Millions of Aussies to get free electricity from this week - but some will miss out
Millions of households will be able to get a period of free electricity every day, but only in three areas of the country.
The federal government’s Solar Sharer Offer will allow eligible households in NSW, south-east Queensland and South Australia three hours of free electricity in the middle of the day from Wednesday.
The government is forcing retailers to use up the abundance of solar energy. Dorothy Woodgate
Who is eligible?
The Solar Sharer Offer is optional and available for both home owners and renters in NSW, south-east Queensland and South Australia.
Households do not need their own solar panels or batteries to opt in, but do need a smart meter installed.
Energy retailers with more than 1000 customers in the areas must use the nation’s abundance of solar power to provide free electricity of up to 24 kWh to households during those three hours.
This offer is not available to small businesses.
When are the three-hour free periods?
The three-hour period will kick in from 11am to 2pm AEST each day for customers in NSW and south-east Queensland.
In South Australia, it is from 12pm to 3pm ACST.
How to lower bills with the free electricity
The Solar Sharer Offer is expected to lower bills if households shift a bulk of their electricity consumption to the free period.
This will also help spread demand and ease pressure on the grid.
The government advises households to use heavy appliances like their heating and cooling, clothes dryer, washing machines, dishwashers and EV chargers during this time.
Why is this only eligible in three areas?
NSW, south-east Queensland and South Australia are covered by the government’s Default Market Offer, which is a cap on how much retailers can charge households on standing offer electricity contracts.
While it acts as safety net, it is not the absolute cheapest deal on the market.
The Solar Sharer Offer was introduced as part of reforms to the Default Market Offer to protect the households that cannot shop around for other deals.
Other states and territories have their own systems.
The Solar Sharer Offer is expected to lower bills when the bulk of usage is shifted to the three-hour window. Getty
Will this be rolled out nationwide?
The federal government has said it is considering making the Solar Sharer Offer available in other areas, but it is unclear exactly when it plans to do so.
In Victoria, the state government has announced it will introduce the Midday Energy Saver from October.
It will give households free power from 11am to 2pm AEST each day, saving them about $429 a year.
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