Free electricity sounds too good to be true; but, beginning on 1 July 2026, eligible households in parts of Australia will receive three hours of free electricity every day through the new Solar Sharer Offer. Introduced by the Australian Government, the Solar Sharer Offer is an optional electricity plan that gives participating families with a smart meter up to 24 kWh of free electricity during a designated midday window. The plan aims to make better use of Australia's abundant daytime solar generation while helping families lower their electricity costs.
What Is the Solar Share Offer?
The Solar Sharer Offer is an optional government-regulated electricity plan introduced as part of the 2026–27 Default Market Offer reforms. Available from 1 July 2026, it gives eligible families in selected Australian regions access to free electricity every day during periods of peak solar production.
Key features of the Solar Sharer Offer include:
- Available from: 1 July 2026.
- Free period: 3 hours.
- Eligible regions: New South Wales (NSW), South Australia (SA), and South East Queensland (SEQ).
- Free electricity allowance: Up to 24 kWh per day during the designated free period.
- Free electricity window:
- NSW & SEQ: 11:00 am–2:00 pm
- SA: 12:00 pm–3:00 pm
- Required installation: Smart meter
Electricity rates outside the free window: Electricity used outside the free period is charged under regulated time-of-use (TOU) standing offer rates, which vary by providers and time of day. Peak rates generally apply during the evening, while shoulder and off-peak rates apply at other times. Households also continue to pay the daily supply charge.
The Solar Sharer Offer is an opt-in plan. While electricity is free during the designated midday window, any usage outside that period is billed at regulated standing-offer rates, which may be higher than some competitive market offers. Families should compare plans based on their overall electricity usage patterns before switching.
Why Did Australia Introduce the Solar Sharer Offer?
As more rooftop solar systems are installed in Australia, large amounts of electricity are generated during the middle of the day, when solar output is highest. However, household electricity demand is often lower at this time and rises in the evening when solar generation drops.
By offering free electricity during the midday solar peak, the plan incentivises households to shift energy use to periods when renewable energy is most productive. This helps reduce wasted solar generation, ease pressure on the grid during peak periods, and allow more families, including those without rooftop solar, to benefit from the country's renewable energy transition.
How Does the Solar Share Offer Work?
The Solar Share Offer is designed to encourage families to use more electricity when solar energy is most abundant. The more electricity you can shift into the free midday window, the greater your potential savings. By scheduling energy-intensive appliances to run during the three-hour free period, you can reduce the amount of electricity purchased at regular rates later in the day.
To maximise the value of the plan, consider running high-energy appliances during the designated free period, such as:
- EV charging
- Heat pump
- Electric water heater
- Air conditioner
- Washing machine and clothes dryer
- Dishwasher
- Pool pump or spa equipment
Who Can Join the Offer?
Both homeowners and renters living in eligible areas may qualify for the offer, provided their electricity retailer offers the plan. Because participation by retailers is voluntary, not all providers will make this free electricity offer available to customers. If your current retailer does not offer the plan, you would need to switch to a participating retailer to enroll.
The Trade-Off: Free Electricity Entails the Need to Change Lifestyles
While the Solar Sharer Offer may reduce electricity bills, it also requires households to modify their electricity usage habits. Families that use most of their electricity in the evening, or are away from home during the day, may find it difficult to take full advantage of the three-hour free window. Tasks such as doing laundry or charging an EV may need to be rescheduled to midday. For families with inflexible routines, changing long-established habits may be challenging.
How to Increase the Value of the Solar Share Offer
The Solar Share Offer creates an opportunity to access free electricity, but the big challenge is capturing its full value when household energy use does not coincide with the midday free window. A home energy management and battery storage solution can help unlock the full value of the offer by storing the free energy and using it when households need it most, such as during expensive evening peak hours.
A premium solution such as the FranklinWH System can be configured in TOU mode to optimise energy usage under the Solar Sharer Offer. For homes with solar, the system prioritises charging the battery with excess solar generation and can also charge using the free grid electricity when solar production is insufficient. Homes without solar can still benefit by charging the battery with grid electricity during the free window and using the stored energy when electricity rates are steep.
Additionally, you can use the Smart Circuits to shift specific energy-intensive appliances that do not interfere with your daily routines, such as water heaters, to automatically operate during the free electricity window. By storing free energy and discharging it when needed, the system allows families to maintain their normal energy habits while maximising savings from the Solar Sharer Offer.
Conclusion
The Solar Sharer Offer provides Australian households with a new way to benefit from the country's growing renewable energy resources by offering free electricity during periods of strong solar generation. However, maximising its value requires families to move energy use to the midday window, which may not always align with their daily routines. By combining the offer with an intelligent energy management and battery storage solution, such as the FranklinWH System, families can capture free energy, minimise electricity bought from the grid, and enjoy greater electricity savings without compromising on their lifestyles.
Schedule a free consultation from FranklinWH to start your journey towards greater savings today!
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