Australia to Mandate Three Hours of Free Midday Power for Households

Starting 1 July 2026, energy retailers in New South Wales, South-East Queensland, and South Australia must offer households at least three hours of free electricity each day, timed to the midday solar peak (roughly 11am–3pm). The program, dubbed the Solar Sharer Offer, passes on the negative wholesale prices that Australia’s 4.3 million rooftop solar systems already create at midday — cheap power that standard tariffs have never reflected. There’s no requirement to own solar panels or a home; households just need a smart meter, which most already have, and must opt in through their retailer.

A public consultation late in 2025 produced one notable revision: a 24 kWh daily ‘reasonable use’ cap, added to keep the scheme financially viable for retailers. That ceiling roughly matches a five-person household’s typical daily consumption, so most homes won’t hit it; those who do simply revert to standard daytime rates, which still beat evening peak pricing. Government modelling pegs savings at $100–$190 a year for shifting 10% of usage into the window, rising to $400–$1,100 for households that move a quarter to a third of their load.

The scheme’s real value lands with those who can automate. Homes with batteries can charge from the grid for free during the window and discharge through expensive evening peaks; EV owners can schedule daytime charging. The bigger significance is access: renters and apartment dwellers, long shut out of Australia’s solar boom, can now benefit from cheap solar power for the first time. Victoria is under consultation with a possible October 2026 expansion, and other states are expected to follow by 2027.