[NOTE: This handout should be read in conjunction with the non-Strata handout]
Why is installing apartment rooftop solar so important? For You? For Australia?
* 2.5 million people in Australia and 1.1 million (15%) in NSW live in apartments.
* Australian apartments have bigger roof sizes than most other parts of the world.
* While 1/3 of Australian houses have solar [20 gigawatts of electricity] only 6% of apartments do!
* Installing solar can reduce energy costs $500-1500.00!
* Installing apartment rooftop solar is essential to produce the amount of renewable electrical energy
required to meet Australia’s emission reduction targets & reduce electricity demand on an increasingly failing grid.
* Solar can mean a significant increase in price when selling – it’s an investment!
* Installing a solar system and using the energy on-site means avoiding future energy price gouging.
Previous barriers to apartment and Strata rooftop solar:
* Roofs are part of Strata common property: they’re not privately owned -meaning:
*Problems of panel location for individuals on collectively owned roofs
* Electricity generated only able to be used for electricity in Common Areas (paths, garages, atriums etc) – not for reducing individual residents’ energy bills.
* Equity in sharing – Identifying who is generating & how much & who is using ?
* Barriers to ‘selling’ by resident ‘generators’ to resident ‘users’ in different apartments in the same building. Watch! Because this regulation may soon change.
* Owners with very different interests in costs of installation V renters’ interests.
Overcoming barriers –the only way was to have 75% agreement by all owners
e.g., see cases who achieved this – handout available & WattBlock
*** Recent changes – to Strata Law & Metering Technology :
** Strata Law – if 50% of owners want to install then can install i.e., can now have areas of the Common roof dedicated to particular units.
** Technology has been invented to track energy generated by any set of dedicated panels and track usage by residents – i.e., possibility of ensuring equity.
EXAMPLE: ‘Sol Share’ developed by Allume (Vic): installed by ‘Solar Choice’
* ‘Sol Share’ is contained in a small wall-mounted box approx. 1.0 X .5 metres.
** Increasing subsidies/funding for apartment installing – present & FUTURE.
** Rapidly increasing interest and lobbying : e.g., Allegra Spender – ‘People Power Plan’ : equity for renters of apartments locked out of cost of living savings.
Overall concept for Strata Installation:
* Participating apartment owners are allocated a space on the Common Area roof
* Each participating apartment owner becomes an energy generator
* The panels & other system elements located in this space are paid for by apartment owner & energy belongs to that owner to use or barter- or sell to the grid : energy generated and used on-site is the best, cheapest and most efficient.
* If owners of all apartments decide to participate then the entire roof can be covered and energy is either distributed & used equitably by all apartments or any profits from selling the energy
to an electricity company is shared by all owners.
* Having all apartments participating at the same time in an installation is much more cost-effective : retro fitting more apartments is likely to cost more
* Having all apartment electricity accounts with one company provides a much stronger bargaining position when negotiating cost reductions or purchase price of generated electricity.
FOUR MODELS OF APARTMENT/STRATA:
1) Solar for Common Areas – Resolution of Owners.
[Simplest –just Common Area meter: reduced Common Areas energy costs] BUT no reduction for individual unit owners/renters (usually one of the best reasons to install solar).
2) Separately metered for each unit - (e.g., ‘Sol Share’ Allume) - By-laws
[each unit allocated common roof space and solar panels: equity of sunshine ??]
Individual energy savings depends on individual use: possible individual ownership.
Could be more costly to install: Owners V Renters – agreement of Body Corpn ?
3) Solar Sharing – ‘user-pays-by-laws’ OR ‘tenancy-in-common each other agreement’
4)Single system with embedded electrical network solar -microgrid in strata scheme –most equitable – may require a ‘Special Resolution’ : easiest with new Strata builds.
BUT possible retrofitting into existing strata scheme arrangements?? More costly ?
Permission from Energy Network Manager or electricity provider required.
A Guide to getting solar installed: [See ‘WattBlock’ –Solar Training: ‘Solar Choice’]
* Initial meeting of Strata Committee members with an independent solar advisor
* Council check: 10kW + = DA ?? HERITAGE site – check with local Council: where panels can be placed ? Is site Exempt Development ??
* Owner/Resident meeting with solar adviser who has prepared a draft ‘business plan’ for potential installation-number & location of panels; energy generated; costs; benefits; pay-off period; energy cost savings; battery ?; EV chargers? Heat pumps : Finance available/subsidies etc.
* Owners Corporation may then delegate to Strata Committee organisation of installation.
* THINK FUTURE energy needed – battery? Heat pumps? EVs? How many?
NOTE: With current $2400.00 government + $500.00 KRG Council subsidies and reducing battery cost AND paying to send energy to the grid during day-
a home storage battery for energy use on site in the night makes a great deal of sense!
