Queensland’s Supercharged Solar for Renters program is starting to gain momentum, according to the Queensland Department of Finance. More than 250 applications have now been conditionally approved and several installations have already been completed.
What’s new on the Queensland Solar for Renters program?
“The Queensland Government is delivering a cost of living reduction for Queensland residents through the Supercharged Solar for Renters program to reduce energy costs. Since its launch in December 2025, over 250 applications have now been conditionally approved and several installations have already been completed,” a Queensland Treasury spokesperson told SolarQuotes.
The initiative offers landlords financial support to install solar roofs on rental properties, allowing tenants to benefit from lower electricity bills.
This is how the Solar For Renters program works
Queensland’s Supercharged Solar for Renters program offers landlords rebates of up to $3,500 for installing photovoltaic systems on rental properties. Under the scheme, landlords must apply for a permit before installing a system. Discounts will be applied upon installation completion and verification.
The $26.3 million state program is expected to support about 6,500 rental households and help renters save about $700 a year on utility bills.
A few hundred permits represent only a small portion of the planned scope, but it is still early in the program’s three-year timeline.
The system requires landlords to obtain tenant consent before installing solar panels on a rental property, and installers must follow certain program requirements before a refund can be requested. These conditions are intended to ensure that tenants can enjoy the benefits of the system once installed.
The split incentive problem
While home roof solar is common in Australia, tenants have been far less likely to benefit from it to date.
One reason is the so-called “split incentive” that exists for rental apartments. Landlords typically pay the upfront costs of installing solar panels, but renters are the ones who benefit most from the lower utility bills. This dynamic can make landlords reluctant to invest in rooftop solar unless incentives are offered.
Advocacy group Solar Citizens says renters remain one of the largest groups currently missing out on the financial and environmental benefits of rooftop solar.
A recent Solar Citizens report on tenant solar access highlighted broad support for policies that help renters participate in rooftop solar savings. It was pointed out that many tenants are confronted with rising energy costs but have limited options for installing solar systems themselves.
Solar Citizens has proposed a national target of 30% of detached rental homes having solar roofs by 2030, claiming this would deliver 4GW of clean energy and avoid around 2.6 tonnes of CO₂ per year.
Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen will appear in Western Sydney today at the Solar Citizens’ Powering Our Suburbs Policy Forum, focused on developing solar energy for rental housing and apartments.
Solar for tenants across Australia
Queensland is not the only jurisdiction looking at ways to expand access to solar energy for renters. Victoria has been offering rebates for solar energy on rental properties since 2019 through its Solar Homes program, which incentivizes landlords to install rooftop systems on rental properties.
In South Australia, the Liberal Party has proposed a $20 million “solar for renters” program ahead of the state election later this month. The policy provides rebates of up to $2,000 for landlords who install solar panels in rental homes, as well as an interest-free loan of up to the same amount.
A large untapped solar market
Around a third of Australian households now rent their homes, meaning a significant proportion of the population cannot directly install rooftop solar panels. Programs like Queensland’s aim to close this gap by offering landlords financial incentives to invest in solar, while renters benefit from lower electricity costs.
Whether such systems can be scaled quickly enough to significantly expand access to solar energy across the rental sector remains an open question.
Landlords considering solar energy can read our guide to installing solar energy on investment properties.
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