Solar for Apartment Residents (SoAR): What NSW Strata Communities Need to Know
Solar for Apartment Residents (SoAR): What NSW Strata Communities Need to Know
The NSW Solar for Apartment Residents (SoAR) Grant Program was one of the most significant energy grants to come through for multi-unit residential buildings. The 2025–26 round has now closed. But with less than 2% of NSW apartment buildings currently having rooftop solar, the program is well-positioned to return — and for strata communities, understanding it now is the best preparation.
What SoAR was designed to do
SoAR was a joint NSW and Australian Government initiative with a $25 million funding pool. It covered up to 50% of the cost of installing a shared rooftop solar PV system on eligible apartment buildings and other multi-unit dwellings, with a maximum grant of $150,000 per building. The program was specifically designed to bring solar access to apartment residents — including renters — who are typically locked out of individual rooftop installations.
The program required buildings to be strata-registered under the Strata Schemes Development Act 2015, contain between 3 and 55 residential lots, not have had a solar PV system installed in the previous ten years, and be located in NSW. Applications were made by the owners corporation or an authorised strata manager — individual residents couldn't apply.
Why it matters even with the round closed
The 2025–26 round closed for new applications and required projects to be complete by March–April 2026. But the policy rationale hasn't changed. Australia's National Construction Code and NSW energy targets are both pushing multi-unit dwellings toward greater energy efficiency. Programs like SoAR have predecessors and successors — the Community Solar Banks program at the federal level, of which SoAR was a component, has $100 million committed nationally.
Owners corporations that understand how SoAR worked are better positioned to move quickly when an equivalent program opens. The preparation steps — a strata resolution, two quotes from accredited solar installers with an assessment of payback period, confirmation of capacity to fund the co-contribution — are the same regardless of the specific round.
Founder tips for strata committees and property managers
Pass the sustainability infrastructure resolution now. This is a resolution required to enable the owners corporation to proceed with a renewable energy installation on common property. Passing it proactively — rather than waiting for a grant round to open — means the committee is ready to move within the application window rather than burning weeks on governance.
Get the quotes done. Two quotes from SAA and NETCC accredited solar installers, with a payback period or ROI calculation at the strata level, are required for any SoAR-style application. Getting competitive quotes takes time and depends on installer availability — doing this outside of a grant window means it's not eating into application preparation time.
Monitor the NSW Energy website and business.gov.au. Future rounds of SoAR or equivalent programs will be listed there first. Setting up an email alert for 'solar' on the NSW grants finder means you don't miss the opening.
Where KP Retail fits in
We work with property managers, strata managers, and owners corporations on the grants side of energy projects. SoAR-style programs are interesting because the applicant isn't always a conventional SME — it's a residential entity with governance complexity that most grant advisors don't navigate regularly.
KP Retail helps strata communities understand the grant structure, what the co-funding obligation actually means for the owners corporation's finances, and how to time a future application to maximise their chances. If you manage a strata property or sit on an owners corporation committee and want to be genuinely ready for the next relevant program, that's a conversation worth having now.
SoAR demonstrated real appetite from NSW apartment communities for solar access. The program closed but the need it addressed hasn't. If you're involved in a strata community and want to be prepared for the next available program, KP Retail can help you map the landscape and get the groundwork done. Get in touch.
Related reading: SoAR is part of a broader set of NSW energy programs. See our guide to National Energy Bill Relief for NSW small businesses for another accessible energy program. Our guide to stacking NSW and federal grants explains how to combine programs, and the NSW Grants Finder can help you find others. Get in touch with KP Retail to explore your options.
