How to Present a Solar and Battery Proposal at Your Strata AGM

A solar and battery proposal succeeds at a strata AGM when owners can see, within a few minutes, what problem it solves, what it costs, where the money comes from, what they can reasonably expect back and exactly what they are voting on. Proposals that fail usually leave one of those questions open. The real groundwork happens weeks before the meeting: gathering the building's numbers, getting quotes that can be compared, drafting motions with the strata manager and sending owners a short, clear summary with the notice of meeting.

Gather the building's numbers first

Owners respond to their own building's figures, not general claims about solar. Before approaching installers, collect:

• 12 months of common-property electricity bills, showing annual cost, usage and tariff type;
• interval data for the common-property meter, if the retailer can supply it;
• a list of common loads such as lifts, car park ventilation, lighting, pumps, pool and gates;
• roof plans, recent roof or waterproofing reports and the capital works fund forecast;
• the building's insurance details and any existing by-laws about roof space or equipment.

These documents let installers size a system for real loads, and let owners judge the proposal against actual spending.

Get quotes the committee can compare

Three quotes built on different assumptions are hard to compare and easy for owners to argue about. Give every installer the same short scope document: the loads to target, whether a battery is included, preferred equipment locations, any backup requirement and how costs should be presented. Then ask each quote to show:

1. system size, panel and inverter models, and usable battery capacity;
2. switchboard, metering, structural, access and fire safety works itemised separately;
3. incentives assumed and how each was calculated;
4. estimated annual production and self-consumption, with assumptions stated;
5. warranty terms and who handles claims;
6. monitoring, maintenance and other ongoing costs;
7. exclusions and conditions.

Quotes should follow an in-person inspection of the roof and switch room. If the building intends to use NSW strata funding, the seller must be a New Energy Tech Approved Seller.

Frame costs and benefits honestly

Owners are wary of optimistic figures, and a proposal that overpromises loses credibility the moment one number is challenged. Present ranges with stated assumptions, and show how the result moves if those assumptions change.

Incentives worth checking include STCs on new solar and, for eligible buildings with at least four units, NSW apartment battery incentives available from 1 September 2026 for shared batteries of 20-200 kWh usable capacity. Both change over time, so confirm current values on the official pages shortly before the meeting.

Anticipate the questions owners ask

Prepare a short written answer to each of these before the meeting:

• Will panels or roof penetrations cause leaks, and who pays if they do?
• Does this benefit investors and owner-occupiers equally, and what do tenants gain?
• How visible is the equipment, and where will the battery go?
• What happens during a blackout?
• Is a battery safe in our car park, and what has the insurer said?
• Why act now rather than wait for cheaper equipment?
• Who monitors the system and deals with faults?

Motions and by-laws

Work with your strata manager on the wording and the type of resolution required, and lodge motions in time for the agenda. Separate motions are often clearer: one approving the project and expenditure within a stated budget, one authorising the committee to sign a contract with a preferred installer, and where relevant, one making or amending a by-law about roof space, equipment or maintenance responsibility. A motion that is too vague may have to return to another meeting, while one that is too narrow can block a sensible variation. If legal questions arise, a strata lawyer can review the wording. It can also help to record in the proposal how any future savings will be reported to owners each year, so the committee can show whether the project is performing as presented.

Build the notice pack

Owners decide much of their vote before the meeting starts, based on what arrives with the notice. A clear pack usually includes:

1. a one-page summary: the problem, the recommendation, total cost, funding source and the expected range of savings;
2. a side-by-side comparison of the quotes on the same scope;
3. a simple roof layout and the proposed battery location;
4. the exact wording of each motion;
5. a short page answering the questions above;
6. the recommended installer's credentials, such as SAA accreditation, electrical contractor licence, insurance cover and Approved Seller status.

Keep technical detail in an appendix for owners who want it, rather than in the summary.

On the night

Keep the presentation to around ten minutes: the problem, the recommended option, cost and funding, the expected range of savings, the risks and the motions. Having the installer present to answer technical questions can help, as long as the committee, not the seller, leads the discussion. If a question cannot be answered accurately on the spot, say so, record it in the minutes and circulate a written answer afterwards. A confident guess that later proves wrong does more damage to the proposal than an honest follow-up.

Next steps

Our energy market includes an Owners Corporation Proposal & Report from $990 per building, which sets out options, costs, incentives, by-law and motion notes and risks, and an AGM & Committee Presentation from $490 per meeting in Sydney metro. Prices are indicative and confirmed after a site assessment. For background, see our rebates and incentives overview and the solar batteries page. When your committee is ready, request a quote and our team will inspect the building and prepare a proposal owners can follow.

Frequently asked questions

What should we do if owners vote the proposal down?

Find out why before trying again. Meeting minutes and informal conversations usually reveal the sticking point, whether cost, fairness between owners, roof concerns or distrust of the savings figures. A revised proposal might reduce the scope, stage the work, change the funding approach or address fairness through a by-law. A clearer, narrower proposal that answers the objections can succeed where the first attempt did not.

Should the committee hold an information session before the AGM?

For larger buildings or bigger projects, it is worth considering. A separate information session or online briefing gives owners time to ask detailed technical questions without crowding the AGM agenda, and lets the committee hear concerns early enough to adjust the motions. Record the common questions and circulate written answers with the notice of meeting, so owners who could not attend see the same information.

Can we approve solar now and add a battery later?

Yes, and some committees prefer to stage the work. If a battery is likely later, ask for a design that allows for it: inverter compatibility, switch room space, a suitable battery location and planned cable routes. Keep in mind that NSW apartment battery incentives are larger when qualifying new or additional solar is installed within the required period, so compare staged and combined options before deciding.