Australia launches Solar Sharer Offer with 3 hours of free daytime electricity
The Australian Government will introduce the Solar Sharer Offer (SSO) from July 1, 2026, as part of reforms to the Default Market Offer (DMO), providing eligible households with up to three hours of free electricity in the middle of the day, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The optional program will be available to eligible households in New South Wales, South Australia and South East Queensland, including both renters and homeowners. Households will not need to have rooftop solar panels to participate.
According to the government, the initiative is designed to give more households access to abundant daytime solar energy, help lower electricity bills for those able to shift their energy use to the free-power period, share the benefits of renewable energy more broadly and reduce pressure on the electricity grid during peak demand.
Under the Solar Sharer Offer, eligible households will be able to access up to 24 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of free electricity each day during a three-hour window. The free-power period will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in New South Wales and South East Queensland, and from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. in South Australia.
The offer will be available through energy retailers with more than 1,000 customers in DMO areas. Households must live in an eligible region, have a smart meter installed, not be supplied through an embedded network and be with a retailer required to provide the offer.
The government noted that the free-power period does not make an entire electricity bill free. Customers will continue to pay daily supply charges and for electricity used outside the designated three-hour window. Charges may also apply if electricity use exceeds 24 kWh during the free-power period, with tariff settings to be determined by the Australian Energy Regulator.
Officials encouraged households to assess whether the program fits their daily routines before opting in. Greater savings are expected for households that can shift electricity use – such as running washing machines, dishwashers, clothes dryers, heating and cooling systems, or electric vehicle chargers – to the free-power period.
Eligible households will be able to sign up for the Solar Sharer Offer through their electricity retailer from July 1, 2026.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Australian researchers had announced what they describe as the world’s first successful test of a prototype quantum battery, marking a potential breakthrough in next-generation energy storage.
