Every free electricity offer in Australia
Filter by your state to see what you can actually sign up for. Government schemes are shown once each, because their terms are set by the regulator and are identical whichever retailer you take them from.
Last updated . Every figure was checked against the retailer's own page or a government source. Where we could not verify something we say so rather than guess. See how we ranked these.
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Australian Government, via the Australian Energy Regulator
Ranked 1: Solar Sharer Offer
Government scheme NSW SA QLD Available now- Free window
- 11am to 2pm3 hours a day, every day
- Daily free cap
- 24 kWhper day, free
- Where
- NSW, SA, QLD
- Our score
- 85out of 100
The catch: Rates outside the window are higher by design. The regulator states the offer has the same annual cost as a standard time of use tariff, with the free midday energy paid for by roughly 1 to 4 cents per kWh more at every other time of day
Full details and sources
The window
Two windows depending on where you live. NSW and South East Queensland get 11am to 2pm. South Australia gets 12pm to 3pm. Either way it is three hours, every day of the week including weekends. The times are fixed in local time year round and do not move for daylight saving.
Retailers offering it
The terms are set by the regulator, so these are the same product wherever you take it. What does differ is the solar feed in tariff and the rates you pay outside the window, so compare those.
- AGL
- Origin Energy
- EnergyAustralia
- Red Energy
- ENGIE
- Alinta Energy
- Sumo
- Momentum Energy
- Powershop
- Amber Electric
- Energy Locals
- Tango Energy
- Diamond Energy
The cap
The first 24 kWh you use inside the window is free, which the regulator describes as roughly a five person household's entire daily use. Going over the cap does not push you onto peak rates: the excess is billed at the off peak or solar soak rate for your network. The cap applies to general usage only, so controlled load does not count towards it.
You still pay for
- The daily supply charge, in full, every day including during the free window
- Controlled load, which is excluded from the free window and billed separately
- Everything you use outside the three hour window, at time of use rates
- Anything above 24 kWh inside the window, at the off peak or solar soak rate
- Gas, which is unaffected
Eligibility
- Residential customers only, not businesses
- You must have a smart meter
- You must be in NSW, South Australia or South East Queensland. Victoria, ACT, Tasmania, WA, NT and regional Queensland are outside the scheme
- You do not need rooftop solar. This is worth repeating because the name suggests otherwise
- Renters and owners are both eligible
- Not available on embedded networks
- Retailers with more than 1,000 customers across the covered regions must offer it. Smaller retailers do not have to
- Opt in only. Your retailer will not move you onto it automatically, you have to ask
Other things to check
- It is a time of use plan, so if you are currently on a flat rate you take on peak pricing you did not have before
- A household that opts in but does not actually shift its usage will generally pay more, not less
- It replaces your existing plan rather than adding to it, so you may lose market offer discounts you are on now
- The solar feed in tariff is not regulated by the scheme and varies sharply. AGL states it pays no feed in tariff at all on its Solar Sharer Offer, so solar households must check this retailer by retailer
Distribution zones
Ausgrid (NSW), Endeavour Energy (NSW), Essential Energy (NSW), Energex (South East QLD), SA Power Networks (SA)
Risk flags counted in the score
- higher peak rates: The cost of the free window is recovered through higher rates at other times of day.
We could not verify
per network excess usage rates. Confirm these with the retailer.
Sources
- The Solar Sharer Offer: what you need to know, Energy Made Easy (AER), checked 2026-07-26
- Solar Sharer Offer, energy.gov.au (DCCEEW), checked 2026-07-26
- AER retailer fact sheet, Solar Sharer Offer, DMO 2026-27, checked 2026-07-26
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Ranked 2: 4Free
Retailer plan VIC NSW SA QLD Available now- Free window
- 11am to 3pm4 hours a day, every day
- Daily free cap
- 32 kWhper day, free
- Where
- VIC, NSW, SA, QLD
- Our score
- 85out of 100
The catch: It is not a true zero cent tariff. The free energy arrives as a bill credit that offsets the usage cost after the fact, so your bill will show the usage charged and then credited
Full details and sources
The window
Four hours every day, 11am to 3pm local time. Available in Victoria as well as NSW, SA and South East Queensland.
The cap
32 kWh a day, which is more generous than the 24 kWh cap on both government schemes.
