When Minaret College first opened its doors in 1992, there were just 22 students enrolled. Since then, it has grown to become the largest co-educational Islamic school in Melbourne’s southeast, with 2,500 students across three campuses.
However, that growth has not come without cost. Over the years, Minaret College has experienced a steep and sometimes unpredictable rise in energy expenditure. As a not-for-profit, these increasing operational costs have placed additional strain on the school.
This prompted Minaret College’s Executive Principal, Mohammad Taksim, to explore switching to solar power last year.
Taksim reached out to commercial solar experts Smart Solar Solutions to visit the Springvale and Officer campuses in mid-2025 to assess their suitability for solar and the feasibility of the project.
Project snapshot
Channel Partner: Smart Solar Solutions
Industry: NFP School
Equipment:
Site 1 (Springvale Campus) – 360x Jinko solar panels & 3x Sungrow inverters
Site 2 (Officer Campus) – 270x Jinko solar panels & 2x Sungrow inverters
Term: 60 months
The main buildings at both campuses feature large, flat roofs fully exposed to the sun. Combined with the school’s high daytime energy use, this meant solar systems would be highly effective at both locations, capturing solar energy throughout the day to power the school with minimal waste.
For optimal performance, the Smart Solar Solutions team recommended substantial systems at both sites. The Springvale campus received 360 Jinko solar panels integrated with three Sungrow inverters, while the smaller Officer campus received 270 Jinko solar panels with two Sungrow inverters.
The only remaining consideration was the cost of the project, which was significant due to the size of the systems.
Fortunately, Smart Solar Solutions is a Smart Ease–accredited installer and was able to offer the college a $0 upfront Smart Ease Payment Plan to fund the installation. This allowed Minaret College to preserve its cash reserves and instead use monthly energy-bill savings to help pay for the system over time.
It was an easy decision.
With the help of Smart Solar Solutions, Taksim applied online for a 60-month Payment Plan with Smart Ease. As a not-for-profit school, the application easily met credit requirements and was quickly approved.
Both systems were installed in the second half of 2025 and are now fully operational.
For Minaret College, this clean energy project represents a significant milestone. Alongside supporting sustainability goals and setting a strong example for students, the school is now benefiting from a substantial reduction in operating costs and a clearer pathway for future growth.
Start a conversation with Smart Ease and find out how our Payment Plans can help you generate solar savings