Solar panels: Australian towns and cities are full of gorgeous heritage-listed homes and buildings. Australia is also one of the biggest users of rooftop solar in the world. February 2026 estimates show 4.3m homes and businesses have rooftop solar panels installed .
In the northern suburbs of Sydney, about 30 percent of homes have solar installed, however in some suburbs strict heritage protections have prevented residents from powering their home with the sun.
Clashing styles: Substantial upgrades and renovations — such as solar panels — to heritage listed homes typically require Development Application (DA) approval, a process which can take months and cost thousands of dollars.
The issue is particularly pointed in suburbs like Hunters Hill, on Sydney’s North Shore, where more than 70 percent of the suburb is a heritage conservation area.
Data from the Australian PV Institute — which tracks solar uptake across the country — show Hunter’s Hill Council has the lowest amount of total residential solar installations of any North Shore Council, sitting at just under 1000 installations.
The solution? Councils across the country, like the City of Sydney, have let solar panels be installed in heritage areas without a full development application as long as home owners follow certain rules. Hunter’s Hill Council is currently drafting guidelines based on these guidelines.
How does it work? The guidelines seek to encourage residents to install solar on the side and back of their homes, facing away from main streets and waterfront areas. If these panels are installed according to guidelines, residents will not have to apply for a DA.
The rules: The guidelines for installing solar panels on heritage homes include:
Installation of panels in orderly rows and patterns symmetrical with the roof pane
Panels are mounted at the same angle as the roof
Are no closer than 30cm to a roofs edge
Protrude no more than a metre from the roof pane
Provisions are also made for the installation of home batteries, provided they do not face the main street from which a home is accessible from.
What now: If these conditions are met, residents would only need to complete a Heritage Minor Works Application on the council website.
What this means: Australia’s shift to home solar is continuing to march on, now being complemented by government subsidies on home battery systems that help reduce power prices even further.
Progress beyond 2026 relies on local and state governments to encourage and adapt to each community’s needs.
This story was originally published in the North Shore Lorikeet.
Thumbnail: Bill Mead via Unsplash, Hunters Hill Trust