the installation costs, with a payback period of just over four years for the remainder of the project.

Solarhart said residents are now saving approximately $440 – $800 annually on energy bills, with the system reducing 38.2 tonnes of CO₂ each year.

Solarhart General Manager Stephen Cranch said the projects demonstrate what’s possible when technology, community demand and government support align.

“From inner-city rooftops to heritage-listed sites, apartment buildings across Sydney are showing that shared solar is not only achievable, but an incredibly effective way to cut bills and emissions,” Cranch said.

“With the SoAR program closing this month, we encourage strata committees and residents to act now. Solahart is ready to help assess feasibility, guide approvals and deliver premium shared-solar systems tailored to each site.”

The Newtown project was initially taken to the strata committee by apartment owner and investor Veronica Tseng-Donald who said the icing on the cake for the installation was that the strata was able to use a Capital Works Fund to cover its portion of the installation.

“[That meant] zero out-of-pocket special levies for residents, making our decision even easier,” Tseng-Donald said.

Camperdown

Tseng-Donald also collaborated with her Owners Corporation on a second Solahart installation at The Gantry, Camperdown – a heritage‑listed residential precinct comprising six separate strata plans.

Solarhart said working within heritage constraints a new 25.92 kW system for the 13 residents, was installed and includes 54 Solahart premium panels, a GoodWe inverter, again brought together with SolShare technology.

SolShare’s behind-the-meter technology splits energy received from a rooftop solar system and shares it across multiple dwellings in one building.
*Image: Allume*

Residents at The Gantry are expected to reduce their annual energy costs by an average of 35% and cut 20.3 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year, and saved 50% of the installation costs under SoAR.

The NSW‑Federal joint initiative is open to apartment buildings and multi‑unit dwellings with three to 55 lots.

Since July 2025, 138 projects in 87 locations have collectively received $6,116,921 from the SoAR program.

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