You still pay for
- Daily supply charge
- All usage outside 11am to 3pm
- Controlled load
Eligibility
- Residential customers
- Available in Victoria
- Solar not required
Other things to check
- As a market offer there is no regulated ceiling on your out of window rates
Risk flags counted in the score
- higher peak rates: The cost of the free window is recovered through higher rates at other times of day.
- no rate cap: A market offer, so no regulated ceiling on what you pay outside the free window.
- credit not tariff: Delivered as a bill credit after the fact rather than a zero cent rate.
We could not verify
distribution zones, daily supply charge, out of window rates, exit fees. Confirm these with the retailer.
Sources
- Flow Power 4Free, checked 2026-07-26
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Ranked 3: Everyday with Daylight tariff
Retailer plan NSW QLD SA Available now- Free window
- 11am to 2pm3 hours a day, every day
- Daily free cap
- 24 kWhper day, free
- Where
- NSW, QLD, SA
- Our score
- 80out of 100
The catch: The published peak rate on the Ausgrid fact sheet is 63.65c per kWh, materially above typical NSW peak rates. This is the concrete price you pay for the free window
Full details and sources
The window
Three hours free daily, 11am to 2pm in NSW and South East Queensland and 12pm to 3pm in South Australia, fixed in local time. Matches the regulated scheme's structure.
The cap
24 kWh a day, matching the regulated scheme.
You still pay for
- Daily supply charge
- All usage outside the window
- Controlled load
Eligibility
- Residential customers
- Smart meter required
- Solar not required
Distribution zones
Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy, Essential Energy, Energex, SA Power Networks
Risk flags counted in the score
- higher peak rates: The cost of the free window is recovered through higher rates at other times of day.
- no rate cap: A market offer, so no regulated ceiling on what you pay outside the free window.
We could not verify
daily supply charge, exit fees. Confirm these with the retailer.
Sources
- Diamond Energy energy price fact sheet, Ausgrid residential market offer, checked 2026-07-26
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Ranked 4: ZEROHERO
Retailer plan VIC NSW SA QLD Available now- Free window
- 12pm to 3pm3 hours a day, every day
- Daily free cap
- 50 kWhper day, free
- Where
- VIC, NSW, SA, QLD
- Our score
- 78.8out of 100
The catch: You must already own a home battery inside a fairly narrow specification band, so unlike the government schemes this is not a plan a typical household can just sign up to
Full details and sources
The window
Three hours free daily. The window depends on when you joined: 12pm to 3pm for customers who joined on or after 1 July 2026, and 11am to 2pm for those who joined before that. We show the current window for new customers.
The cap
50 kWh a day, the most generous published cap we found anywhere. That is more than double the government schemes.
You still pay for
- Daily supply charge
- All usage outside the window
- Controlled load
Eligibility
- You must already own a home battery between 3 and 100 kWh, with a 3 to 30 kW inverter
- Residential customers
- Available in Victoria
Other things to check
- As a market offer there is no regulated ceiling on your out of window rates
Risk flags counted in the score
- higher peak rates: The cost of the free window is recovered through higher rates at other times of day.
- no rate cap: A market offer, so no regulated ceiling on what you pay outside the free window.
- needs hardware: You must already own solar or a battery to qualify.
We could not verify
launch date, daily supply charge, out of window rates, feed in tariff rates. Confirm these with the retailer.
Sources
- ZEROHERO, GloBird Energy, checked 2026-07-26
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Ranked 5: SolarMax
Retailer plan NSW QLD SA Available now- Free window
- 11am to 2pm3 hours a day, every day
- Daily free cap
- 50 kWhper day, free
- Where
- NSW, QLD, SA
- Our score
- 75out of 100
The catch: You need solar to qualify, unlike the regulated Solar Sharer Offer which is explicitly open to households without panels
Full details and sources
The window
Free grid import from 11am to 2pm daily at zero cents per kWh.
The cap
50 kWh a day, well above the government schemes' 24 kWh.
You still pay for
- Daily supply charge
- All usage outside the window
- Controlled load
Eligibility
- You must have an approved, exporting solar system
- Residential customers
Other things to check
- Days of the week and daylight saving treatment are not stated on CovaU's page
Risk flags counted in the score
- higher peak rates: The cost of the free window is recovered through higher rates at other times of day.
- no rate cap: A market offer, so no regulated ceiling on what you pay outside the free window.
- needs hardware: You must already own solar or a battery to qualify.
