Solar and Battery Installation in South Perth, Como and Kensington
Quick Answer: Yes, we install solar panels and home batteries across the City of South Perth, including South Perth, Como, Kensington, Manning and Salter Point. Our office is at 16 Ogilvie Rd, Mount Pleasant, a short drive away, and every job is done by our in-house SAA-accredited electricians. Most houses can go ahead without a planning application, but heritage-listed homes, strata villas and apartments need extra checks first.
The City of South Perth is a mix of river-view apartments, older single-storey houses, townhouses and villas, and newer two-storey homes. A Como house with a big north-facing roof is a simple job. A unit near the foreshore can be a much harder one.
Here’s what to check before you get quotes: your home type, council and heritage rules, strata approval, Western Power, and battery rebates.
Do homes in South Perth, Como and Kensington suit solar?
Most do, but it depends on your home type more than your suburb. Houses and many villas have a roof section you can use. Apartments usually don’t, and the City has a high share of townhouses and apartments.
In the 2021 Census, 49.2% of occupied homes in the City of South Perth were separate houses, 34.8% were semi-detached, row or townhouses, and 15.8% were flats or apartments (ABS QuickStats, City of South Perth). In the suburb of South Perth itself, closer to the foreshore, flats and apartments made up 29.4% of homes (ABS QuickStats, South Perth suburb).
| Home type | City of South Perth (2021) | South Perth suburb (2021) | What it usually means for solar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Separate house | 49.2% | 33.9% | Your own roof and switchboard. The most straightforward install. |
| Semi-detached, row or townhouse | 34.8% | 36.5% | Often strata. You may own your roof section, or it may be common property. |
| Flat or apartment | 15.8% | 29.4% | Roof is shared. Any system is a strata decision, not an individual one. |
Renting matters too: 36.4% of homes in the City were rented in 2021. If you rent, you need your landlord’s agreement first.
Houses in Como, Manning, Kensington and Salter Point
Away from the river towers, most streets in Como, Manning, Kensington, Karawara, Waterford and Salter Point are houses and villas. These homes are good candidates for solar. The main questions are roof direction, shade from street and garden trees, and whether the switchboard needs an upgrade first.
Shade deserves a proper look. A tree that clips your roof on a winter afternoon can pull down a whole string of panels. The City also has a local planning policy on tree retention, so don’t assume removing a tree is the easy fix. A smarter panel layout often is.
Council rules, heritage homes and character streets
For an ordinary house, rooftop solar fitted flat to the roof usually doesn’t need a planning application in WA. That exemption comes from the state’s planning regulations, and neighbouring councils such as the City of Melville explain it on their websites. The City of South Perth doesn’t publish a separate solar page, so if your situation is at all unusual, ask the City before you sign.
The City says development approval is required for most building works, including altering an existing building, and its duty Urban Planner can tell you whether your plans need it. Call 9474 0777 or visit the Civic Centre between 9.30 and 10.30 am or 3 and 4 pm (City of South Perth).
Heritage-listed homes
Heritage-listed homes have a clear rule on solar. The City adopted a new Heritage List in October 2025, based on its 2025 Local Heritage Survey. Its Local Planning Policy 8.1 Heritage Conservation and Development says solar panels on a heritage-protected place must not be visible from the primary street, and must not damage the original or significant fabric of the place.
In practice, that usually means panels on a rear or side roof plane. If your home is on the Heritage List or in a heritage area, check with the City first.
Kensington and Arlington streetscape rules
Parts of Kensington and Arlington have their own streetscape policy, Policy P351.5. It sets roof pitch and eaves rules for new homes and additions, and doesn’t mention solar. If you’re building or extending there, plan solar into the roof design.
| Your situation | What to check before install |
|---|---|
| Ordinary house, panels flat on the roof | Usually no planning application. Western Power connection approval still needed. |
| Heritage-listed home or heritage area | LPP 8.1: panels not visible from the primary street and no damage to significant fabric. Talk to the City first. |
| Building or extending in Kensington or Arlington | Policy P351.5 streetscape rules apply to the new work. Plan solar into the roof design. |
| Strata villa, townhouse or apartment | Strata approval first. See the next section. |
| Tilted frames or anything unusual | Ask the City’s duty Urban Planner on 9474 0777. |
Strata villas, townhouses and apartments
If you live in an apartment, you usually can’t install your own solar system. The roof is common property, shared by every owner, and there’s rarely room for each unit to have its own panels and inverter.
What changed in WA is how a strata scheme can say yes. Since reforms to the Strata Titles Act took effect in May 2020, solar and other “sustainability infrastructure” on common property needs an ordinary resolution of the strata company, rather than a resolution without dissent. The system can be owned by the strata company, by individual lot owners, or by a third party, with an infrastructure contract setting out the terms (City of Vincent, Solar for Strata). Your strata manager is the place to start. This is general information, not legal advice.
Villas and townhouses are different. Many have a defined roof section above each home, and some survey-strata lots own their roof outright. Before you get quotes, check three things:
- Who owns the roof. Your strata plan and by-laws will say whether the roof over your home is part of your lot or common property.
- What approval you need. If it’s common property, get the strata company’s written approval before you sign anything.