** BUT- 30kW+ NIL EXPORT TO GRID: 100 kW + MUST BE APPROVED BY Australian Energy Regulator.
** DECIDE ON ‘BUSINESS MODEL’ YOU WANT – consume on-site ?? Export to grid ?? - currently only profitable in the evening/night.
* Q/A session. Interim decision to proceed? How many owners want to be involved.
* Sharing of apartment owner/resident participants’ electricity bills per annum calculation of amount of energy required to be generated re Business Model
* Negotiation with electricity provider company (ies)- impact on costs; separation
** A guide: one apartment – 2.5kW [10kWh/day]- requires 18 sq metres roof.
6.6kW [26/27 kWh/day “ 50 “ “ “
Use of SMALL 60 cell [99x 164 cms] and LARGE 72 cell [99x196 cms]
POSSIBLE USE OF LIGHTWEIGHT, FLEXIBLE SOLAR PANELS (see ‘Solar Choice’)
CHECK: 30 kW + grid provider requires extra protection gear: Zero energy export
*** KNOW HOW MANY PANELS, LOCATION, ENERGY PRODUCED & LIKELY COST BEFORE YOU have potential solar installers come to your building to quote. [E.g., ‘Solar Quotes’ site].
Assessment of suitability of your roof, existing wiring systems, switchboards, meters
** STRUCTURAL ENGINEER REPORT for ROOF suitability : modifications ?
**Organise requisite by-Laws [by-laws will be different depending on SOLAR MODEL USED: how many apartments/units are installing [some V all] (‘WattBlock’): embedded networks- if the energy generated is being sold to other apartment residents.
**** GET THREE ENGINEERS/ELECTRICIANS with ‘Clean Energy Council’ COMMERCIALY accreditation to do the assessment & quotes: licences. Solar Choice /Solar Quotes
CHECK – if system over $20,000.00 for installation – installer INSURANCE
*** Strata Committee members present reports to owners/occupiers - decision to proceed
* Bye-Law struck and passed & Work Order struck, Contract signed & checked by Strata Lawyer, deposit paid & installation. (‘Owners Network Corporation’ – egs of by-laws)
INSTALLING ROOFTOP SOLAR IN APARTMENTS & STRATA.
[NOTE: This handout should be read in conjunction with the non-Strata handout]
Why is installing apartment rooftop solar so important? For You? For Australia?
Previous barriers to apartment and Strata rooftop solar:
Overcoming barriers –the only way was to have 75% agreement by all owners
e.g., see cases who achieved this – handout available & WattBlock
*** Recent changes – to Strata Law & Metering Technology :
EXAMPLE: ‘Sol Share’ developed by Allume (Vic): installed by ‘Solar Choice’
Overall concept for Strata Installation:
FOUR MODELS OF APARTMENT/STRATA:
[Simplest –just Common Area meter: reduced Common Areas energy costs] BUT no reduction for individual unit owners/renters (usually one of the best reasons to install solar).
[each unit allocated common roof space and solar panels: equity of sunshine ??]
Individual energy savings depends on individual use: possible individual ownership.
Could be more costly to install: Owners V Renters – agreement of Body Corpn ?
BUT possible retrofitting into existing strata scheme arrangements?? More costly ?
Permission from Energy Network Manager or electricity provider required.
A Guide to getting solar installed: [See ‘WattBlock’ –Solar Training: ‘Solar Choice’]
** BUT- 30kW+ NIL EXPORT TO GRID: 100 kW + MUST BE APPROVED BY Australian Energy Regulator.
** DECIDE ON ‘BUSINESS MODEL’ YOU WANT – consume on-site ?? Export to grid ?? - currently only profitable in the evening/night.
6.6kW [26/27 kWh/day “ 50 “ “ “
** STRUCTURAL ENGINEER REPORT for ROOF suitability : modifications ?
[based on WattBlock, ‘Owners Corporation Network’, ‘Solar Choice’ & Tim Prosser (pub. Rewiring Australia, October 2022)
BATTERIES: [WattBlock – Battery Training Course]
Payment for Solar Installation after Subsidies available:
USEFUL WEBSITES:
**http://www.innerwest.nsw.gov.au WattBlock (Guide for Apartment /Strata solar install)
http://ocn.org.au [Owners Corporation Network (OCN) –dedicated Strata supporting organisation]
www.krg.nsw.gov.au/Net Zero Information & support available from Ku-ring-gai Council. [$4000.00/apartment]
https://www.solarchoice.net.au Agents for Allume (Vic) and Sol Share in NSW.
https://www.allumeenergy.com/au/ The company that makes Sol Share.
[By David Smith. From Handout provided in public meetings of the 'Gordon Rooftop Solar Project' - Feb-May, 2024]