The Solar Sharer Offer: is free midday power worth it?
The Solar Sharer Offer gives three free hours of electricity every day in NSW, South Australia and south-east Queensland. Here are the rules that matter, and how it plays out for a home with solar panels, a battery, or neither.
The short answer
- Free window: 11am to 2pm in NSW and south-east Queensland, 12pm to 3pm in SA, up to 24kWh a day.
- The trade: power at every other time costs more, and the supply charge still applies.
- Best for: homes with a battery or an electric car, or that can run big appliances at midday. Weakest for: homes with solar and no battery.
Who can get it
- Homes with a smart meter in NSW, South Australia or south-east Queensland[1].
- Not embedded networks, such as some apartment blocks and caravan parks[1].
- Retailers with more than 1,000 customers in those regions must offer it, and you have to ask: no one is moved onto it automatically[1].
The rules that matter
- The free hours are the same every day, all year, and do not move for daylight saving[1].
- Up to 24kWh in the window is free. Above that you pay the plan's cheapest rate[1]. One retailer averages the cap across the billing period[2].
- Outside the window you pay time-of-use rates 1 to 4 cents per kWh above the standard time-of-use rate, depending on the region[3][1].
- A controlled load, such as some off-peak hot water, is billed separately and does not get the free hours[1].
With solar panels
On a sunny day your panels make their most power in the middle of the day, so you are often not buying much grid power in the free window anyway. The saving can be small, while the higher rates apply to everything you buy at night.
Energy Made Easy does not say what feed-in tariff the plan pays[1]. Ask the retailer, then compare the whole bill against your current plan.
With a battery
This is the combination the plan rewards. If the battery can charge from the grid in the window, it fills at no cost and then covers the evening, when rates are highest. A typical home battery is well under the 24kWh cap[1].
- Ask whether your battery and inverter can charge from the grid on a schedule.
- Check it doesn't clash with a virtual power plant you have joined.
With neither
It suits a home that can move big loads into the window: a dishwasher or washing machine on a timer, a pool pump, a heat pump hot water system on a normal circuit, or an electric car charged at home[1]. If nobody is home and nothing runs on a timer, it may cost more than your current plan[1].
Why two quotes for the same job can be thousands apart
Installers price the same system very differently. These are the installed price ranges our calculator works from, before rebates: the low end is what a competitive installer charges, and the high end is what a poor quote looks like.
| System | Competitive quote | Poor quote |
|---|---|---|
| 6.6kW solar system | $8,000 | $10,000 |
| 10kWh battery | $7,650 | $13,500 |
| About 15kWh battery | $12,100 | $18,000 |
- The gap usually comes from margin, the brand of panel, inverter or battery, and extras such as a switchboard upgrade or backup circuit, not from a better install.
- Get at least two or three quotes, and ask for each to be itemised: hardware brands and models, size, rebates taken off, and anything extra.
- Compare batteries on price per usable kWh, not the headline price.
Free hours, solar, a battery, or all three?
The free window changes which upgrade is worth it, and the answer depends on when your house uses power. Two minutes of questions shows what solar and a battery would save on your roof and your usage. No installer sees anything unless you ask.
Run my numbers, freeCommon questions
When did the Solar Sharer Offer start?
1 July 2026, in NSW, South Australia and south-east Queensland.
Is there a limit on the free power?
Yes. Up to 24kWh used in the free window is free; above that you pay the plan's cheapest rate.
Can I get the Solar Sharer Offer in Victoria, WA or Tasmania?
No. Victoria has its own scheme, the Midday Power Saver. WA, Tasmania, the NT, the ACT and regional Queensland are not covered.
Do I need solar panels to get it?
No. Any eligible home with a smart meter can ask for it. If you do have solar, check the feed-in tariff it pays.
Sources
- Energy Made Easy (Australian Energy Regulator), The Solar Sharer Offer (SSO): what you need to know. Read 4 November 2026 (page last updated 30 June 2026).
- EnergyAustralia, Standing Offer Solar Sharer. Read 4 November 2026.
- Australian Energy Regulator, 2026-27 Default market offer: final determination, May 2026. Read 4 November 2026.