For most apartment residents, rooftop solar has often been out of reach. Shared roofs, infrastructure and complex metering arrangements have made it hard to deliver the benefits of solar and batteries to individual units.
A rooftop in Wolli Creek is now testing a different approach.
Four months after UNSW, Voltval and JT Solar Technology launched their $1.2 million TRaCE-supported research partnership, their shared solar and battery platform is being installed in a Wolli Creek apartment complex. It is the first site in a multi-site pilot and a key step in moving the Modular Power Portal System (MPPS) from development into commercial use.
The MPPS brings together rooftop solar generation, battery storage and intelligent energy management to coordinate electricity across multiple tenancies. The goal is to give apartment residents the same access to rooftop solar that many households in standalone homes already enjoy.
Inside the Wolli Creek system
The building’s new rooftop array includes 350 solar panels, providing around 154 kW of generation capacity. The panels are paired with a 200 kWh battery and a separate 200 kWh community power plant (CPP) battery, giving the site a planned combined storage capacity of 400 kWh.
The rollout will unfold in three stages. The team is first installing the solar and battery infrastructure. Next, MPPS will be connected to individual apartments, supported by electricity agreements with participating residents. In the final stage, UNSW’s AI research will optimise how energy is managed and shared across the building.
Successful pilots depend on partners who are open to trying something new. Ocean Building Management has played a central role in bringing the project to the Wolli Creek site.
“This technology can bring renewable energy to every unit in the apartment, which is something we urgently need for all of our clients,” said Yun Gu, Director of Ocean Building Management. “We have our faith in this TRaCE and government-endorsed technology. Our company, Ocean Building Management, is very proud to be the very first to witness this renewable energy revolution.”
Looking ahead
Wolli Creek is a starting point. Performance data from the site will guide deployment at further pilot sites and help extend MPPS beyond apartments to a range of built environments.
“With the support from TRaCE and our partnerships, we believe we are definitely making our development work smarter and will benefit everyone. The limitations of renewable energy in apartments will be minimised.” said Jason Xiao, Director of JT Solar Technology.
The partners are already thinking about the next frontier for shared energy systems.
“Another area we are exploring is bidirectional EV charging, which could bring greater flexibility and convenience to multi-tenant buildings,” said Steve Doyle, Director of Voltval. “We see significant potential in integrating this technology into shared energy systems, creating more opportunities for residents and building owners to benefit from smarter energy management.”