We could not verify
daily supply charge, out of window rates, exit fees, days of week, daylight saving treatment. Confirm these with the retailer.
Sources
- SolarMax, CovaU Energy, checked 2026-07-26
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Ranked 6: The Free 4 Plan
Retailer plan VIC NSW QLD SA Available now- Free window
- 11am to 3pm4 hours a day, every day
- Daily free cap
- No daily capUncapped within the window
- Where
- VIC, NSW, QLD, SA
- Our score
- 75out of 100
The catch: The Fair Use Policy is an effective cap with no published number. OVO states that if usage is much higher than it would reasonably expect from a household, it may move you onto its Standard Retail Contract, which is a plan change rather than just an excess charge
Full details and sources
The window
Four hours every day, 11am to 3pm, confirmed on OVO's own plan page and its legal terms. One hour longer than either government scheme. Replaces the closed Free 3 Plan, which ran 11am to 2pm.
The cap
No published kWh cap. Instead OVO applies a Fair Use Policy, which is a softer but vaguer limit than the government schemes' hard 24 kWh line.
You still pay for
- Daily supply charge
- All usage outside 11am to 3pm
- Controlled load
Eligibility
- Residential customers
- Available in Victoria, unlike the federal Solar Sharer Offer
- Solar not required
Other things to check
- As a market offer it carries no regulated ceiling on the rates you pay outside the window
Risk flags counted in the score
- higher peak rates: The cost of the free window is recovered through higher rates at other times of day.
- no rate cap: A market offer, so no regulated ceiling on what you pay outside the free window.
- discretionary cap: A fair use policy with no published number, instead of a fixed kWh cap you can check.
We could not verify
distribution zones, out of window rates, daily supply charge. Confirm these with the retailer.
Sources
- The Free 4 Plan, OVO Energy Australia, checked 2026-07-26
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Ranked 7: Solar Sharer, Tariff 12F
Retailer plan QLD Available now- Free window
- 11am to 2pm3 hours a day, every day
- Daily free cap
- 24 kWhper day, free
- Where
- QLD
- Our score
- 73.6out of 100
The catch: Tariff 12F only became available on 1 July 2026, so there is no track record yet
Full details and sources
The window
Three hours free every day, 11am to 2pm. Notable because it covers regional Queensland, which sits outside the South East Queensland area where the federal scheme applies.
The cap
24 kWh a day, matching the federal scheme.
You still pay for
- Daily service fee
- All usage outside the window
- Controlled load
Eligibility
- Residential customers in regional Queensland
- Smart meter required
Other things to check
- Moving to it may change your solar feed in tariff arrangements
Distribution zones
Ergon Energy (regional Queensland)
Risk flags counted in the score
- higher peak rates: The cost of the free window is recovered through higher rates at other times of day.
We could not verify
daily service fee, out of window rates, feed in tariff change, exit fees. Confirm these with the retailer.
Sources
- Solar Sharer, Ergon Energy Retail, checked 2026-07-26
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Ranked 8: Community Energy
Retailer plan WA Available now- Free window
- 9am to 3pm6 hours a day, every day
- Daily free cap
- 10 kWhper day, free
- Where
- WA
- Our score
- 63.7out of 100
The catch: It is a hardship product, not a market offer. You cannot sign up for it, you have to be placed on it by Synergy
Full details and sources
The window
Six hours, 9am to 3pm, the longest free window we found in Australia. Western Australia sits outside the national market, so neither government scheme reaches it and this is the only free window product we could confirm there.
The cap
10 kWh a day, well below the 24 kWh on the east coast schemes, which limits how much that long window is actually worth.
You still pay for
- Daily supply charge
- All usage outside 9am to 3pm
- Usage above 10 kWh in the window
Eligibility
- You must be in Synergy's hardship or case management program. This is not a plan you can shop for
Other things to check
- We could not find a live product page. Both primary sources are dated 2023, so confirm with Synergy that it is still running
Distribution zones
Western Power
Risk flags counted in the score
- restricted access: Not open to the general public.
- not final: Terms are not yet settled, or we could not confirm the plan is still open.
We could not verify
current availability 2026, out of window rates, daily supply charge. Confirm these with the retailer.
