Strata solar raises one question more than any other: who owns what. Whether the building is called an apartment block, a strata scheme or a body corporate, the STC answer follows ownership of the system.
Common property solar
When panels go on the roof of an apartment building, that roof is almost always common property. The owners corporation commissions the system, pays for it, and is the legal owner. That makes it the party entitled to the STCs, which it usually assigns to a registered agent in return for a discount on the install price.
The calculation is the standard one: kW x zone rating x deeming years. A 25 kW system on a Brisbane building (zone 3) installed in 2026 creates 25 x 1.382 x 5 = 172 STCs, worth about $6,500 to $6,900 at spot of roughly $38 to $40 at the time of writing. Try your own postcode in the STC calculator.
Approvals and who signs
The approval process varies by state: some schemes need an ordinary resolution and others a special resolution, and the committee usually cannot sign off alone on a large spend. Do not assume. Check the state strata law or ask the strata manager. The STC assignment form is signed by whoever is authorised to bind the owners corporation, and the assignment form guide lists what must be on it.
What the power is used for
Most strata solar offsets common area loads such as lifts, lighting, pumps and car park ventilation. Behind-the-meter systems feeding individual apartments (embedded networks) are more complex because of metering and retailer arrangements. STCs are unaffected by what the power is used for, but quotes and contracts are.
Individual apartments
An apartment owner rarely has roof access or the right to install, so individual systems are uncommon. Where an owner does get formal approval for a system on a dedicated section of roof or balcony, the owner of that system is the STC owner, and the approval and ownership arrangement should be in writing before the install. A battery in the same building is a different pathway; see strata battery rebates.
Above 100 kW
Large apartment complexes sometimes exceed 100 kW. From 1 October 2026, systems above 100 kW and up to 1 MW can create STCs with a fixed five-year deeming period, with CER saying applications open mid to late November 2026. See mid-scale solar STCs.
What this means for installers
Get the owners corporation’s legal name, ABN, a copy of the meeting resolution and the signatory’s authority before installing. A claim that falls over because the wrong person signed is entirely avoidable. Ask for the strata plan number and make sure the site address on the claim matches the photos.
Our how it works page shows how claims are checked, and STC trading explains the market.