SolarShare Canberra

What SolarShare Canberra does

SolarShare Community Energy Ltd, trading as SolarShare, is a community-owned, for-profit company registered in the Australian Capital Territory that enables local residents to co-invest in utility-scale solar generation. Its sole operating asset is the 1.2MW Majura Community Energy Project in the Majura Valley — the ACT's first community solar farm — commissioned in March 2021 on a 3-hectare leased site comprising 4,200 bi-facial photovoltaic modules arranged across 12 arrays on a Schletter single-axis tracking system aligned north-south. The farm has a maximum annual generation capacity of approximately 2,778 MWh, displaces an estimated 5.2 kilotonnes of CO2 since commissioning, and powers roughly 260 ACT households each year.

The company raised approximately AUD 2.54 million in equity from more than 350 ACT-based community investors, each subscribing between AUD 500 and AUD 100,000, to fund construction. Revenue is generated from electricity sales under a long-term energy purchase contract, supplemented by spot-market sales and the ACT Government large-scale feed-in tariff. Distributions to investors are approved annually at the AGM, with two AUD 0.70/share payments made in April 2023 and November 2023, equivalent to a 14% cumulative return on original investment; the company reports the asset as strongly cash flow positive since commissioning.

SolarShare is led day-to-day by a part-time General Manager (Peter Irwin) and overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors including a Chair (Steve Blume, since April 2024) and Principal Executive Officer (David White, since September 2023). Day-to-day operations are lean (headcount stated at 1-10), with the company engaging the local community through quarterly newsletters, AGMs, farm tours, and conservation working bees with the Molonglo Conservation Group and Majura Valley Landcare. The share register is administered by Registry Direct, and partnerships span Schletter (tracker hardware), ACT Government (regulatory and FiT support), and three Canberra tertiary institutions (ANU, University of Canberra, CIT) for educational engagement.

Name

SolarShare Canberra

Legal name

SolarShare Community Energy Ltd

Website

https://solarshare.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SolarShare is a community-owned company in Canberra, ACT that operates the 1.2MW Majura Community Energy Project, enabling 350+ local investors to co-own a solar farm that powers approximately 260 ACT households and distributes income to shareholders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Solar Energy Generation

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

Distributed Generation (DG) Solar & Small Wind (EUAMAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Solar Financing, Leasing & Ownership Platforms (Tax Equity, PPA, Securitization) (EUAMABAJ), Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro) (EUACALAJ)

Keywords

• Community solar energy
• Solar farm investment
• Renewable energy generation
• Community-owned power
• Solar photovoltaic generation

Headquarters

HQ city

Canberra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Electricity Generation and Sales: Revenue secured through long-term energy contract for electricity purchase plus spot market sales and ACT Government feed-in tariff (FiT). Farm commenced operation in March 2021 and generates approximately 2,778 MWh max electricity per year.
2. Capital Returns to Investors: Distributions to investors from income generated. Two distributions of $0.70/share each have been made (April 2023 and November 2023), equivalent to 14% return on original investment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SolarShare operates a 1.2MW community-owned solar farm in the Majura Valley, Canberra, generating approximately 2,778 MWh of electricity per year through 4,200 bi-facial solar modules on Schletter single-axis trackers. The company enables ACT residents to invest directly in local renewable energy infrastructure via share purchases ($500–$100,000), receiving financial distributions from electricity sales via long-term contracts and spot market revenue.

Product overview

SolarShare Canberra operates as a community-owned company with a single core product offering: the Majura Community Energy Project. This 1.2MW solar farm in the Majura Valley is the company's flagship and only development. The project enables community members to invest in renewable energy generation, pooling resources to achieve economies of scale with direct ownership benefits. Income is secured through a long-term energy contract for electricity purchase. The company has completed two distributions to investors, equivalent to a 14% return on original investment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Majura Community Energy Project A 1.2MW community-owned solar farm located in the Majura Valley, Canberra, ACT, consisting of 4,200 bi-facial solar modules on 12 arrays using Schletter single-axis tracking systems. Funded by 350+ local investors raising $2.54 million, the farm generates approximately 2,778 MWh of electricity per year and delivers financial distributions to investor-shareholders from long-term energy contracts and spot market revenue.

Quantifiable outcome

• 260 ACT households powered annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered founding, core and minor.

• SEE-ChangefoundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012SEE-Change and its renewable energy special interest group Canberra Clean Energy researched community interest and completed feasibility studies in 2012, resulting in the community solar toolkit and eventually SolarShare.
• ACT GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACT government enacted amendments to Electricity Feed-in (Large-scale Renewable Energy Generation) Act 2011 in 2014 and called for community solar farm proposals. Provides feed-in tariff (FiT) for solar farm electricity. Supported with $1500 grant to Majura Valley Landcare Group.
• ANU (Australian National University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal tertiary institution partnership. Students from ANU and other universities have visited the solar farm for research purposes.
• UC (University of Canberra)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal tertiary institution partnership for community engagement and education.
• CIT (Canberra Institute of Technology)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal tertiary institution partnership for community engagement and education.
• Molonglo Conservation GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership for landcare activities, bird conservation (Latham's Snipe habitat), and environmental monitoring. Jointly organizes tree planting days and running the working bees at the solar farm.
• Majura Valley Landcare GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership for regeneration and landcare activities. SolarShare has committed to funding tree planting along Majura Road and supports the development of a tourist trail in the Majura Valley. Received $1500 grant.
• Registry DirectcoreTechnology or IntegrationShare registry service provider enabling investors to view holdings, update details, view payment history, and manage communication preferences. Used for distributing quarterly newsletters and investor communications.
• SchlettercoreTechnology or IntegrationManufacturer of the single-axis tracking system used for the solar panels, aligned north-south across the 12 arrays.
• McGrath FamilyminorOthersLocal farmers who moved sheep onto the solar farm property to keep grass short, reducing mowing needs and bushfire risks.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• AGL Energy: One of Australia's largest integrated energy retailers and renewable generators. Broad incumbent operating large-scale solar and wind generation, comparable in product category (solar generation) but far larger scale than SolarShare.
• Origin Energy: Major Australian energy retailer with significant renewable generation portfolio. Operates utility-scale solar that competes in the same generation category as SolarShare but as part of a much broader portfolio.

Direct peers

• Enova Community Energy: NSW-based community-owned renewable energy retailer and solar project developer. Comparable to SolarShare as a community-owned renewable energy business with similar investor-member structure.
• Reposit Power: Australian community and distributed solar-plus-storage operator enabling households to share solar generation. Highly comparable to SolarShare's community-owned solar model and customer base of prosumers/community investors.
• Pingala Community Energy: Sydney-based community solar organization running community-funded solar projects in NSW. Closely mirrors SolarShare's member-funded, community-owned solar farm model and ACT/NSW geography.
• Yackandandah Community Energy: Victorian community-owned renewable energy project aiming for 100% renewable town. Comparable to SolarShare as a community-driven, member-funded local renewable energy project in regional Australia.
• Hepburn Wind: Australia's first community-owned wind farm (Daylesford, VIC). Highly comparable model to SolarShare's first-mover community-owned solar farm: local investors, cooperative governance, and renewable energy offtake.

Emerging players

• Sun Cable: Australia-based large-scale solar and battery developer focused on utility-scale projects and the Australia-Asia PowerLink. Comparable in solar generation category but at vastly larger scale and export-oriented model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SolarShare Canberra