Sources
- More energy savings for those doing it tough, Synergy media release, checked 2026-07-26
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Ranked 9: EV Day
Retailer plan VIC NSW SA QLD Available now- Free window
- 12pm to 2pm2 hours a day, every day
- Daily free cap
- Not published
- Where
- VIC, NSW, SA, QLD
- Our score
- 62.5out of 100
The catch: A discretionary Fair Use Policy with no published threshold, instead of a fixed kWh cap. That is weaker protection than the regulated scheme's hard 24 kWh line, because the limit is a judgement call you cannot check in advance
Full details and sources
The window
Two hours free every day, 12pm to 2pm, which Powershop's terms call the Super Off Peak period. Aimed at EV charging but the free window applies to whatever you run.
The cap
No published kWh cap. A discretionary Fair Use Policy applies instead.
You still pay for
- Daily supply charge
- All usage outside 12pm to 2pm
- Controlled load
Eligibility
- Residential customers
- Available in Victoria
Other things to check
- Only two free hours a day, a third less than the government schemes
Risk flags counted in the score
- higher peak rates: The cost of the free window is recovered through higher rates at other times of day.
- no rate cap: A market offer, so no regulated ceiling on what you pay outside the free window.
- discretionary cap: A fair use policy with no published number, instead of a fixed kWh cap you can check.
We could not verify
daily cap kwh, out of window rates, feed in tariff rate, fair use threshold. Confirm these with the retailer.
Sources
- EV Day, Powershop, checked 2026-07-26
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Victorian Government, regulated by the Essential Services Commission
Ranked 10: Victorian Midday Power Saver
Government scheme VIC From 1 October 2026 (64 days away)- Free window
- 11am to 2pm3 hours a day, every day
- Daily free cap
- 24 kWhper day, free
- Where
- VIC
- Our score
- 61.3out of 100
The catch: Not yet law. The window, the 24 kWh cap and every tariff figure are the regulator's recommendations, awaiting an Order by the Governor in Council, so they could still change before 1 October 2026
Full details and sources
The window
Three hours free, 11am to 2pm, every day including weekends. Fixed year round in local time. Around 2.6 million Victorian households are expected to be eligible.
The cap
24 kWh of total consumption during the free period per day. Usage above the cap is charged at up to the solar soak rate.
You still pay for
- The daily supply charge, every day. Recommended maximums run about $1.19 to $1.38 a day depending on your network
- Off peak usage from 9pm to 11am, around 24c per kWh
- Solar soak usage from 2pm to 4pm, around 19c per kWh
- Peak usage from 4pm to 9pm, around 40c to 50c per kWh
- Controlled load and dedicated circuits, which are billed separately. If your hot water is on a controlled load it keeps costing you during the free window
- Anything above 24 kWh inside the free window
Eligibility
- Residential customers only
- You must have a smart meter
- You do not need solar. The scheme is explicitly designed so households benefit whether or not they have panels or a battery
- Every Victorian retailer with more than 1,000 customers has to offer it
- Opt in and entirely optional. A cooling off period applies and you can switch it off at any time with no exit fees
- You cannot be placed on it automatically, you have to contact your retailer from 1 October 2026
Other things to check
- Rates outside the window are deliberately higher. The regulator is explicit that the cost of the free period is recovered across every other time of day, with recommended peak rates reaching about 50c per kWh in the AusNet zone
- The regulator's own assessment warns that shifting enough usage may be challenging for most households, and that customers who cannot shift enough could end up worse off
- The regulator also notes that battery owners may gain little, because a well run battery is already avoiding expensive grid periods
- Controlled load is not free during the window
- Retailers will not be required to benchmark their market offers against it, so cheaper plans will not be surfaced to you automatically
Distribution zones
AusNet Services, CitiPower, Jemena, Powercor, United Energy
Risk flags counted in the score
- higher peak rates: The cost of the free window is recovered through higher rates at other times of day.
- not final: Terms are not yet settled, or we could not confirm the plan is still open.
We could not verify
order in council not yet made, cooling off period length, controlled load tariff schedule, embedded network treatment. Confirm these with the retailer.
Sources
- Victorian Midday Power Saver, energy.vic.gov.au, checked 2026-07-29
- Essential Services Commission media release on the regulated free power period consultation, checked 2026-07-29
- Victorian Premier, three hours free power every day, 25 March 2026, checked 2026-07-29
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Ranked 11: EV Saver
Retailer plan VIC NSW SA QLD ACT Available now- Free window
- 12pm to 2pm2 hours on weekends only (4 hours a week)
- Daily free cap
- No daily capUncapped within the window
- Where
- VIC, NSW, SA, QLD, ACT
- Our score
- 48.6out of 100
The catch: Weekends only. Four free hours a week is roughly a fifth of what a daily three hour scheme gives you, so do not compare it like for like
Full details and sources
The window
Weekends only. Two hours on Saturdays and Sundays between 12pm and 2pm, so four free hours a week rather than the 21 you get from a daily three hour scheme. Verified in Red Energy's own terms and conditions.
