Rooftop solar incentives are reshaping how Singapore residents think about electricity, and whether you live in a Toa Payoh flat or a River Valley condo, the rules matter more than most people realise.
How Singapore approaches rooftop solar
Singapore does not use a traditional feed-in tariff or net metering system. The Energy Market Authority (EMA) regulates all solar electricity generation, and systems below 1 MWac connect to the grid under a simplified process that does not require a full generation licence. This keeps the paperwork manageable for most homeowners.
Singapore receives an annual average solar irradiance of approximately 1,580 kWh per square metre, which is among the highest in Southeast Asia. Despite a land area of just 733.1 square kilometres, the country had deployed over 1.1 GWp of solar capacity by Q1 2026. That is a remarkable figure for a city-state of this size.
Singapore added 504 MW of solar in 2025, a 27 percent year-on-year increase. The government has set a national target of 2 GWp by 2030, later raised to 3 GWp under Budget 2026. Those are ambitious numbers, and the incentive schemes driving them are worth understanding in detail.
The SolarNova programme for rooftop solar on HDB blocks
The SolarNova programme, jointly led by HDB and the Economic Development Board (EDB), is the main vehicle for solar deployment on public housing rooftops. Rather than HDB installing and owning the panels itself, SolarNova tenders out rooftop leases to solar developers, who finance, design, install, operate and maintain the systems for an agreed lease period.
As at the end of 2025, HDB had installed solar panels on around 5,300 blocks, roughly half of the total housing stock, working toward a target of approximately 540 MWp of installed HDB rooftop capacity by 2030. The electricity generated is sold to town councils and common area loads at below-market rates, reducing Service and Conservancy Charges (S&CC) for residents.
Importantly for individual flat owners, the electricity generated under SolarNova is not credited to any single household’s personal electricity bill. Instead, it offsets common services such as lift operation, corridor lighting, and water pumps, which helps moderate increases in Service and Conservancy Charges. The benefit is real, but it is indirect.
Rooftop solar incentives for condo residents
Condo residents face a different challenge. Individual homeowners wanting their own solar system generally need a landed property with private roof access, and this is not a straightforward option for most condo or HDB flat owners. The roof belongs to the development, not to you.
Management Corporation Strata Title (MCST) bodies can now unlock rooftop solar potential through group schemes, pooling demand for bulk installation discounts. This is a practical route for any condo where the MCST is willing to coordinate. Residents who want action should raise the topic formally at the next annual general meeting.
The SolarNova programme has built a robust ecosystem of qualified solar installers, which drives competition and lowers prices for private installations. Even where condo residents cannot install panels themselves, this market maturity means that when group schemes do proceed, the cost is lower than it was even 3 years ago.
Expert perspective on rooftop solar in Singapore
Singapore’s rooftop solar incentive landscape has matured significantly. The SolarNova programme has driven down costs across the entire market, not just in the public housing sector. For condo MCSTs and private homeowners, the financial case is now genuinely strong. The Simplified Credit Treatment scheme allows smaller generators to earn credits for surplus power exported to the grid, reviewed quarterly by SP Services. The carbon tax trajectory, rising from S$25 per tonne in 2024 to S$45 in 2026 and potentially S$80 by 2030, makes every year of inaction more expensive. Green loans from major local banks now eliminate most of the upfront cost barrier, making this the most accessible solar market Singapore has ever had.
Industry perspective, sustainability and energy finance professionals in Singapore
How the export credit schemes work
If you buy electricity from SP Group, you can register under the Simplified Credit Treatment (SCT) scheme. Under this scheme, you receive payment based on the prevailing electricity regulated tariff minus grid charges, and payment is credited to your monthly electricity bill. This is a fixed rate based on the regulated tariff, reviewed each quarter.
Under SP Group’s Simplified Credit Treatment, self-consumed solar power avoids paying roughly S$0.35 per kWh, while exported surplus earns a credit of roughly S$0.26 per kWh, both adjusted quarterly with the regulated tariff. Self-consumption is always the more valuable action, so size your system to cover daytime usage first.
DBS, OCBC, and UOB all offer green or sustainability-linked loans for solar installations. Green financing from major banks eliminates the upfront cost barrier for most landed homeowners who qualify. Your installer can advise on which loan product fits your system size.
The carbon tax connection every resident should know
Singapore’s carbon tax adds a direct financial argument for rooftop solar. Singapore’s carbon tax applies to power generation companies, which pass the cost to consumers via higher electricity tariffs. At the 2026 rate of S$45 per tonne of CO2, this adds approximately S$0.018 per kWh to your grid electricity cost.
By generating your own solar electricity, you avoid this carbon tax surcharge entirely. The carbon tax rate is set to rise further, reaching S$50 to S$80 per tonne by 2028 and 2029. Every unit of self-generated electricity you use becomes more valuable as that rate climbs.
Singapore’s BCA Green Mark certification awards points for on-site renewable energy. A solar installation can meaningfully improve a building’s Green Mark score, which increasingly affects resale value and tenant attraction for private developments.
What residents should do next
Rooftop solar incentives in Singapore reward those who understand the system. For HDB and condo residents, solar affects them mainly through moderated S&CC or maintenance fee increases over time, rather than through any direct action they can take on their own roof. That is still worth knowing and worth asking your town council about.
Rooftop solar incentives are most accessible to landed homeowners right now, but condo MCSTs have a genuine group-scheme path. If you live in a condo, speak to your MCST committee. If you own a landed property, get 3 quotations, check your eligibility for a green loan, and register under the SCT scheme. The Singapore Green Plan 2030 sets a 3 GWp target by 2030, and the incentives are structured to help you reach it with confidence. Charlotte Webb writes on Singapore’s sustainable living scene for residents who want clear facts, not jargon.
Discover more about rooftop solar
- Singapore EMA: Solar Payment Schemes
- Singapore Green Plan 2030: Solar Targets and Policy Overview
- Demand for Solar Power Rises in Singapore, but Condos Face Barriers
