IN BRIEF
- Households in NSW, South Australia and part of Queensland will be able to access free electricity during a daily three-hour window.
- Eligible households will need to opt in through their energy retailers.
Some Australians in the country's east will soon be able to receive free electricity for three hours per day, as part of the federal government's Solar Sharer Offer.
Starting Wednesday, the scheme is designed to give more households access to solar power when it's most abundant during the day, the scheme will be available to renters and homeowners living in NSW, South Australia and south-east Queensland, all of which are covered by the Default Market Offer (DMO).
Set by the Australian Energy Regulator, the DMO is the maximum price that energy retailers can charge residential and small business customers on a standing offer electricity contract. Other states and territories have their own systems.
Who is eligible?
Households don't need to have their own rooftop solar to be eligible, but they do need to live in one of the three areas and have a household smart meter installed. They also have to use a retailer that is required to offer the Solar Sharer Offer — any in the DMO areas with more than 1,000 customers — and not be supplied through an embedded network.
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Small businesses have been excluded from the Solar Sharer Offer.
When are the free electricity hours?
Eligible households will be able to access up to 24kWh of free electricity during a three-hour window each day. For NSW and south-east Queensland, the window is from 11am to 2pm AEST. In South Australia, the window will be from 12pm to 3pm ACST.
The offer isn't automatic. Eligible households will need to opt in through their energy retailer.
How to make the most of the free energy hours
Back in January, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the Solar Sharer Offer was about "making sure we make the most of our huge solar generation".
"It will provide direct bill savings for households who sign up and can move their energy use into the zero-cost power period, while also taking pressure off evening peak demand, lowering network and system security costs," he said.
On its website, Australia's energy department says households eligible for the Solar Sharer Offer can take advantage of it by planning around the three-hour daily window.
It suggests running larger appliances during the free-power period "where it is safe and practical to do so". That may include heating and cooling, using clothes dryers, washing machines, dishwashers and EV chargers.
It also suggests planning to complete regular household tasks, such as laundry or dishwashing, during the period.
Will other states and territories follow?
In Victoria, where the DMO doesn’t apply, the state government has announced that it will roll out the Midday Energy Saver from October.
The scheme will offer a free power window between 11am and 2pm every day. Victorians interested in accessing the scheme will need to contact their own retailers to sign up by 1 October.
The state government estimates a household could save between $139 and $429 a year by accessing the scheme, while EV owners who charge their vehicles during the free power window could save an additional $674.
The federal government also says it's considering making the Solar Sharer Offer, or an equivalent option, "available in other areas".
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