The direct answer
The Solar for Apartment Residents (SoAR) Grant Program is one of the clearest current opportunities for NSW apartment communities to investigate shared rooftop solar. The NSW Government lists the program as open until 5:00 pm on 4 December 2026, with funding of up to $150,000 per project. It is co-funded: grant funding can cover up to 50% of eligible products and installation costs, with the owners corporation contributing the remaining amount.[1]
That makes SoAR a useful pathway to assess. It does not make funding, eligibility, a payback period, building approval or installation automatic. The most useful place to start is with a committee-ready decision: what the building needs, who benefits, what evidence the scheme can provide, and what happens if funding is not awarded.
Apartment-owner takeaway: A unit owner can help start the conversation, but the application must be made by the owners corporation or by an authorised strata managing agent, building manager, consultant or nominated resident acting for it.[1]
What the program is designed to fund
SoAR supports a shared rooftop solar PV system on eligible apartment buildings and other multi-unit dwellings in NSW. The NSW Government lists solar panels, inverters, mounting, solar-sharing technology, installation labour and safety equipment among eligible costs. Certain essential enabling work—such as meter-board or wiring upgrades, or roof waterproofing required because of the installation—may be considered, but the enabling-work amount cannot exceed 10% of total project cost and remains subject to the Department’s assessment.[1]
| What the committee is considering | SoAR position to verify | Practical question for the proposal |
|---|---|---|
| Shared rooftop PV | The core funded project type for an eligible NSW apartment or multi-unit dwelling | Which lots and common loads will the proposed model serve? |
| Solar-sharing technology | Listed as a potential eligible product category | How will allocation, metering interfaces, ownership and maintenance work? |
| Meter-board, wiring or limited roof work | May be considered as enabling work within the program’s limit | Is the work essential to the solar scope, and is it itemised separately? |
| Battery storage and EV charging | Not funded through SoAR | Should these be scoped as separate, future-ready pathways with their own funding and approval checks? |
| Common-area-only solar | Not eligible under the program | Can the proposed model share benefits proportionately with residents as required? |
The distinction matters. A proposal that treats every electrification upgrade as SoAR-funded can create an avoidable committee problem. A stronger proposal keeps shared solar, batteries, EV charging and broader electrical upgrades in separate workstreams, while showing how they may fit into a longer-term building plan.
The owners corporation decision comes first
The Department requires Stage 2 applicants to show that the owners corporation has authorised entry into a funding agreement and acceptance of the final quote. The supporting document must be signed by two different members of the owners corporation and confirm that the required sustainability infrastructure resolution has passed, that solar cost savings will be shared proportionately with all residents, and that purchase and installation cost will be shared proportionately with all owners.[1]
For apartment owners, this is positive news: the application process rewards a proposal that makes the benefit model visible. It is not enough to show a system size. A committee should be able to explain the proposed allocation, ownership, operation, maintenance and funding position in a way that owners can test and record.
The two-stage application pathway
The application begins in the NSW Government Grant Management System. Stage 1 is an Expression of Interest and eligibility check. Eligible applicants then move to Stage 2, a suitability assessment. The NSW Government says Stage 2 applications require two installation quotes from SAA and NETCC accredited solar installers, with a preferred quote identified, as well as a strata-level payback or return-on-investment assessment and owners-corporation approval evidence.[1]
| Stage | What the committee should prepare | What a careful proposal should make clear |
|---|---|---|
| Before Stage 1 | Scheme details, roof/building facts, current program rules and a committee contact | Whether the project is shared rooftop solar rather than common-area-only or a replacement system |
| Stage 1: EOI | Accurate eligibility response | Who is applying and their authority to act for the owners corporation |
| Stage 2: suitability | Two compliant quotes, preferred option, strata-level payback/ROI assessment and signed authorisation evidence | Scope, cost sharing, benefit sharing, assumptions, exclusions and delivery responsibilities |
| After an award | Funding deed, final scope, delivery plan and reporting records | What must be completed, documented and reported by the project deadline |
The current NSW program page says funded projects must be completed and required documentation provided by 30 April 2027. It also notes that the Department assesses applications individually, and that an application must be complete and accurate.[1]
The 4 December 2026 readiness path: move evidence forward, not pressure
The official application deadline is 5:00 pm on 4 December 2026.[1] That makes the next committee meeting material, but it is not a reason to sign a generic system package or assume funding. The productive task is to make the decision evidence ready.
