We Compared 7 Commercial Solar Companies in Australia: These Are the Best

This guide is for business owners, property managers, councils, schools and farms looking at rooftop solar between roughly 30kW and 1MW. It compares seven commercial solar companies that work across more than one state: Smart Commercial Energy, Todae Solar, Kuga Energy, 1KOMMA5°, GEM Energy, Solargain Commercial and AR Energy.

The timing matters: from 1 October 2026, the federal Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) covers eligible systems up to 1MW, up from 100kW.

This is independent desk research using company websites and project pages, Clean Energy Regulator notices, SunWiz rankings, review patterns and published pricing. We did not contact any company, request quotes or accept payment for inclusion. You will learn which company suits which project, each one’s weaknesses, and what to pin down before signing.

Quick winners

• Best Overall for Large and Multi-Site Businesses: Smart Commercial Energy (every state and territory)
• Best Track Record and No-Money-Down Options: Todae Solar (offices in five capital cities)
• Best for 1MW-Class Single Sites on the East Coast: Kuga Energy (VIC, NSW, QLD)
• Best for Small-to-Mid Commercial Systems: 1KOMMA5° (NSW, VIC, QLD, SA)
• Best In-House Engineering in Queensland and the NT: GEM Energy
• Best for Small Businesses in WA and Regional Areas: Solargain Commercial
• Best for South Australia and WA Mid-Size Projects: AR Energy

Comparison table

Background on design, metering and tariffs is in our guide to commercial solar systems. On price, Solar Choice’s Commercial Solar Price Index for August 2026 put the national average at about 92 to 95 cents per watt for 10kW to 70kW systems and about 83 cents per watt at 100kW.

Best Overall for Large and Multi-Site Businesses: Smart Commercial Energy

Smart Commercial Energy (formerly Smart Commercial Solar) is the strongest all-round choice for large or multi-site businesses. Founded in 2012, it says it works in every state and territory, has installed 200MW and manages about 1,200 assets.

Pros

• Very large, verifiable portfolio: 16.1MW across more than 100 Bunnings sites, 6.3MW across three Carlton & United Breweries sites, 7.5MW for McCain Foods
• Purchase, finance and power purchase agreements (PPAs), with about $80 million in PPAs under management, according to its website
• Built-in monitoring, asset management and carbon reporting services
• 4.9 stars from roughly 55 Google reviews as of October 2026

Cons

• Equipment brands, workmanship warranty length and whether crews are employees or subcontractors are not published
• PPAs typically run for well over a decade, a long commitment to one counterparty in exchange for no upfront cost
• Small Google review base for a company of this size

Enquire at smartcommercialenergy.com.au, or browse all Australian installers in our directory.

Key facts. Head office in North Sydney. Accreditation is not stated on the pages we reviewed, so check the registers yourself.

Why we selected them. Few installers pair multi-megawatt, multi-site delivery with in-house PPA financing and asset management.

Products and brands offered. Rooftop and carport solar, storage, generator integration (2.25MW of PV with storage and a genset for Frasers Property), monitoring and carbon accounting.

Installation quality and reputation. Projects range from a 1.47MW rooftop at Darrell Lea’s 24/7 factory to a 250kW solar car shade at Breakers Country Club.

Pricing and value. The value case usually rests on finance structure. Compare any PPA tariff against your contracted energy rate and against buying outright with the new SRES discount.

Warranty and after-sales support. Monitoring and asset management are genuine strengths. Get the workmanship term, performance guarantee and response times in the contract.

What customers praise and what complaints recur. Reviews praise clear feasibility work and communication; the base is too small to show a complaint pattern.

Best for retailers, manufacturers and property groups with several sites. Look elsewhere if you run a single small business wanting a simple 30kW system.

Best Track Record and No-Money-Down Options: Todae Solar

Todae Solar has operated since 2003, the longest here, and now works only in commercial solar after discontinuing its residential arm. It claims more than 100MW installed, with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

Pros

• Named projects include Charles Sturt University (4.4MW multi-site), Primo Foods (4MW rooftop), Coles (3.8MW), Westfield (2.7MW) and ALDI (2.3MW)
• Three finance routes: purchase, lease and PPA terms of 10 to 20 years, with operations, maintenance and insurance included in the PPA tariff according to its website
• Claims ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 certification and New Energy Tech approved seller status

Cons

• Installs through a “national network of fully accredited solar installers”, so quality depends on the partner assigned
• Lowest Google rating here: 4.0 stars from roughly 20 reviews as of October 2026
• Older SolarQuotes reviews of its discontinued residential business describe poor project management

Enquire at todaesolar.com.au, or browse all Australian installers in our directory.

