호주, 하루 3시간 무료 전력 공급 의무화

Back to Learning Centre Written by Donna Wentworth Last Updated: June 25, 2026 Free Daytime Electricity Is Coming. Here's How It Actually Works From 1 July 2026, energy retailers in NSW, South Australia, and South-East Queensland must give households at least three hours of free electricity every day. No solar panels required. No need to own your home. You just need a smart meter and to opt in through your retailer to have access to free daytime electricity . The scheme is called the Solar Sharer Offer. It works by passing on the benefit of cheap midday solar power, which has always existed on the wholesale market but never made it to your bill, directly to households. Since it was first announced in November 2025, one significant change has been made to the design. This article covers what that change is, how the scheme works in practice, and how to get the most out of it. What Is the Solar Sharer Offer? Australia has more than 4.3 million rooftop solar installations . On a clear midday, those systems push so much electricity into the grid that the market cannot absorb it at normal prices. Wholesale electricity rates go negative. However, households on standard tariffs never see any of that benefit. The Solar Sharer Offer changes that. From 1 July 2026, energy retailers must provide at least three hours of free daytime electricity per day, timed to coincide with peak solar output. The free window will sit around midday, with the exact hours tailored to local conditions. As a rough guide, expect something like 11am to 2pm or noon to 3pm. To access it: You need a smart meter (most Australian homes already have one) If you do not have one, most retailers will install it at no charge You opt in through your energy retailer when the scheme launches Which States Are Included in the Solar Sharer Offer from July 2026? The July 2026 launch covers three states: New South Wales South-East Queensland South Australia These are the states governed by the federal Default Market Offer framework. Victoria is under consultation, with some reports pointing to a possible expansion from October 2026. Other states are expected to follow by 2027. If you are in Victoria, the ACT, or another state not yet covered, check with your retailer. Several retailers including AGL , Red Energy , GloBird Energy , and OVO Energy have already been offering similar free daytime electricity plans voluntarily, so an equivalent option may already exist on the market for you. What Changed After the Public Consultation? When the Solar Sharer Offer was first announced, the headline was simple: three hours of free daytime electricity every day, no strings attached. Then the government ran a public consultation from November to late November 2025, receiving 76 submissions from retailers, network businesses, consumer groups, and state governments. One significant change came out of that process. Per the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), a reasonable use cap of 24 kWh per day was added to the scheme . The government's stated reason is to keep the Solar Sharer Offer financially sustainable for retailers and fair for everyone on the grid. To put 24 kWh in perspective: It is roughly the total daily electricity use of an average five-person household, based on residential consumption benchmarks published by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) in December 2020 and cited by DCCEEW in setting the cap level Running a washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, air conditioning, hot water, and more during the free window would get you close Most households will not reach it on a typical day The regulations for the scheme were finalised and published on 5 March 2026 as amendments to the Electricity Retail Code. Does the 24 kWh Cap Affect Solar Households? For most homes with rooftop solar, the cap is not something you will notice. On a sunny day, your panels are already covering a big chunk of your midday electricity use, which means you are drawing less from the grid during the free window than you might expect. The situations where you might approach the cap are: Cloudy winter days when your panels are generating less than usual Charging a large home battery and an EV from the grid at the same time Households with very small solar systems running high loads during the window Even if you do exceed the cap, you just revert to standard daytime rates for the remainder of that period. You are not penalised, and daytime rates are still cheaper than evening peak rates, so shifting your load to midday is still worth doing. For households without solar who were hoping to charge a large battery heavily during the free window, the cap matters more. The scheme was not designed for that kind of use, and the cap reflects that. How Much Can Free Daytime Electricity Actually Save You? TThe DCCEEW published savings estimates in their consultation outcomes paper on 23 January 2026. The range depends on how much of your energy use you can move into the free window: Shift 10% of your energy use (one major appliance per day): save $100 to $190 per year Shift 20% (add a dryer or set your hot water to heat during the day): save $300 to $790 per year Shift 25 to 30% (also add a pool pump, EV charging, or dishwasher): save $400 to $1,100 per year These are modelled estimates based on average tariff rates and household usage profiles. Your actual savings will depend on your current plan, your household size, and how consistently you can shift load into the free period each day. What Does the Solar Sharer Offer Mean for Homes With Solar and Batteries? This is where free daytime electricity becomes most useful for households that have already invested in solar and battery storage. During the free window, you can charge your home battery from the grid at no cost. On days when your solar is not generating as much as usual, shorter winter days or overcast mornings, the Solar Sharer Offer lets you top up your battery without paying for it. That stored energy then powers your home through the late afternoon and evening, when grid electricity is at its most expensive. For households with an EV, the free window is a straightforward charging opportunity. If your car is at home during the day, scheduling it to charge during the free daytime electricity period rather than overnight cuts a real cost out of your weekly routine. Systems like the Sigenergy home energy platform can automate this scheduling so your battery and EV charging prioritise the free window without you having to manage it manually. That kind of automation is what makes the Solar Sharer Offer most powerful in practice. Who Gets the Most Out of Free Daytime Electricity? The scheme works best for people who are home during the day or who have appliances that can be set on a timer. That includes: People who work from home Retirees Parents or carers at home during the day Households with smart appliances that can be scheduled If you are out of the house all day and have no smart devices, the benefit is more limited. Without automation, the free daytime electricity window passes without much use. A programmable hot water system or EV charger can still capture it while you are out, but you need that capability in place first. Until now, renters and apartment dwellers have largely been locked out of the benefits of Australia's solar boom. The Solar Sharer Offer changes that. You do not need panels on your roof or your name on a mortgage. Free daytime electricity is available to anyone with a smart meter who opts in through their retailer, which means renters and apartment dwellers can engage with the energy market in a meaningful way for the first time. How to Sign Up and Make the Most of the Solar Sharer Offer When the scheme launches on 1 July 2026, contact your energy retailer to opt in. Before then, do two things: Confirm your home has a smart meter. If it does not, contact your retailer now to arrange installation Check whether your high-dra