More than 3,000 solar panels power Jack’s Solar Garden, cool the land and help it turn a profit

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Apartment living can be a barrier to solar and battery adoption. Here’s how to navigate the hurdles and practicalities

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Australia is a world leader in household solar, but the benefits of rooftop renewables are unevenly distributed – and many of the 2.5 million people living in apartments or units are missing out.

About 39% of Australians living in detached or semi-detached houses have solar, compared with 6% of those in apartments or units, research by Energy Consumers Australia (ECA) finds. A gap also exists in the take-up of batteries, installed in 7% of houses but only in 3% of apartments or units.