Key facts. Head office in Alexandria, Sydney. Serves aged care, education, retail, agriculture and government.

Why we selected them. Two decades of multi-site institutional work is hard to match, and the lease option suits businesses wanting neither capital outlay nor a long PPA.

Products and brands offered. Rooftop and ground-mount solar (a 2.37MW ground-mount at Veolia Woodlawn), monitoring and reporting. Brands are not published and are confirmed per proposal.

Installation quality and reputation. Its website cites a 2019 Clean Energy Council award and a #1 ranking for 100kW-plus commercial installs. The partner-network model is the variable to manage.

Pricing and value. The company claims 3 to 6 year paybacks on purchased systems; yours depends on load profile and tariff.

Warranty and after-sales support. Panels carry 25-year manufacturer cover. Ask who handles workmanship claims: Todae or the installing partner.

What customers praise and what complaints recur. Praise for engineering; complaints, mostly residential-era, about project communication.

Best for institutions and chains wanting an established contractor and flexible finance. Look elsewhere if you want direct-employee crews.

Best for 1MW-Class Single Sites on the East Coast: Kuga Energy

Kuga Energy (Kuga Electrical, since 2016) is an electrical contractor whose project list is weighted towards single sites of 800kW to 1.5MW, exactly the band the expanded SRES now reaches.

Pros

• Relevant large single-site work: a 1.5MW solar and 5.7MWh battery system at a north-west Melbourne shopping centre, 1.27MW across four roofs for a meat processor, 1.2MW in Melbourne’s west and 1.022MW at Americold in Murarrie, QLD
• Handles civil, electrical and mechanical works in-house on major projects, according to its case studies
• Electrical licences listed for VIC, NSW, QLD, TAS and the ACT, plus offices in Keysborough, Kings Park and Berrinba

Cons

• 4.1 stars from roughly 30 Google reviews as of October 2026, lower than most here
• No published office in SA or WA, so projects there are not its core territory
• Also sells LED lighting and efficiency upgrades, so ask for solar priced on its own; workmanship warranty terms are not published

Enquire at 13kuga.com.au, or browse all Australian installers in our directory.

Key facts. Head office in Keysborough, VIC. Awards claimed include a national Clean Energy Project of the Year. Offers solar PPAs and single-axis tracking ground-mount.

Why we selected them. An electrical contractor delivering 1MW-class rooftops with its own trades suits large single sites newly eligible for STCs.

Products and brands offered. Hanwha Q CELLS panels and Sungrow batteries appear in its case studies, plus EV chargers.

Installation quality and reputation. SolarQuotes reviews (only 8, averaging 4.7) praise knowledgeable staff and clean installs.

Pricing and value. Not published; benchmark against the Solar Choice index per watt.

Warranty and after-sales support. Ask for workmanship term, monitoring access and service response times in each state.

What customers praise and what complaints recur. Praise for professionalism and punctuality; the lower Google average suggests service gaps, so read the low-rated reviews.

Best for factories, cold stores, shopping centres and aged-care groups in VIC, NSW and QLD. Look elsewhere in SA, WA or the NT.

Best for Small-to-Mid Commercial Systems: 1KOMMA5°

German-backed 1KOMMA5° built its Australian business by acquiring local installers. The 2026 SunWiz awards, which use Clean Energy Regulator data for commercial systems under 100kW, ranked it a national Top 5 commercial installer, making it a natural first call for offices, strata buildings and small factories.

Pros

• Projects listed range from 23.5kW apartment blocks to 2MW at Visy in Yatala and 6.8MW across 200+ Shell service stations for Viva Energy
• Heartbeat platform for monitoring and wholesale-price battery optimisation
• 4.3 stars from roughly 540 reviews on its Sydney branch listing as of October 2026

Cons

• Its commercial page publishes no warranty or finance terms
• Product range leans on its own 1KOMMA5° branded hardware, which narrows brand choice
• No coverage in WA, Tasmania or the NT

Enquire at 1komma5.com/au/commercial, or browse all NSW installers in our directory.

Key facts. Branches in NSW, VIC, QLD and SA; part of a group operating in seven countries. More NSW options on our NSW installer listings.

Why we selected them. Most businesses need 20kW to 100kW, and few install more commercial systems in that band.

Products and brands offered. 1KOMMA5° branded panels and batteries, Sungrow and Tesla, plus EV chargers.

Installation quality and reputation. Branches grew out of respected local firms; software onboarding has been the weaker area in reviews.

Pricing and value. Mid-market. Ask for hardware, installation and the STC discount itemised.

Warranty and after-sales support. Not published for commercial; get workmanship cover in writing.

What customers praise and what complaints recur. Praise for tidy installs; complaints about delays and software set-up.

