If you’re renting in Queensland, you might assume solar power is out of reach. After all, you don’t own the property, so installing permanent solar panels seems like a non-starter. But that’s changing. With the Queensland Government’s new Supercharged Solar for Renters program now open, both renters and landlords have more options and incentives than ever before to make solar work for rental properties.

The program, which launched on 12 December 2025, offers landlords rebates of up to $3,500 to install solar on eligible rental properties. This could mean around $700 in annual electricity savings for tenants, making solar more accessible to the roughly 1.8 million Queenslanders currently renting. Whether you’re a tenant looking to reduce your power bills or a landlord considering solar for your investment property, the financial case has never been stronger.

This guide covers both sides of the equation: what renters need to know about accessing solar, and why landlords should seriously consider installing solar on their investment properties.

For Landlords: Why Solar Makes Financial Sense

If you own rental properties in Queensland, solar installation is worth serious consideration. Here’s why:

Attracting and Retaining Tenants

Properties with solar panels are increasingly attractive to tenants. With Queensland’s high electricity costs, renters actively seek properties with lower running costs. Solar-equipped properties can command slightly higher rent whilst still offering tenants overall savings on their energy bills.

Beyond solar, energy-efficient features like LED lighting, efficient air conditioning, proper insulation, and energy-efficient appliances all contribute to lower bills and make properties more appealing. These features combined with solar create a compelling package for environmentally conscious renters and those looking to reduce their living costs. Installing solar can help reduce vacancy periods and turnover costs by making your property stand out in the rental market.

Increasing Property Value

Solar installations add measurable value to investment properties in several ways:

• Higher sale prices: Properties with solar systems consistently sell for more than comparable properties without solar
• Faster sales: Solar-equipped properties typically spend less time on the market
• Future-proofing: As energy costs continue rising and climate concerns grow, the value premium for solar-equipped properties is likely to increase
• Competitive advantage: In markets where solar is becoming standard, properties without it may become harder to sell or rent

The initial investment in solar typically pays for itself on average in 3-5 years through a combination of energy savings, rental income advantages, and increased property value when you eventually sell.
Government Incentives

Applications for the Queensland Government’s Supercharged Solar for Renters program opened on 12 December 2025. The program provides tiered rebates of up to $3,500 to eligible landlords who install solar on rental properties, with $26.3 million in funding allocated over three years to help around 6,500 renting households save approximately $700 per year on electricity bills.
The program applies to detached dwellings, townhouses, and duplexes that are currently rented with an existing tenancy agreement. Full eligibility criteria and application details are available on the Queensland Government’s Supercharged Solar for Renters website.

Combined with federal STCs (Small-scale Technology Certificates) that already reduce the upfront cost of solar installation, the total incentives can cover a significant portion of system costs. Victoria offers similar rebates through its Solar Homes program, with up to $1,400 available for landlords.

Tax Benefits

Solar installations on investment properties may be eligible for tax deductions. The ATO allows you to claim depreciation on solar systems using the diminishing value method, with systems depreciating at 10 percent per year. Consult your accountant or tax advisor about how solar installation might benefit your specific tax situation.

Managing the Arrangement

If you decide to install solar on your investment property, you’ll need to determine how to handle the benefits with your tenant. Some options include:

• Keeping the electricity account in your name and incorporating the solar benefit into the rent
• Allowing the tenant to manage their own electricity account and directly receive feed-in tariff credits
• Implementing a small rent increase that still leaves the tenant with net savings after accounting for reduced electricity bills

The key is creating a fair arrangement that makes financial sense for both parties. The Queensland Government’s calculator can help you model different scenarios. Clear written agreements about costs, benefits, and responsibilities for system maintenance and ownership protect both parties and prevent future disputes.

Choosing the Right Installer

Working with qualified local installers who understand rental property installations ensures the process runs smoothly and all parties understand their responsibilities for system maintenance and ownership. Professional installers can help navigate the specific requirements for rental properties and ensure proper documentation is in place from the start.

