QLD Solar For Renters Scheme: Funds Finally Allocated

A promised rebate program to support the installation of solar panels on thousands of Queensland rental properties should kick off this year, but many important details are yet to materialise.

Delivered by Treasurer David Janetzki on Tuesday, Queensland’s 2025–26 Budget earmarked $26.3 million for the Supercharged Solar For Renters program.

The initiative was first announced by LNP leader (and now QLD Premier) David Crisafulli in March last year as an election commitment. After the LNP won the election in October there was little mention of the program, which led to the Crisafulli Government being prodded by the Queensland Conservation Council in January this year to make good on its promise.

Under the program, eligible landlords will be provided with rebates of up to $3,500 to install solar power systems on their rental properties. It’s expected around 6,500 renting households will benefit from the scheme and save more than $700 per year each on their electricity bills, depending on location and energy consumption profile. The program is to run over three years.

Crunching The Numbers (And Missing Detail)

So, based on those figures:

6,500 (number of recipients) x $3,500 (maximum rebate) = $22.75 million

That leaves $3.55 million (13% of the funding) — but for what? Surely it won’t cost $3.55 million to administer the program given its fairly limited scale and groundwork already done in a previous trial (more on that in a bit).

But wait, there’s more. Digging into the relevant Budget paper (page 91), it states:

“In addition, funding of $4.2 million over 2 years will be met internally to support the delivery of the program.”

This is turning out to be a rather pricey venture.

Also still missing in action are important details such as:

• Landlord eligibility requirements.
• Minimum/maximum system sizes and rebate levels.
• Guidelines for components and installers.
• Whether landlords can boost rents, and by how much.
• Just about everything else.

The last time the QLD Government’s Supercharged Solar For Renters page was updated was in April this year.

At the moment, this scheme still seems like a thought bubble; albeit a now-funded one. As we’re halfway through the year already, the Crisafulli Government will need to get cracking to start rolling this scheme out in 2025 as indicated on the program information page.

Portable Battery Subsidies A Better Bet?

This wouldn’t be the first solar for renters scheme in Queensland. The previous Labor government ran a trial in 2019-20, but took it no further. Perhaps there was a good reason for that. The trial, which also offered landlords up to $3,500, made up to 1,000 rebates available for rental properties in Bundaberg, Gladstone and Townsville. Even though the scheme was heavily promoted, only two-thirds of the rebates were claimed.

Another state still offering solar incentives for landlords is Victoria under its Solar Homes program. It offers a rebate of up to $1,400 to eligible landlords for the installation of solar panel  systems on a maximum of two rental properties each financial year. I haven’t been able to determine how popular (or otherwise) the incentive has been.

SolarQuotes founder Finn Peacock isn’t convinced subsidising solar panel installations for renters in this day and age is the way to go; mainly due to landlord resistance to part with their own cash.

In a March 2025 Phase Shift post by Finn, he mentioned:

“Most Australian landlords treat their rental properties as lines on a spreadsheet. They’re focused on one thing: cutting expenses and maximising rental income … Many are already juggling tight cash flows and won’t spend extra upfront unless absolutely necessary.”

Finn suggested:

“Forget solar panels on rentals. Let’s help renters directly by giving them affordable, portable batteries and easy access to the cheap solar energy already flooding Australia’s grid. Everyone wins.”

According to Make Renting Fair In Queensland, Nearly 36% of all Queenslanders are living in a rented home – that’s approximately 1.8 million people.