Best for small and mid-size businesses on the east coast and in SA. Look elsewhere for 500kW-plus projects needing bespoke engineering, or in WA.

Best In-House Engineering in Queensland and the NT: GEM Energy

GEM Energy, operating since 2013, has been majority-owned by RACQ since 2022 (its residential arm trades as RACQ Solar). It keeps design, engineering and project management in-house.

Pros

• In-house engineers and project managers, with RPEQ (Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland) and chartered engineering capability according to its website
• Flexible finance: CAPEX, no-upfront finance and PPAs over 1 to 30 year terms
• Commercial clients listed include Australia Post, Cleanaway, Qube, iseek Data Centre and UnitingCare, plus a 309.83kW system at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
• 4.6 stars from roughly 200 Google reviews as of October 2026

Cons

• Queensland-centric: offices in Brisbane and Darwin, with limited presence elsewhere
• SolarQuotes reviews include a system producing about 25 per cent less than quoted due to miscalculated tree shading, and a price variation of more than 10 per cent after deposit
• Warranty terms are not published on its homepage

Enquire at gemenergy.com.au, or browse all Queensland installers in our directory.

Key facts. Head office in Pinkenba, Brisbane. Claims more than 15,000 installations, over $300 million in completed projects and ISO 9001 and 45001 certification.

Why we selected them. Data centres and convention centres need certified engineers, and GEM has them on staff.

Products and brands offered. Solar, batteries, EV charging and heat pumps; brands confirmed per project.

Installation quality and reputation. SolarQuotes rates it 4.6 from roughly 240 reviews (4.7 for installation).

Pricing and value. Mid-market. Insist on a site inspection before the final price.

Warranty and after-sales support. RACQ ownership adds balance-sheet backing; get workmanship and performance guarantee terms.

What customers praise and what complaints recur. Praise for communication and handling of grid paperwork; complaints about shading modelling and post-quote price changes.

Best for Queensland and Northern Territory businesses with engineering-heavy sites. See our Queensland top installers page. Look elsewhere in southern states.

Best for Small Businesses in WA and Regional Areas: Solargain Commercial

Solargain has operated since 2005 and runs a commercial division serving WA, NSW, Queensland, SA and the NT. Its strength is reach into regional towns commercial specialists rarely visit.

Pros

• Regional branch network, from Busselton to Hervey Bay to Wangaratta, so after-sales support is often local
• More than 60,000 renewable energy installations claimed and over 160 staff Australia-wide
• 4.6 stars from roughly 430 Google reviews for its Perth head office as of October 2026

Cons

• Mixed in-house and subcontractor install model; SolarQuotes reviews (4.3 from roughly 1,100) include roof leak and unsupervised subcontractor complaints
• Recurring reports of refused warranty claims and slow after-sales response
• Commercial case studies on its site are small (for example a 30kW system), with no large-project portfolio published

Enquire at solargaincommercial.com.au, or browse all WA installers in our directory.

Key facts. Founded 2005, head office in Malaga, Perth. More WA options on our WA top installers page.

Why we selected them. Regional small businesses often struggle to get a commercial quote at all, and the branch network fills that gap.

Products and brands offered. Solar, batteries and solar hot water; brands vary by branch.

Installation quality and reputation. Consistency varies with subcontractors.

Pricing and value. Competitive to mid-market for small commercial.

Warranty and after-sales support. Get the workmanship warranty, who performs warranty work, and a written roof-penetration guarantee.

What customers praise and what complaints recur. Praise for professional, tidy installs; complaints about roof leaks, warranty disputes and slow escalation.

Best for small businesses and farms in WA and regional areas. Look elsewhere for multi-megawatt projects or guaranteed in-house crews.

Best for South Australia and WA Mid-Size Projects: AR Energy

AR Energy (Arenergy) is an Adelaide installer named in the SunWiz 2026 national Top 20 Commercial Solar Installers, working in South Australia and Western Australia.

Pros

• Projects listed include a 1MW LOGOS distribution centre, 150kW systems for Bluelake Transport and the Bowden development, 100kW at ACFS and 80kW for Uniting SA
• Installs by its own qualified electricians and SAA accredited installers, according to its website
• Broad, mainstream equipment range: Sungrow, Fronius, SolarEdge, GoodWe, REC and Tesla Powerwall
• 5.0 stars from roughly 30 Google reviews as of October 2026, and SolarQuotes Platinum rated status claimed

Cons

• SA and WA only
• Founding year is not published; the site cites “over 60 years combined experience” instead
• Small public review base, so the perfect score rests on few reviews

Enquire at arenergy.com.au, or browse all SA installers in our directory.

Key facts. Based in Newton, Adelaide. Four 2026 SunWiz awards claimed. Compare locals on our SA top installers page.

