Process overview

One solar system shared so every apartment benefits.

Thousands of apartment buildings around Australia have the roof space to take advantage of solar energy; however, the nature of multi-tenanted buildings has made it next to impossible. Who takes the lead and pays for it? How does each apartment access the energy that’s generated?

The Sunstrata process makes it possible. We use brand new SolShare technology to enable solar energy from one solar installation to be shared amongst the apartments in the building. We make it affordable by implementing a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) that means no installation, operating or maintenance costs – only a small fee per apartment, which can be absorbed in or added to strata fees with minimal impact, and which is easily offset by energy cost savings.

02.SolShare technology

SolShare is Australian designed and made. It is the world’s first behind-the-meter solar-sharing solution. This revolutionary technology breaks down the barriers historically preventing apartment residents from accessing cheaper and cleaner energy from the sun.

  • Solshare works by taking electricity generated from a single solar system on the roof and distributing that electricity behind the meter to multiple units within the same building. The Solshare is a grid-connected system, so everyone stays on the Grid and does not interfere in people choosing their preferred retailer.

  • SolShare constantly monitors the power needs of each apartment in the building and adjusts the distribution of energy accordingly, up to five times per second. This allows for highly customisable delivery of solar energy, which can be programmed to meet demand in real-time or distributed evenly throughout the month. If needed, SolShare also allows for further customisation to meet specific circumstances. Get in touch to discuss in more detail.

03.Why is SolShare so beneficial?

Because solar systems on apartment blocks are typically much larger than stand-alone homes, Solshare has a much larger pool of energy available to send to meet energy demand. So, when you turn on large appliances like an oven or air conditioner in your apartment, the SolShare has the energy to send to meet the peak demand increasing savings.

Replace graph title with – How Solshare maximises savings.

These two graphs showcase the benefits of SolShare technology.

Both graphs show the real consumption data of one apartment unit located within a 44-apartment unit complex in Melbourne.

The Complex has a 60 KW solar system on the roof. Giving each apartment the equivalent of 1.36kW inverter capacity.

Graph 1 depicts the solar production curve if a 1.36kW stand-alone system was installed on the apartment’s roof. The data shows that this system would supply 48% of the apartment’s daytime energy consumption.

Due to its limited size, it could not meet peaks in energy demand for the apartment.

Graph 2 shows the same apartment with a SolShare sharing energy production of the 60kW solar system.

Because the 60kW solar system produces much more energy, SolShare has a far larger pool of energy to send to meet the peak in demand of the apartment, which results in offsetting 71% of the apartment’s daytime energy consumption.

By being able to offset peaks in energy demand throughout the day, SolShare maximises savings.

04.Why is SolShare benefits every apartment?

Solshare continuously monitors the energy demand of all units at a rate of five times per second or every 200 milliseconds. It then sends the necessary energy to meet peak demand, resulting in maximum savings. On this site, there was an overall increase in solar consumption by 50%. Resulting in 50% more money saved by individual apartments.

4 units in the same building with a traditional solar production curve. IE. each apartment has their own solar system.

Same four units with SolShare – 

05.Capex cash purchase

Secure your future now by owning your energy source outright. The benefits are clear: excellent return, lower CO2, and peace of mind. Take control of your energy destiny with a solar system purchased outright.

  • You can raise a special levy or tap into your capital fund to make this investment. By doing so, you secure your future against rising electricity costs.

  • With Sunstrata, you’ll receive a robust five-year installation warranty on your solar system. The warranties are by the manufacturers of the technologies within the system. Maintenance and monitoring will be the responsibility of the owner’s corporation. It’s a hassle-free path to sustainable energy.

  • Once the system has paid for itself through savings, the energy becomes essentially free for your apartment block.

  • Enjoy the savings as you minimise energy bills over the 30-year lifespan of the system. Say goodbye to ever-growing electricity bills and hello to a cost-effective solution.

06.Lannock Strata Financing

Lannock is the top financier of Strata in Australia. They offer a funding option so owners can invest into improving their properties. Lannock provides funds to owners corporations instead of individual owners. They do not ask for personal financial information from the owners for their funding.

