Australian households in New South Wales, South Australia, and South-East Queensland are now eligible for a significant new electricity offer, the Solar Sharer Offer (SSO), which commenced on July 1, 2026. This federal government initiative allows eligible customers with smart meters to access three hours of free electricity daily during the midday solar peak, directly leveraging Australia’s abundant rooftop solar generation to reduce household power bills.
The SSO is a regulated electricity offer designed to encourage consumers to shift their energy use to periods when solar power is most plentiful, helping to balance the grid and lower overall electricity costs. It applies regardless of whether a household has its own solar panels or not.
How Australia’s Free Solar Sharer Offer Works
Under the Solar Sharer Offer, participating energy retailers must provide customers with a tariff that includes a three-hour window of free electricity during the middle of the day. This period is strategically chosen to coincide with the highest output from Australia’s extensive rooftop solar fleet, which reached a cumulative 26.8 GW by the first half of 2025.
Eligibility:
- Reside in New South Wales (NSW), South Australia (SA), or South-East Queensland (SE QLD).
- Have a smart meter installed at your home.
- Opt-in to a Solar Sharer Offer plan with a participating energy retailer. This is not an automatic enrolment; customers must actively switch to an SSO-specific plan.
Free Period Timings:
- NSW and South-East Queensland: 11:00 am to 2:00 pm AEST
- South Australia: 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm ACST
There is a daily usage cap of 24 kWh during the free period, which is designed to cover the needs of an average five-person household. It’s important to note that while primary load electricity usage is free during these hours, other charges such as daily supply charges and controlled load charges will still apply.
“Australia has more rooftop solar capacity than the entire fleet of remaining coal fired power stations across the country. This abundant power makes wholesale daytime prices very cheap, and even negative, and means the energy market often has more electricity in the middle of the day than we currently use.”
Maximising Your Savings with Free Midday Power
The core benefit of the SSO lies in its ability to significantly reduce household energy bills by allowing consumers to run high-consumption appliances when electricity is free. This includes washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, ovens, and heating or cooling systems.
For households with electric vehicles (EVs) or home batteries, the SSO presents a prime opportunity to charge these assets at no cost. By charging EVs and batteries during the free midday window, consumers can then utilise this stored energy during more expensive peak periods, further amplifying their savings. This strategy aligns with broader efforts to integrate consumer energy resources into the grid.
Understanding your electricity plan and shifting usage can be complex, but resources like our Slash Your 2026 Peak Electricity Charges by Up To 70%: Your Daily ToU Tariff Playbook can provide further guidance on optimising consumption during specific tariff windows. For those considering smart home upgrades, our Unlock $800+ Savings: Your Smart Meter Guide for Australia 2026 offers essential information on leveraging smart meter capabilities, which are a prerequisite for the SSO.
Impact on Solar Owners and Non-Solar Households
The Solar Sharer Offer is particularly notable because it extends the benefits of solar generation to all eligible households, not just those with rooftop PV systems. This means renters and homeowners without solar installations can still capitalise on Australia’s solar boom.
For existing solar owners, the picture is nuanced. While the free hours reduce midday grid imports (beneficial if your system is undersized or you have high daytime usage), the SSO does not directly compensate for lower export rates. Many major retailers adjusted their solar feed-in tariffs downwards from July 1, 2026, with IPART’s NSW benchmark for 2026–27 dropping from 4.8–7.3 c/kWh to 3.4–6.5 c/kWh. This makes optimising self-consumption and shifting load even more critical for solar owners.
| Retailer (NSW) | Old Flat Rate FiT (c/kWh) | New Flat Rate FiT (c/kWh) | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| EnergyAustralia | 4 | 3 | July 1, 2026 |
| AGL | Varies | 0 (Standard Retail Contracts) | July 1, 2026 |
Note: Ergon Energy (regional QLD) FiT dropped from 8.66c to 6.006c/kWh from July 1, 2026.
The Broader Context: Grid Management and Future Expansion
The introduction of the SSO is part of broader government reforms to the Default Market Offer (DMO) and aims to address the challenges posed by periods of minimum system load (MSL) in the National Electricity Market (NEM). As Australia’s energy market regulator, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC), consults on new rules to manage excess solar generation, initiatives like the SSO are crucial for maintaining grid stability and integrating renewable energy more effectively.
Initially available in NSW, SA, and SE QLD, the Australian Government plans to extend the Solar Sharer Offer nationwide by 2027, following further consultations on tariff design, consumer protections, and market impacts. This expansion underscores the long-term strategy to ensure all Australians benefit from the country’s transition to a cleaner, more solar-reliant energy future. Households considering significant energy upgrades, such as home batteries, can also explore options like Home Battery Backup for Blackouts in 2026: Systems & Costs from $7,000 to maximise the value of free power periods and enhance energy resilience.
To inquire about the Solar Sharer Offer and understand how it can impact your household, contact your current energy retailer directly. They can provide specific details on plan availability, eligibility, and the steps required to opt-in.