The cap
No published kWh cap.
You still pay for
- Daily supply charge
- All weekday usage
- All usage outside 12pm to 2pm on weekends
- Controlled load
Eligibility
- Residential customers
- Available in Victoria and the ACT, where neither government scheme applies
Other things to check
- Rates outside the window are not published in the terms
Risk flags counted in the score
- higher peak rates: The cost of the free window is recovered through higher rates at other times of day.
- no rate cap: A market offer, so no regulated ceiling on what you pay outside the free window.
- discretionary cap: A fair use policy with no published number, instead of a fixed kWh cap you can check.
- limited days: Not available every day of the week.
We could not verify
distribution zones, out of window rates, daily supply charge, exit fees. Confirm these with the retailer.
Sources
- Red Energy EV Saver terms and conditions, checked 2026-07-26
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Ranked 12: FOUR4FREE
Retailer plan VIC NSW SA QLD Available now- Free window
- Not published
- Daily free cap
- Not published
- Where
- VIC, NSW, SA, QLD
- Our score
- 42.8out of 100
The catch: Your peak and off peak bands are forcibly restructured. GloBird states the plan applies fixed peak and off peak periods regardless of your existing tariff type, so this changes how all of your other usage is billed
Full details and sources
The window
Four free hours a day, but we cannot tell you which four. GloBird's marketing page says 11am to 3pm and its own binding terms and conditions say 10am to 2pm. We checked both on 26 July 2026 and they still contradict each other, so we have left the window blank rather than pick one. Ask GloBird to confirm in writing before you sign.
The cap
No cap published on either page.
You still pay for
- Daily supply charge
- All usage outside the free window
- Controlled load
Eligibility
- Residential customers
- Available in Victoria
- Solar not required
Other things to check
- GloBird's own two official pages give different free window times, and GloBird disclaims the published times on its product page
- Also sold bundled with gas as Combo FOUR4FREE, which makes like for like comparison harder
Distribution zones
AusNet Services, CitiPower, Jemena, Powercor, United Energy, Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy, Essential Energy
Risk flags counted in the score
- higher peak rates: The cost of the free window is recovered through higher rates at other times of day.
- no rate cap: A market offer, so no regulated ceiling on what you pay outside the free window.
- restructures tariff: Signing up forcibly changes your peak and off peak bands.
- not final: Terms are not yet settled, or we could not confirm the plan is still open.
We could not verify
free window start, free window end, daily cap kwh, out of window rates, daily supply charge. Confirm these with the retailer.
Sources
- FOUR4FREE, GloBird Energy, checked 2026-07-26
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Ranked 13: evEnergy Saver
Retailer plan ACT Available now- Free window
- 12pm to 2pm2 hours on weekends only (4 hours a week)
- Daily free cap
- Not published
- Where
- ACT
- Our score
- 42.3out of 100
The catch: Weekends only, so four free hours a week against 21 under a daily three hour scheme
Full details and sources
The window
Weekends only. Two hours on Saturdays and Sundays between 12pm and 2pm, covering grid imports but excluding controlled load. Four free hours a week.
The cap
No published kWh cap.
You still pay for
- Daily supply charge
- All weekday usage
- Controlled load
Eligibility
- Residential customers in the ACT
Other things to check
- The ACT sits outside the federal scheme entirely, so this is one of very few free window options there
Distribution zones
Evoenergy
Risk flags counted in the score
- higher peak rates: The cost of the free window is recovered through higher rates at other times of day.
- no rate cap: A market offer, so no regulated ceiling on what you pay outside the free window.
- limited days: Not available every day of the week.
We could not verify
daily cap kwh, daily supply charge, peak rates, exit fees. Confirm these with the retailer.