Like a car, a solar system needs good quality components to be long-lasting and requires regular maintenance to keep performing well. A quality system can last 20-25 years, but choosing a reputable company that will be around for the life of your system makes warranty claims and ongoing maintenance much easier. This helps keep your investment protected and tenants satisfied with a system that continues to deliver savings year after year.

For Renters: Your Solar Options

Renting doesn’t mean you have to miss out on lower power bills. Here’s what’s available if you’re currently living in a rental property:

Properties with Existing Solar

Some rental properties already have solar panels installed. If you’re lucky enough to rent one of these properties, you’ll need to clarify the arrangement with your landlord. Some landlords include the solar benefit in the rent, whilst others allow tenants to claim the feed-in tariff credits directly on their electricity bills. Make sure you understand the arrangement before signing your lease.

Asking Your Landlord to Install Solar

If your rental property doesn’t have solar, you can approach your landlord about installing a system. This conversation works best when you can demonstrate the benefits for both parties.
Landlords benefit from increased property value, the ability to attract tenants willing to pay slightly higher rent, and potential tax deductions. Renters benefit from significantly lower electricity bills, particularly if you’re home during the day to use the solar power as it’s generated.

The Greens proposed a “Renters Right to Solar” policy during the 2025 election campaign, which would have allowed renters to request solar installation at their rental properties, with landlords only able to refuse on reasonable grounds. While this specific policy wasn’t adopted, it sparked important conversations about rental access to solar. The good news is that the Queensland Government is launching the Supercharged Solar for Renters program in December 2025, providing landlords with rebates of up to $3,500 to install solar on rental properties. This program could save tenants around $700 annually on electricity bills. Victoria also offers similar support through its Solar Homes program, with up to $1,400 available for landlords installing solar on rental properties.

Understanding the Numbers

The Queensland Government provides a calculator specifically for renters and landlords to work out potential savings and costs. This tool helps both parties see realistic figures for their specific situation, including estimated tenant savings and potential rent adjustments.
Having these numbers ready before approaching your landlord shows you’ve done your homework and makes the conversation more productive.

Working with Real Estate Agents

If you rent through a real estate agency, you’ll likely need to make your request through them rather than directly to the landlord. Real estate agents can sometimes be hesitant about modifications to properties, even beneficial ones like solar.

When approaching a real estate agent, come prepared with clear information about the financial benefits for the landlord, including the government rebates and potential property value increase. Frame it as a win-win: the landlord improves their investment, and you’re a tenant who cares about the property’s long-term value.
If you meet resistance, consider requesting that the agent pass your proposal directly to the landlord with any relevant calculations attached. Sometimes agents may be more conservative than property owners.

An Alternative: Community Solar Gardens

Community solar gardens offer another option for renters unable to install their own panels, as well as people in apartments and high-density housing where rooftop space isn’t available. These programs allow you to purchase or lease a “plot” in a larger solar farm located elsewhere. You receive credits on your electricity bill based on the energy your plot generates.

Australia’s first large-scale solar garden, Haystacks Solar Garden in NSW, launched in 2024 specifically to help renters, apartment dwellers, and others locked out of rooftop solar. Participants purchase plots in the 1.5MW solar farm and receive credits on their electricity bills. This model is expanding across Australia, with federal and state governments investing in community solar banks to help more households access solar benefits.

While solar gardens have some limitations compared to rooftop solar (which we’ve covered in our article about why solar gardens aren’t always worth it), they can be a practical solution for renters who can’t convince their landlords to install panels or who live in unsuitable housing for solar installation.

Making It Happen

Whether you’re a renter interested in approaching your landlord or a landlord considering solar for your investment property, the key is understanding the numbers and creating fair arrangements.
As qualified Queensland electricians, we’ve worked with both landlords and tenants on solar installations for commercial and residential rental properties. We can provide quotes and assessments for landlords, help renters understand what’s involved in the installation process, and ensure systems are installed properly and safely.

The combination of government incentives, rising electricity costs, and growing tenant demand for sustainable housing makes this an opportune time for rental property solar installations.

Contact us to discuss solar options for rental properties and see how the numbers work for your specific situation.