Your Apartment Building May Now Get Help Paying for a Battery — But Who Actually Approves It?

A new discount is available from 1 September 2026

Eligible NSW apartment buildings can now access an upfront discount on the installation of a new battery. The discount appears in the installer’s quote rather than being paid later as a reimbursement.

Current NSW Government guidance says the indicative discount is about 20–30% for a battery-only installation and about 30–40% where the battery is installed together with new or additional solar. The actual amount and final project cost can vary with the installer, battery model, building design, location, compliance work and other installation factors.

That makes the opportunity worth investigating. It does not mean every building should proceed, or that an installer’s discounted quotation is enough information for an Owners Corporation decision.

Start with the eligibility settings

Under the current NSW Government guidance, an eligible apartment building generally must be in NSW, have at least four units, not have previously used this discount to install a battery, and obtain any required planning approval.

The battery must have at least 20 kWh of capacity and no more than 200 kWh of usable capacity, be on the Clean Energy Council’s approved-battery list, be installed outdoors and be installed by a Solar Accreditation Australia-accredited installer.

For the higher battery-and-solar discount, new or additional solar capacity must be installed within 90 days before or after the battery. Eligibility and discount amounts should be confirmed with participating installers against the current rules before the Owners Corporation commits to the project.

A discounted quote is the start of the decision—not the end

A battery project can affect common property, electrical capacity, building systems, insurance, budgets and the way energy benefits are shared. The Owners Corporation needs a complete proposal that owners can understand and evaluate.

Before proceeding, work through the following questions.

• Project cost — what is the full price before and after the discount, including electrical, building, metering, design and compliance work?
• Running and maintenance costs — what servicing, software, monitoring, replacement and end-of-life costs may arise?
• Ownership — who owns the battery, associated equipment and any data or control rights?
• Installation and maintenance — who will install, commission, monitor, repair and replace the system, and under what warranties?
• Location — what common property will be used, and what access, fire-safety, ventilation, weather, security and planning requirements apply?
• Benefits — who receives the stored energy or financial benefit, and how is that benefit measured and explained?
• Fairness — will all lots benefit, only participating lots, or mainly the common property?
• Infrastructure — is the existing switchboard, metering, solar, cabling and network connection suitable?
• Insurance — what must be disclosed, and will cover, conditions, premiums or excesses change?
• Funding — will the capital works fund, a special levy, borrowing or another arrangement be used, and what is the cash-flow impact?
• Approval — what Owners Corporation resolution, supporting material, by-law or other consent is required for this particular design?

Who actually approves it?

The NSW Government’s apartment-battery guidance states that the preferred installation option must be voted on by the Owners Corporation as a sustainability infrastructure resolution—not decided only by the strata committee.

That matters because the proposal may involve alterations or additions to common property, project financing and arrangements governing installation or use. The exact motion and supporting documents should match the actual design, ownership, funding and operating model. An Owners Corporation may need an AGM or another general meeting to make the decision.

The voting threshold is different

A sustainability infrastructure resolution is decided by unit entitlement. For it to pass, the votes against the resolution must represent less than 50% of the unit entitlement of the votes cast.

That is different from a conventional special resolution, where no more than 25% of the unit entitlement of votes cast may be against the proposal. It is also not the same as a general resolution counted as one vote per lot. The meeting notice should identify the correct resolution type and give owners enough information to vote on the complete proposal.

The lower opposition threshold makes sustainability infrastructure easier to approve. It does not remove the need for clear scope, due diligence, proper notice, accurate voting and a reliable decision record.

Build the proposal before asking owners to vote

Obtain more than one suitable quote where practical. Ask installers to explain the equipment, capacity, location, network and metering design, solar relationship, warranties, maintenance model, expected benefits and every assumption used in the proposal.

Then connect the technical proposal to the strata decision. Identify the full cost, funding source, ownership, responsibilities, beneficiaries, insurance position and required approvals. Circulate the motion and supporting documents early enough for owners to ask useful questions before the meeting.

If the project proceeds, retain the resolution, voting result, contracts, approvals, commissioning information, warranties, maintenance schedule and future review responsibilities as part of the scheme’s records.