Sources
- evEnergy Saver, ActewAGL, checked 2026-07-26
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Ranked 14: Three for Free
Retailer plan SA Unconfirmed- Free window
- Not published
- Daily free cap
- Not published
- Where
- SA
- Our score
- 33.6out of 100
The catch: We cannot confirm this plan is still open to new customers. It launched in July 2025, before the regulated Solar Sharer Offer became mandatory in South Australia, and AGL now promotes the regulated offer instead. Check directly with AGL before relying on it
Full details and sources
The window
Reported as three hours daily, 10am to 1pm, in South Australia. We could not load AGL's plan page or its media release to confirm this, so treat the times as unverified.
The cap
Not published anywhere we could reach.
You still pay for
- Daily supply charge
- All usage outside the window
- Controlled load
Eligibility
- South Australian residential customers
Other things to check
- AGL's plan page is geo restricted to South Australia and blocks automated checking, so we could not verify the cap, the out of window rates or the supply charge
Distribution zones
SA Power Networks
Risk flags counted in the score
- higher peak rates: The cost of the free window is recovered through higher rates at other times of day.
- no rate cap: A market offer, so no regulated ceiling on what you pay outside the free window.
- not final: Terms are not yet settled, or we could not confirm the plan is still open.
We could not verify
free window start, free window end, daily cap kwh, out of window rates, daily supply charge, still open to new customers. Confirm these with the retailer.
Sources
- Three for Free, AGL (page returned 403 to automated checks), checked 2026-07-26
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Try clearing a filter, or widening the state selection.
How we ranked these
There is no single best free power plan, because the right one depends on how much electricity you can actually move into the middle of the day. So rather than hide a judgement inside a black box, here is exactly what we weighted and why.
- Free hours per day25%
- Absence of catches20%
- Available now20%
- Daily free usage cap20%
- Geographic availability15%
What each one means:
- Free hours per day: How many hours a day the electricity is actually free. Scored against a 4 hour benchmark.
- Absence of catches: Counts standardised risk flags, not how many caveats we happened to write. Four or more flags scores zero. The flags and what each means are listed below.
- Available now: An offer you can sign up to today beats one that has only been announced.
- Daily free usage cap: How much free energy you can actually take. Scored against a 24 kWh benchmark. A plan with no published cap scores half, not full, because in every case we found it means a discretionary fair use policy rather than unlimited energy.
- Geographic availability: How many states or distribution zones can access it. Scored against a 4 state benchmark.
The risk flags, and how many offers carry each:
- higher peak rates (13 offers): The cost of the free window is recovered through higher rates at other times of day.
- no rate cap (10 offers): A market offer, so no regulated ceiling on what you pay outside the free window.
- discretionary cap (3 offers): A fair use policy with no published number, instead of a fixed kWh cap you can check.
- needs hardware (2 offers): You must already own solar or a battery to qualify.
- restricted access (1 offer): Not open to the general public.
- not final (4 offers): Terms are not yet settled, or we could not confirm the plan is still open.
- restructures tariff (1 offer): Signing up forcibly changes your peak and off peak bands.
- credit not tariff (1 offer): Delivered as a bill credit after the fact rather than a zero cent rate.
- limited days (2 offers): Not available every day of the week.
Three adjustments matter. First, a weekend only plan is scored on its weekly average, not its window length, so two free hours on Saturdays and Sundays counts as roughly half an hour a day rather than two. Second, a plan with no published cap is scored neutrally rather than as unlimited, because every one we found instead runs a discretionary fair use policy, which is weaker protection than a stated limit. Third, the final score is multiplied by a confidence factor, so an offer we could only partly verify cannot outrank one we confirmed on a government page.
We do not rank on price, because a free window plan's real cost depends entirely on your own usage pattern, and any single dollar figure we published would be wrong for most readers. Use the government comparison site Energy Made Easy, or Victorian Energy Compare, to price a specific plan against your own bill.
The rollout
When each scheme starts
Free power arrived in stages, and the map is still filling in. Here is what has happened and what is confirmed next.
-
1 July 2026
Solar Sharer Offer
Australian Government, via the Australian Energy Regulator. NSW, SA, QLD. Live now.
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1 July 2026
Everyday with Daylight tariff
Diamond Energy. NSW, QLD, SA. Live now.
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1 July 2026
Solar Sharer, Tariff 12F
Ergon Energy Retail. QLD. Live now.
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1 October 2026
Victorian Midday Power Saver
Victorian Government, regulated by the Essential Services Commission. VIC. Confirmed to start.