Why we selected them. In-house electricians with demonstrated 100kW-to-1MW delivery.

Products and brands offered. Mainstream panels, string and optimiser inverters, and batteries (see pros).

Installation quality and reputation. Reviews praise communication and workmanship.

Pricing and value. Not published; Adelaide was among the cheaper capitals per watt in the August 2026 Solar Choice index.

Warranty and after-sales support. Workmanship warranty is not published; ask.

What customers praise and what complaints recur. Mostly praise; there are too few reviews to establish a complaint pattern.

Best for SA and WA businesses from 50kW to 1MW. Look elsewhere on the east coast.

How we reviewed

We built the shortlist from SunWiz 2026 commercial installer rankings, search results for commercial solar companies in Australia, Google Maps listings in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, and company project portfolios. We kept only companies that work in more than one state and publish verifiable commercial project credentials on their own websites. Two prominent names were left out: Infinite Energy, because its website now says it has ceased retailing solar, and Solgen Energy Group, whose website could not be accessed to verify current details.

Each was assessed on reputation and experience, published projects, equipment, install model, finance options, warranty, after-sales information and review patterns. Sources were company websites, Clean Energy Regulator notices, SunWiz rankings, SolarQuotes reviews, Google ratings as of October 2026 and the Solar Choice Commercial Solar Price Index. We requested no quotes, made no visits or calls, and no company paid for placement.

Choosing a commercial solar company in Australia

Check the new 1MW rules. The Clean Energy Regulator confirms the SRES now covers eligible solar systems above 100kW and up to 1MW installed from 1 October 2026, with applications expected to open in mid to late November 2026. The government estimates the discount at about 20 per cent of installed cost. Ask every bidder how they are pricing certificates and who carries the risk if the value changes before creation. Our STC rebate guide explains how certificates work.

Check accreditation. Installers should hold Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA) accreditation and the retailer should be a New Energy Tech approved seller. Solar Cobber does not verify accreditation; check both registers yourself.

Ask who builds it. In-house crews (Kuga, GEM, AR Energy) give one point of accountability. With network or subcontracted models (Todae, Solargain), the contract should name who is responsible for workmanship.

Demand an engineering pack. Ask for a structural roof assessment, single-line diagram, protection settings, export-limit plan and a yield model built on your interval meter data.

Understand grid connection. Larger systems usually need a network technical assessment from your distributor. The government has asked the Australian Energy Market Commission to speed up approvals for mid-sized commercial solar, but allow months, not weeks.

Compare finance properly. Buying usually has the best lifetime return. For PPAs and leases, compare the rate against your energy contract and check escalation, buy-out terms and what happens if you sell the building. Our solar quote comparison guide covers line items.

Agree O&M. Ask for monitoring access, annual inspections, response times and a performance guarantee with a defined remedy. Most commercial sites are three-phase; see our single vs three-phase guide.

FAQ

How much does commercial solar cost in Australia in 2026?

Solar Choice’s August 2026 index put averages at about $46,000 to $53,000 for 50kW and $71,000 to $89,000 for 100kW in capital cities other than Darwin. Systems above 100kW now attract STCs too.

How many quotes should a business get?

At least three, including one in-house builder, and one finance-capable company if considering a PPA.

Which warranties matter most?

Product warranties come from manufacturers. The installer’s workmanship warranty and performance guarantee are where commercial contracts vary most.

How do I check a commercial installer is legitimate?

Check the SAA register, the New Energy Tech approved seller list, the electrical contractor licence and ABN history, and ask for references from similar-sized projects.

What happens if the installer goes bust?

Manufacturer warranties survive. Workmanship cover and PPA servicing may not, so check balance-sheet backing and what the contract says about assignment. Our solar company failures tracker shows how often this happens.

Should we add a battery?

Only if your load profile, demand charges or backup needs justify it. The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program also covers small businesses for eligible batteries from 5kWh to 100kWh, so check whether your site qualifies before modelling payback.

What are red flags in a commercial solar proposal?

No interval-data analysis, no named equipment, savings that assume 100 per cent self-consumption, no grid connection allowance, large deposits before network approval, and vague certificate pricing.

Related guides

• The 8 Best Off-Grid Solar Installers in Australia for 2026
• We Compared Australia’s Biggest National Solar Companies: These Are the Best

About this review

Written by the Solar Cobber editorial team. Last updated October 2026.

Solar Cobber is a free, independent Australian solar directory. We may earn referral or advertising fees from installers listed on this site, but commercial relationships never influence rankings, awards or the negatives we publish. No company was contacted about or paid for inclusion. Sources are listed in the methodology above, plus DCCEEW notices on the SRES expansion, all current as of October 2026.