5 tips for maximising solar savings for apartments and units

If you live in an Australian apartment, unit or townhouse equipped with (or planning to install) a rooftop solar system, it’s highly likely our world-first solar-sharing technology, SolShare, is involved.

This means you're already on the path to reducing your energy bills and carbon footprint!

To maximise the benefits of solar and save even more, consider the following five tips:

1. Consider switching retailers for better feed-in tariffs
2. Use electrical appliances during peak solar times
3. Upgrade to energy-efficient appliances
4. Optimise common area energy usage
5. Consider adding a battery storage system

1. Consider switching retailers for better feed-in tariffs

Feed-in tariffs (FiTs) are the rates your energy retailer pays you for excess solar energy exported to the grid. These rates vary significantly across states and retailers, for example:

• New South Wales (NSW): Retailers like ENGIE and GloBird Energy offer FiTs up to 12 cents per kilowatt-hour (c/kWh), while others like Energy Australia, Red Energy, Alinta Energy, and AGL offer around 10 c/kWh. 
• Victoria (VIC): The Essential Services Commission has set a flat minimum FiT of 0.04 c/kWh for 2025–26. However, some retailers may offer higher rates; for instance, ENGIE offers up to 12 c/kWh.
• South Australia (SA): Retailers like ENGIE offer FiTs up to 11 c/kWh, while others like AGL, Energy Australia, Alinta Energy, and Origin Energy offer around 10 c/kWh. 
• Queensland (QLD): In South East Queensland, retailers such as ENGIE and Origin Energy offer FiTs up to 12 c/kWh, with GloBird Energy offering around 11 c/kWh. 

With SolShare, you might consume around 30–45% more of the solar energy generated compared with individual systems, thanks to its optimised sharing capabilities, resulting in less energy exported to the grid. 

Rates can also vary according to different times of day, so it’s a good idea to review your energy data via our free SolCentre monitoring portal first to gain insights into your electricity consumption, the amount of solar energy allocated to you, and the surplus solar energy you export back to the grid.

By analysing this data, you can adjust your energy usage to align with optimal times for solar generation, enhancing your overall savings beyond just a FiT rate.

2. Use electrical appliances during peak solar times

Ultimately, the more energy you can use from your solar system (instead of feeding back into the grid), the better. While you can shop around for the best FiT rates, you will still usually receive less for what you send back to the grid, compared with the much higher rate you pay for electricity.

By aligning your energy usage with solar generation hours (typically between 10 AM and 4 PM),  you can maximise your solar consumption, leading to lower energy bills.

Pre-heat or pre-cool your apartment:

Use your heating or cooling systems during daylight hours to adjust your apartment's temperature before the evening hours when you must rely on grid electricity.

Schedule hot water systems to operate during daylight:

Between 10% and 50% of your power bill can be from hot water usage. If you have an electric hot water system, consider using a timer on the hot water circuit and setting it to heat water during the day.

Utilise timers for appliances:

Use timers, smart plugs or appliance apps to set appliances like washing machines, dishwashers, or slow cookers during peak solar hours, ensuring optimal use of generated solar power.

Charge devices and appliances during the day:

Plug in laptops, phones, and other rechargeable devices during solar peak times to make the most of your solar energy, and practice turning off the outlet switch for most items when not in use.

While not directly connected to solar energy consumption, closing your blinds and curtains during the summer to keep your apartment cool and opening them during the winter to allow sunlight to warm your apartment naturally can help you make the most of the solar energy you use for your A/C or heater.

3. Upgrade to energy-efficient appliances

Older appliances often consume more electricity than their newer, more energy-efficient counterparts. For example, older, less efficient dishwashers can use between 3.5 and 4.0 kWh per cycle, whereas modern high-efficiency models may use as little as 0.9 to 1.5 kWh per cycle. 

When selecting new appliances, utilise the Energy Rating Calculator to compare, and look for the Energy Rating Label, which provides information on:

Star Rating:

This indicates the appliance's energy efficiency compared to models of similar size and features. Size is an important detail, as a larger appliance with the same star rating as a smaller one may still use more energy.

Annual Energy Consumption (kWh/year):

This provides an estimate of the appliance's yearly electricity usage. The rating scales on most appliances have been adjusted over time to account for changes in technology and performance, so this number is the most reliable basis for comparing an old appliance with a new one. 

By choosing appliances with higher energy efficiency, you can maximise the benefits of your shared solar system, leading to greater energy savings and a reduced environmental impact.

4. Optimise common area energy usage

In apartment complexes, common areas like hallways, elevators, and lighting contribute to overall energy consumption, and apartment owners pay for these shared costs through their owners' corporation/strata.

With SolShare, the shared solar system can be set up to allocate a portion of the solar energy generated to common areas while still benefiting individual units. Your solar installer can help set up the optimal allocations for these areas.

Still, your owners' corporation may want to periodically review the common area energy consumption via our free SolCentre platform and update the allocation where necessary to maximise the benefits for all residents.

5. Consider adding a battery storage system

Battery storage allows you to store excess solar energy to use during non-daylight hours, further reducing reliance on grid electricity and increasing solar energy consumption.

With the Australian government announcing its $2.3 billion Cheaper Home Batteries subsidy program, starting 1 July 2025, many people are eager to take advantage of this opportunity, which aims to reduce battery installation costs by around 30%. 

But before investing, we recommend monitoring your energy usage and solar consumption patterns through tools like SolCentre to determine if a battery would be beneficial for your shared solar system. Since SolShare has a higher self-consumption rate than individual systems, you might find that your building consumes most of the energy generated, resulting in the battery's payback period being too long to be worth it.

Ready to take control of your solar savings?

If you're new to the idea of solar for apartments, we invite you to learn more about SolShare, our innovative solar-sharing technology. Download our SolShare FAQs for Apartment Residents to understand how SolShare can benefit your building. For more information on how SolShare is different from a traditional rooftop solar system, check out our detailed guide: SolShare - How it Works.

If SolShare is already powering your apartment—congrats!—you're well on your way to reduced energy bills. To further enhance the benefits of solar, consider registering for the SolCentre monitoring portal. SolCentre provides real-time insights into your electricity consumption, solar energy allocation, and any surplus energy exported back to the grid. It's easy to get started; just visit the SolCentre login page and click "Register" to create your account. Our team will do the rest!