The federal government has signalled that the Solar Sharer Offer will extend to remaining regions from 2027. No firm dates have been published for those regions, so we have not listed any.
Questions
Free electricity FAQs
Do I need solar panels to get free electricity?
No, and this is the single most misunderstood part of it. Both government schemes are explicitly open to households without solar. The Solar Sharer Offer's own guidance states you do not need rooftop solar to opt in, and the Victorian scheme is designed so households benefit whether or not they have panels or a battery.
The name misleads people. The solar being shared is the surplus rooftop and grid scale solar already flooding the grid every day at midday, which is why wholesale prices collapse in the middle of the day. The schemes hand some of that surplus to you. A small number of retailer plans on this page do require solar or a battery, and they are marked.
Do I need a smart meter?
Yes, for both government schemes. A free window only works if the meter can record your usage in intervals, which an old accumulation meter cannot do. If you do not have one, ask your retailer whether they can install one and whether any fee applies. Most Victorian homes already have a smart meter, since Victoria completed a statewide rollout years ago.
How do I actually sign up?
You contact your retailer and ask for it by name. Both government schemes are opt in only, which means nobody will be moved onto one automatically, and a retailer has no commercial reason to call you about it.
In New South Wales, South Australia and South East Queensland you can ask for the Solar Sharer Offer now. In Victoria, the Midday Power Saver opens on 1 October 2026 and there is nothing to sign before then.
What is the 24 kWh cap, and what happens if I go over?
Both government schemes make the first 24 kWh you use inside the window free each day. The regulator describes 24 kWh as roughly what a five person household uses across an entire day, so most households will not reach it by accident.
Going over does not punish you with peak rates. Under the Solar Sharer Offer the excess is billed at your network's off peak or solar soak rate, and Victoria charges excess at up to the solar soak rate. It is worth knowing if you plan to charge a large battery and an electric car in the same window.
What do I still pay for during the free hours?
The daily supply charge, in full, every day. That is a fixed connection fee and no free window touches it.
Controlled load is also excluded. If your electric hot water sits on a controlled load or dedicated circuit, it keeps being charged during the free window, which surprises a lot of people. Anything above the daily cap is charged, and gas is entirely unaffected.
What is the catch?
The free window is paid for by the rest of your day. The federal regulator states plainly that a Solar Sharer Offer costs the same across a year as an equivalent time of use tariff, with roughly 1 to 4 cents per kWh more at every other time. Victoria's regulator is blunter still, warning that households who cannot shift enough usage into the window could end up worse off, and that shifting that much consumption may be challenging for most people.
There is also a structural catch. These are time of use plans. If you are currently on a simple flat rate, opting in exposes you to peak pricing you did not previously face. That is the trade: these plans reward households that can move consumption to the middle of the day, and penalise those that cannot.
Can renters get it?
Yes, if you are the account holder and the property has a smart meter. The Solar Sharer Offer is open to renters and owners alike, and nothing about it requires you to own the roof.
The practical limits are that you cannot install a smart meter or a battery without the owner's agreement, and neither scheme is available on embedded networks, which rules out a lot of apartment buildings.
What if I try it and hate it?
Neither government scheme charges an exit fee. The Solar Sharer Offer is a standing offer you can leave whenever you like, and Victoria's scheme includes a cooling off period and lets you switch it off at any time with no exit fee.
Retailer market plans set their own terms, so check the plan's fact sheet before you sign. Where a plan's exit terms were not published, we have said so on its card rather than assumed.
About this comparison
Last updated 29 July 2026. Energy offers change often. Every detail here was checked against the retailer's own page or a government source on the date shown on each offer card, and each card lists its sources so you can check them yourself.
This information is general in nature and does not take account of your circumstances. It is not financial or energy advice. Prices, terms, windows and caps change without notice, and some details could not be verified at all, in which case we have said so rather than guess. Always confirm directly with the retailer before switching. To price a plan against your own usage, use the government comparison sites: Energy Made Easy for New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, ACT and Tasmania, or Victorian Energy Compare for Victoria.
Our commercial interest, stated plainly: DIM Electrical is a licensed electrical contractor in South East Melbourne that sells and installs home batteries. We benefit if you buy a battery from us. We do not receive commission from any electricity retailer listed on this page, we are not affiliated with any of them, and no retailer has paid for placement or influenced the ranking. Outbound links to retailers carry no tracking or affiliate code. The ranking method is published in full above so you can disagree with it.
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