- How your power is connected. Western Power says homes on a shared connection, which is common in strata developments, need to consult their management body before applying to connect (Western Power).
What an install involves
An install in the City of South Perth follows four steps: a look at your home, a written quote, the Western Power application, and install day. Our office is in Mount Pleasant, just across the Canning River, so South Perth, Como and Kensington are a short drive for our team.
- Site check. We look at your roof, shade, switchboard and meter, and go through your power bills. For heritage or strata homes, this is when we work out which roof sections can be used.
- Written quote. You get a system design, the equipment list and the rebates that apply to you. There’s no pressure to sign on the day.
- Western Power application. Homeowners are responsible for connecting their system to the grid, and can authorise their installer to apply for them. An application is needed for a new inverter system and for adding a battery (Western Power). We lodge it for you.
- Install day. Our own electricians fit the panels, inverter and any battery, then test and commission the system.
Most standard home solar installs are done in one visit. A battery, a two-storey roof or switchboard work can add time. We confirm your timeline in writing with your quote.
Every install is done by our in-house SAA-accredited electricians, not subcontractors. Our workmanship is covered by a 20-year warranty, and our 48-hour fix-or-replace guarantee applies to systems we install. Read more about how we work on our solar installations in Perth page.
Battery rebates for Synergy customers
Homes in the City of South Perth buy their power from Synergy, so the WA Residential Battery Scheme offers up to $1,300 towards an eligible battery. The federal Cheaper Home Batteries program applies as well. On a 10 kWh battery, the federal discount is roughly $2,600 to $2,700 in 2026, so the two together come to around $3,900 to $4,000.
A few rules matter most here (WA Government):
- Renters can apply with the landlord’s prior written consent. Investment property owners need the tenant’s consent.
- One rebate per property.
- Joining a virtual power plant (VPP) is required. The battery and inverter must be on Synergy’s Supported Solutions List.
- The rebate isn’t means-tested. Only the optional no-interest loan has an income limit.
- The federal discount drops on 1 January 2027, from 6.8 to 5.7 STCs per kWh.
As a rough guide, most Perth homes pay around $9,500 to $13,000 for a battery of about 10 kWh before rebates in 2026, or roughly $5,500 to $9,000 after the federal and WA rebates. Your price depends on the battery size, your switchboard and where the battery is mounted. Our WA Battery Scheme eligibility checklist covers the full rules.
The battery we install is the Sigenergy SigenStor, which is on Synergy’s Supported Solutions List for storage. We size it to your evening usage, not to the biggest unit that fits on the wall. Our solar battery page explains how.
Suburbs we cover in and around South Perth
We install across every suburb in the City of South Perth:
- South Perth
- Como
- Kensington
- Karawara
- Manning
- Salter Point
- Waterford
Neighbouring areas: we also work in nearby Victoria Park, Lathlain and Carlisle in the Town of Victoria Park. Across the Canning River, our Melville, Applecross and Booragoon page covers the City of Melville, where our office is. For the rest of the metro area, see our Perth service areas guide.
Visit or call us
Talk Energy Solar & Battery has been installing solar and batteries in Perth for 7+ years, with 5,000+ installations completed. We’re rated 4.8 stars from 300+ Google reviews. Our Mount Pleasant office is close by, so you deal with a local team.
- Address: 16 Ogilvie Rd, Mount Pleasant WA 6153
- Phone: (08) 6255 5914
- Email: wattsup@talkenergy.com.au
- Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:30 pm
- WA electrical contractor licence: EC15564
Get a free quote, call (08) 6255 5914, or use our contact page.
Frequently asked questions
Do you install solar in South Perth, Como and Kensington?
Yes. We install solar panels and batteries in South Perth, Como, Kensington and every other suburb in the City of South Perth. Our office is at 16 Ogilvie Rd, Mount Pleasant, a short drive away. Every install is done by our in-house SAA-accredited electricians, not subcontractors.
Do I need City of South Perth approval for rooftop solar?
Usually not for an ordinary house with panels fitted flat to the roof. Heritage-listed homes are different: the City’s heritage policy says solar panels must not be visible from the primary street or damage significant fabric. If you’re unsure, call the City’s duty Urban Planner on 9474 0777. Every system still needs Western Power connection approval.
Can I get solar on my apartment?
Usually not as an individual owner, because an apartment roof is common property. Since WA’s strata reforms in May 2020, a strata company can approve solar on common property by ordinary resolution. Start with your strata manager. Villas and townhouses often have more options, but you still need to check who owns the roof.
Can I get the WA Battery Scheme rebate in South Perth?
If you’re a Synergy customer, you may be eligible for up to $1,300 under the WA Residential Battery Scheme, plus the federal Cheaper Home Batteries discount. You must join a virtual power plant, and renters need the landlord’s written consent. Our WA Battery Scheme eligibility checklist covers the full rules.
How long does an install take?
Most standard home solar installs are done in one visit. A battery, a two-storey roof or switchboard work can add time. Western Power must approve the connection first, and we lodge that application for you. We confirm your timeline in writing with your quote.
Do you service systems installed by other companies?
No. We only service and repair systems that Talk Energy installed. That’s how we can stand behind our 20-year workmanship warranty and 48-hour fix-or-replace guarantee. If another company installed your system, contact that installer or the equipment manufacturer.