  • Experience the freedom to embark on essential projects without any initial costs. Our financing solution for owner corporations is very flexible. You can borrow, pay off, and re-borrow with no penalties. This opens the door for further cost savings investments in the future. Say goodbye to financial constraints and hello to limitless possibilities.

  • Sunstrata offers a five-year installation warranty on your solar system. Specific warranties from the manufacturers cover the individual technologies within the system. Maintenance and system monitoring will be the responsibility of the owner’s corporation.

  • Watching your energy bills shrink, you’ll witness the system paying for itself. Over time, energy becomes free, opening doors to a brighter, cost-effective future.

  • Watch your savings grow as energy costs continue to rise. With the Lannock Strata financing loan facility, you can pay off and reuse it without incurring any penalty fees. This flexibility makes further investments in cost savings and energy efficiency simple.

Finance

Our solar solution lowers costs and emissions.

We lower the cost of electricity and carbon emissions for apartments throughout Sydney and eventually across Australia. Once the solar panels and SolShare system are installed, residents buy the solar-generated energy at rates far cheaper than energy retailers.

Thanks to the PPA, the rate is fixed for the whole term, giving years of energy price certainty. Residents rely less on traditional energy sources, ultimately saving hundreds of dollars a year.

  • The solar installation can be done without having to pay anything upfront. Valuable sinking funds remain untouched, which simplifies and removes one of the main historical barriers to solar panels on apartment blocks.

  • In black and white, the PPA covers all maintenance and warranty costs for the entire term. Sunstrata will not bill the owner’s corporation for any site visits, maintenance callouts or if we have to replace the inverter. The only thing you pay for is the low-carbon energy from your roof at a rate far less than grid energy.

  • The Power Purchasing Agreement (PPA) guarantees a fixed rate for the entire term of purchasing solar energy from your roof. With the cost of grid power constantly on the rise, you will enjoy increasing savings.

  • SolShare makes use of a larger energy pool generated by solar panels installed on the roof. Solshare has shown it can covers up to 30% more daytime consumption resulting in increased savings and reduced energy bills.

07.Strata decisions

Assessment

By NSW law, the Sunstrata solution can only proceed after a successful vote by the owners corporation. The first step is to assess the apartment building – either existing or planned – to gather all information for a formal proposal. Sunstrata will come to your building or site to conduct a detailed site survey. This takes about one hour and looks into access and installation options, including existing metres and switchboards.

We need to determine the best way to access the roof and where to stage the materials before installation. We also take note of the metre location and type, and the main switchboard location and status. In some cases, metres may need to be upgraded by the energy retailer at no cost. Switchboards may also need upgrading. If so, we will notify the owner corporation and provide options, including the choice to pay upfront or roll the cost into the PPA.

Approval

Based on the assessment, we develop a detailed proposal and video explainer for distribution to all stakeholders in the building. We are available to answer any questions, either directly or through the strata manager. With enough interest, the strata manager will call a formal meeting where we can present the proposal and answer questions in person. The most common question we get asked is what’s the catch?

The answer is: there is no catch. There really is nothing to spend upfront for the investment. There are low ongoing fees that are more than covered by the electricity savings.

The proposal must be accepted by a formal vote of the owners corporation before we can proceed.

Installation

Once approved, we take care of everything. We will arrange for a Clean Energy Council accredited professional to design your solar system to meet all regulatory requirements. We will take care of all paperwork and applications.

Then, our experienced team will install the system and commission the SolShare technology. Residents who want to use solar energy from the system will need to update their plans with their existing energy retailer to have the feed-in tariff applied to their bill.

08.Our partners

Our Sunstrata solution is a result of our partnerships with Allume Energy and Energy Terrain. SolShare, created by Allume, has allowed millions of apartment residents to finally have access to clean solar energy. Energy Terrain’s expertise in Power Purchasing Agreements has enabled us to overcome the cost and ownership barriers unique to multi-tenanted apartment blocks. Combined they make an exciting win -win -win scenario for everyone involved.
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