| Readiness action | Why it matters before an application | Evidence to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Confirm the applicant and authority | The owners corporation, or an authorised representative acting for it, must apply | Contact authority, managing-agent or committee record |
| Test the project type | SoAR is for eligible shared rooftop PV—not common-area-only solar, batteries or EV charging | Roof/load/metering summary and a clearly separated future-electrification scope |
| Commission two compliant quotes | Stage 2 requires two quotes from SAA and NETCC accredited solar installers and a preferred option | Like-for-like written scopes, accreditation evidence, exclusions and variation triggers |
| Make the benefit model visible | The authorisation needs proportional sharing of solar cost savings and owner costs | Allocation, metering, ownership, maintenance and cost-sharing explanation |
| Prepare the resolution evidence | The required sustainability-infrastructure resolution and signed authorisation are part of the suitability pathway | Resolution record and signatures from two different owners-corporation members |
| Plan delivery from award to completion | Funded work and documentation must be complete by 30 April 2027 | Dependencies, access/roof/electrical risks, responsibility and reporting plan |
The order matters. A committee can investigate battery storage, EV charging or bidirectional-EV readiness at the same meeting, but the official SoAR scope excludes batteries and EV charging.[1] Keep those items as separate future pathways rather than embedding them in the grant-funded solar scope.
Build a proposal owners can actually approve
The highest-trust solar proposal is a decision document, not a brochure. Ask every proponent to address the same six areas in writing:
- Building baseline: roof plan, shading, access, structural considerations, main switchboard observations, metering arrangement and relevant common-area bills.
- Benefit model: who shares the benefit, how the model treats common loads and lots, and the assumptions behind the allocation.
- Technical scope: PV, inverters, mounting, protective devices, cable routes, electrical works, monitoring, access and any future battery/EV interfaces.
- Commercial scope: itemised cost, grant assumption, owners-corporation contribution, exclusions, variations and what happens if grant funding is not approved.
- Governance and care: asset ownership, maintenance, insurance, warranties, monitoring responsibility and any legal/by-law advice triggers.
- Evidence and compliance: current licences, applicable accreditation status, equipment evidence, installation responsibilities and network/retailer steps.
Cable Co can prepare a strata-ready engineering proposal that frames those decisions around a specific building. That means site observations and transparent scope—not a generic promise that a grant will be approved or a particular savings result will occur.
How shared solar can be structured
Apartment buildings do not all use solar the same way. Our NSW strata solar guide explains the difference between common-area solar, individual systems, embedded-network arrangements and shared-solar technology such as SolShare. The right path depends on roof, loads, metering, owner participation, governance and technical feasibility.
If your scheme is also considering EV charging, use the NSW Strata EV Approval Toolkit to separate declared electrical capacity, staged charging and committee-governance questions from the solar funding decision. If a portfolio has complex demand charges or battery aspirations, the Commercial C.A.B.L.E. assessment and Commercial BESS Business Case provide distinct, assumption-led starting points.
Frequently asked questions
Is the NSW SoAR Grant Program open?
The NSW Government currently lists SoAR as open, with applications closing at 5:00 pm on 4 December 2026. Check the live government page before relying on any date or funding availability.[1]
How much can a strata scheme receive?
The current program page lists funding of up to $150,000 per project and up to 50% of eligible products and installation costs. The owners corporation contributes the balance, subject to the live guidelines and project assessment.[1]
Can one apartment owner apply for SoAR?
No. The applicant must be the NSW residential owners corporation or an authorised representative acting for it, such as a strata managing agent, building manager, consultant or nominated resident.[1]
Does SoAR fund a battery or EV charger?
No. The current NSW program page lists solar batteries and EV charging as exclusions. They can be considered separately as part of a future-ready electrical plan, but should not be assumed to be SoAR-funded.[1]
What should owners request before voting on a solar proposal?
Request a clear benefit model, like-for-like scope, two compliant quotes where relevant, building and metering assumptions, ownership and maintenance arrangements, exclusions, funding contingencies and the evidence required for the scheme’s approval pathway.
What should a committee do before the 4 December 2026 SoAR deadline?
Confirm who can apply, test that the scope is eligible shared rooftop PV, gather two compliant quotes, prepare a strata-level payback/ROI assessment, document proportional cost and benefit sharing, and obtain the owners-corporation authorisation required by the current rules. Check the live NSW Government page before acting because program availability and requirements can change.[1]