Ausgrid flexible or fixed exports: which to choose
From late 2026, anyone installing or upgrading solar on Ausgrid's network makes a choice most people will not know they are making: a flexible export connection or a fixed one. Here is what each one is, and how to decide.
The two options
A flexible export connection is automatically approved to export up to 10kW per phase: 10kW on a single-phase supply and 30kW on three-phase. Ausgrid can turn it down when the local network needs it, to a minimum of 1.5kW per site[1].
A fixed export connection is approved for 3kW per system, not per phase, and Ausgrid never adjusts it[1].
Either way, the inverter has to talk to Ausgrid over the internet. A house without a reliable connection gets a static limit of 1.5kW per system[1].
Who it applies to
New and upgraded systems from late 2026. Existing systems that are not being upgraded are not affected[1]. Ausgrid's network covers inner, northern and eastern Sydney, the Central Coast and the Hunter[2].
How to choose
Look at how much you export. A household out all day with a mid-sized or large array sends a lot out on a sunny afternoon, and a 3kW fixed cap throws much of it away. Flexible usually lets more of it out, most of the time.
A household that uses most of its solar directly, or has a battery that soaks up the afternoon, may rarely hit 3kW. For that house the fixed option gives a number that never moves, which some people prefer.
Exported power earns only a few cents in New South Wales: IPART's benchmark for 2026-27 is 3.4 to 6.5c a unit, and retailers do not have to pay it[3]. So neither choice is worth much on its own. It matters most for big arrays, and for households planning an electric car or a battery later.
What to ask the installer
Which connection the system has been designed to, and why. How much of the afternoon surplus would be curtailed on a fixed 3kW limit. Whether the inverter can stay online reliably at your house. A quote that does not say which option it assumes is not finished.
Get your own numbers
Two minutes of questions gets you your system size, what it should cost after rebates, and what it saves, built on your roof and your usage. No installer sees anything unless you ask.
Run my numbers, freeArea guides
Common questions
What is Ausgrid's export limit from late 2026?
New and upgraded systems choose between a flexible connection of up to 10kW per phase, which can be turned down to 1.5kW per site, and a fixed connection of 3kW per system. Without reliable internet, the limit is 1.5kW per system.
Does this affect my existing solar?
Not unless you upgrade it. Existing systems that are not being upgraded are not affected.
Should I choose flexible or fixed?
If you export a lot, flexible usually lets more out. If you use most of your solar yourself, the fixed 3kW may rarely matter and gives certainty.
Sources
- Ausgrid, Choosing a solar system. Read 2026-10-26.
- Australian Energy Regulator, Who is your distributor?. Read 2026-10-27.
- IPART, Fact sheet: solar feed-in tariff benchmark for 2026-27. Read 2026-10-26.