Windows of daily free electricity are coming to Australians next year, as part of the newly announced Solar Sharer scheme by the Federal Government.
Under the scheme, which is set to begin in July next year, energy retailers will be made to offer free electricity to homes for at least three hours a day during the middle of the day. It’s meant to take advantage of the more than four million solar systems installed across Australia that feed energy back into the power grid.
Who is eligible for Solar Sharer?
Not all Australians will benefit from Solar Sharer to begin with, however. States regulated by the Default Market Offer will be the first to access the scheme, including New South Wales, South-East Queensland, and South Australia. According to the Government’s official announcement, Solar Sharer will potentially come to other states by 2027 after a consultation period.
To access the scheme next July, eligible households need to have a smart meter, which records energy usage digitally. Then, Australians can monitor their use more closely and run power-intensive appliances during the free window.
Owning solar panels is not a requirement to participate in the scheme, with the Federal Government aiming to reduce power bill stress for homeowners and renters alike.
“People who are able to move electricity use into the zero cost power period will benefit directly, whether they have solar panels or not and whether they own or rent, and the more people take up the offer and move their use, the greater the system benefits that lower costs for all electricity users will be,” said Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen.
Earlier in the year, the Federal Government launched a solar battery rebate, leading to a large uptake of batteries designed to store energy for use when solar energy is unavailable. Those who have installed home batteries report being able to save money on electricity by scheduling appliances, like dishwashers and EV chargers, to run off stored power instead of paying for energy from the grid.
Between Solar Sharer, solar panels, and home batteries, millions of Australians could benefit from a drastically cheaper power bill.
